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[ronin]

Hello,
Anyone willing to share experiences about working at Max Planck in Halle?
Salaries, benefits, pros, cons, housing, atmosphere?
Many thanks in advance.

[thisisme]

Not about the MPI in Halle but MPIs more or less in general:
pro: great research resources, good place to make (also international) contacts in the field.

Salaries/benefits: These are pretty much the same throughout all research institutes and universities in Germany (for a certain level, based on experience). Although it depends a bit on what type of position this is about. (A director can negotiate pretty much anything...)

[ronin]

Thank you for your reply Thisisme. I heard that researchers at MPI do not get the same benefits than the ones at state universities in Germany. So what are the real advantages of being at MPI, apart from prestige?
And I am quite interested in what exactly can negotiate a director?

[thisisme]

In terms of benefits, it's really pretty much the same. There are slight differences from state to state at universities while MPIs have a common system, but I doubt that these are decisive. The hierarchical system is very different though, so maybe this is in fact about comparing different types of positions (e.g. professor versus group leader)?

One of the main advantages is prestige, probably. Also funding. Universities have gotten competitive in great start-ups, so that might get into the same range, but the annual funding is usually much more at MPI and the whole funding is more flexible. If you really need something and can convince people of it, you will get it. At the university, if the money is not there, it is not there, however convincing you are....Teaching is also a huge difference as you almost have no obligations in this regard at the MPI. You pretty much get involved as much as you like (in a simplified view). However, this also means you have limited influence on graduate and graduate programs and so on, which always take place at the university.... Hence it is sometimes easier to catch good students for your group at a university. You cannot apply for many third-party-funding programs if you have a permanent positions at a MPI (but you may be fine without that).

As director: well, salary, start-up, positions in your divisions, buildings/remodelling, yearly budget...

If you really have the offer for a director position and a competing offer from a university, in particular if the latter is from a German University, you may want to get information and coaching from the DHV. You will need to join if you are not a member but that should be worth it.

 

[ronin]

Hi again Thisisme,
Very useful indeed. I do not have a offer as director but knowing what the director can negotiate helps to envision what a team leader could ask to the director. And DHV looks like an interesting source as well.
It is quite amazing how little we are prepared as academics regarding the management of our careers ... but maybe it's just me.