next »

[mulerooster]

My husband may have a chance to do a postdoc in Munich.  This would be a great opportunity for him!  I would love to move to Europe too.  However, my ideal job would be to teach science at the university level.  I know how to get that type of job here in the US (at small liberal arts colleges or community colleges).  Is there anything comparable in Germany? 

I could just do a science research post-doc for a few years while there, but I'd really like to maintain my teaching too.  I don't want to just put teaching on hold for 3-4 years until we come back to the USA.  Are there any teaching opportunities for postdoctoral researchers in Germany?  What institutions in or near Munich would be best for this?

Do teaching postdoctoral programs exist in Germany (where post-docs do research 75% of the time and teach 25% of the time)?

Could you tell me about the education system in Germany too.  (Sorry, I really know nothing about it right now.)  Are all of the universities just major universities?  Are there any smaller schools comparable to liberal arts schools or community colleges?  In other words, are there small universities where I could solely teach?  Or would I be looking at teaching at a large university?

Thanks for your help!

[sandgrounder]

It's a very different system and the sort of things you are looking for don't really exist. You have research-led universities, Fachhochschule (more applied than pure research) and then the odd private university / college that are more teaching focussed, but I can't think of one in the Munich area. How fluent is your German? Most undergraduate teaching is delivered in German and widespread use of English only kicks in at the masters level. A university-based postdoc would probably have some student contact perhaps in helping with lab sessions or running tutorials but it would be very much directed by the supervising professor.
Try www.academics.de for postdoc listings. There are a lot of research-only institutes eg the Max Planck Institutes that offer postdocs - but it would depend on your field whether there's a suitable specialist research institute in munich. I would suggest searching out Germans at your current university for information - there is so much that is different that it's very easy to make major mistakes in applications.

[normative_]

There are a number of threads on this and related topics, and Sandgrounder's judgement is sound on this matter. Post-docs are not only notoriously difficult to get, but impossible to hold unless you're actively collaborating with you supervisor and quoting him or her a lot. Germany is largely a closed shop, with a few exceptions that are more for show than substance.

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,29161.0.html
http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,51616.0.html
http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,50887.0.html
http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,62208.0.html

There are, however, openings for teaching staff (adjuncts), sometimes on an ad hoc basis. It's worth trying if you arrive and plan to stay for a couple of years.

Then again, if you fit in here, talk to them as well.

http://www.sfb870.mcn.uni-muenchen.de/02_about/05_bylaws/03_organs/index.html

[mrtony]

Unlike in the U.S., where most applications deadlines are in December, a job opening in Germany may come up at any point in the year.  Traditionally, job seekers were expected to have Ph.D. in hand and several years of post-doc experience.  For new assistant professor-level positions, it may be possible to apply and say the Ph.D. is expected in 3-6 months.  This is also fine for post-doc positions.
There is no central listing for academic jobs at the professor or post-doc levels.  Many jobs from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria are listed on die Zeit.

[schoolmarm]

My research is in Munich and a few other German/Austrian locales.  I know Munich like the back of my hand.

I hope that you are fluent in German.  After many years of doing research in Munich I know that my German is not good enough to teach at the university level, let alone with graduate students. I could probably teach middle school.  Also, in Munich, Bayerische is still spoken quite a bit and even if your German is fluent, you may not understand the locals. Knowing German is essential...my main archivist and 2 others at my research institute have very limited English.  Your grocery store clerk may also be limited. You will be ok at the library or in areas near tourist.  My last landlady did not speak English, but her Russian was fluent.

The local universities are the LMU (Ludwigs Maximillius Univeristät) and the Technical University.  Both are strong in sciences. There is also a Fachhochschule for business and technical professions, and a Musikhochschule (conservatory).  It would be HIGHLY competitive to get a job at either the LMU or the TU. There really aren't "liberal arts colleges" in Germany.  It is a state system of large universities, technical universities, fachhochschule, and specialized institutes such as Sporthochschule and Musikhochschule.

