PostDoc-Programme

The IZKF established a PostDoc programme for natural scientists with a doctorate who are in an early but pioneering phase of their career. It is specifically designed to support and promote academic careers immediately after the doctorate.

This programme not only focuses on specialist training, but also offers a package of mentoring, coaching, targeted networking opportunities and strategic career development. With its focus on career-promoting measures towards academic independence, it clearly distinguishes itself from existing initiatives such as Life@FAU.

Our aim is to create a platform that prepares postdocs for the challenges of an academic career and allows them to make important contacts and thus strengthen their position in the scientific environment of the Faculty of Medicine. The participants’ own active involvement is also a prerequisite for success.

Participants who are currently in or have already completed an ARIADNE programme or are a member of FAUnext due to the Junior Project funding cannot be admitted to the PostDoc Programme.

The aims of the programme are as follows

Promotion of career development from doctorate to academic independence (e.g. habilitation/professorship)
Development of leadership skills
Communication and networking through the organization of joint meetings, mailing lists and working groups

Eligible applicants are

Scientists (not physicians: a comparable programme is already available to them with the Clinician Scientist Programme) with a completed doctorate from clinics, institutes and departments of the entire Faculty of Medicine (submission of doctoral certificate)
who can provide evidence of at least 1 original publication as first author in a respected peer-reviewed journal,
who are working on their own research project

The programme is aimed in particular at postdoctoral researchers in an early career phase. In principle, no candidates can be accepted who have already been in the habilitation process for more than two years or for whom the interim evaluation by the specialist mentorate has already taken place.

Participants who are currently in or have already completed an ARIADNE programme or are a member of FAUnext due to the Junior Project funding cannot be admitted to the PostDoc Programme.

Programme modules

Module	Description/ Requirements
Mentoring	At least 1 mentor with the right to award doctorates, usually selected from among the IZKF members at the start of the project
Meetings	The meetings should take place at least every 2 months and be organized by the spokesperson of the programme. The participants are responsible for designing the programme.
Subject-specific and interdisciplinary further training	Seminar programme on career-relevant topics, such as research funding, leadership skills in everyday clinical and scientific work, time and resource management, publication strategies or scientific communication

The programme started on 01.01.2025. Applications for the program are accepted on an ongoing basis.