You might be better off trying for a Fulbright or a Humbolt (if you are under 40) or perhaps something from the Max Planck Institute.  The DAAD also has funding for Americans.

There might be other opportunities for scientific research in industry.  I shared a hotel with some scientists from the US who were working at BMW on an engineering project.  There are other companies that might offer an internship.  Munich is full of high-tech corporations. They might be more English-friendly as well.

Munich is an awesome city!  Get away from the tourists!

If your husband's post doc does not come with an apartment, be warned that Munich is like Manhattan and apartments are expensive and hard to find.  Look in Kurz und Fund (I think that is the name of the paper--Short and Found) it is full of ads for lots of things including apartments.  I usually book through www.checkin-muenchen.de/index.php? The Subway system is clean, quick, safe and easy to use. You do not have to live near your work, but it DOES help.

I believe that there is an American School or an International School in Munich.  You might be able to teach high school science there, in English. My American friends who were accompanying their husbands to Munich usually taught English in one of the language schools.

Enjoy the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek--the "Staubby"!  It is an awesome library.

And pardon my possible spelling errors--it's been a while since I've typed in German.  I'm looking forward to going over in May for 6 weeks!

Viel spaß!

[call_me_al]

What you might try is to get a job as an adjunct for one or two courses, limited to a semester at a time. These short-term lecturerships (Lehrauftraege) are badly paid, but they are a way to get your foot in the door. They are also the only kind of academic job you are likely to get - the situation is so dire. Contact the department's head of department (Geschaeftsfuehrer or geschaeftsfuehrender Direktor or some such) and send a short CV specifying which subfields or areas you could cover. Lehrauftraege are often a last-minute way for departments to offer extra classes to deal with rising student numbers; and since all German universities are making an effort to "go international", they might even want you to teach in English.
(BTW, "last-minute" generally means March/early April and September/early October.)
Best of luck!
Al

[donstefano]

Check www.academics.de for joblistings.
Or try to create your own job by bringing your own postdoc money - e.g. Marie Curie int'l incoming fellowship - http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/mariecurieactions/iif_en.html; or a Humboldt Research Fellowship http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/programmes-by-target-group.html. Perhaps there are also opportunities through http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/index.html

[thisisme]

+ 1 for academics.de: they are near to complete for professor positions. Many Postdoc and adjuncts position are given directly to candidates that are known to the university. Hence you may just e-mail or call a professor in your subfield and ask about the situation.

In fact, as pointed out above, adjuncting is not that common but exists. Now is a good time in Bavaria since due to the change of the school system (shortened by 1 year) and stop of military duties student numbers about doubled this year. Different universities handle this differently but there is certainly money for this and you may well find you niche. Again, best just contact some people.

There are many many more Postdoc possibilities than teaching ones. The best choice is probably a Postdoc position at a university where you then work your way up from small seminars/lab supervising to more responsible teaching ones your advisor has learned to value your teaching etc. For that, it is best to contact people who fit research wise and discuss with them what and where to best submit a proposal. It may be your own as mentioned above or one you write together with that person, i.e. fer DFG or so.

You should also broaden your search and include universities in driving distance from Munich like Erlangen (very good in sciences) or Augsburg.

Max Planck is good if you want excellent research conditions which are tremendously great. If teaching is important to you, do NOT go to Max Planck. Group leaders teach somewhat at a collaborating university, but as postdoc you likely will not.

[bourbonrose]

The Deutsches Museum has a research institute that offers fellowships for research projects (history of science and technology) at the Museum, its library, and its archive.  Where else are you going to get to hold a letter by Einstein in your hands?

Look up the DM and its scholar-in-residence program.  The fellowships run from 3 months to a year.  If you're a fellow, you can also apply for one of their subsidized apartments.

Unfortunately, I think their deadline for this year has passed.