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Information on junior professorships

The aim of junior professorships is to enable young researchers to qualify for W2 (i.e. associate professorships) and W3 (i.e. full professorships) position. They will be given the opportunity to teach and research independently. At the TU Hamburg, junior professors are supported by qualified professorial mentors.

Junior professors are initially appointed as temporary civil servants for three years. After a successful interim evaluation, they are appointed for a further three years. If the interim evaluation is not successful, the junior professorship can be extended by one year. Junior professorships can be advertised with or without tenure track. Junior professors with tenure track will be transferred to an associate professorship (W2) or a full professorship (W3) for life after successful tenure evaluation.

For junior professorships with tenure track, a tenure evaluation is conducted in the sixth year. If this is successful, an appointment as W2 or W3 professor is made. Criteria and the procedure for the interim and tenure evaluation are described in the Guideline for the Evaluation of Junior Professors (incl. Tenure Track) at the TUHH (availabel in German only).

Junior professorships are explicitly aimed at young scientists and are comparable to assistant professorships in the Anglo-American university system. Accordingly, only applicants who are still in an early career phase can be considered. As a rule, an appointment to a junior professorship should take place as close to the completion of the doctorate. Experienced scientists are not eligible for these positions.

The hiring requirements for junior professors are defined in § 18 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act (available in German only). According to this, the following requirements apply - in addition to the general requirements under civil service law:

1. A completed university degree (e.g., master's degree, state examination, etc.).

The prerequisite for an application for a junior professorship is a completed university degree. This is the case, for example, if a diploma course or a master's course has been successfully completed.

2. The pedagogical aptitude for teaching in universities

The pedagogical aptitude is assessed by the selection committee on the basis of a test lecture. In addition, evaluation results from past courses and university didactic certificates may also be taken into account in the assessment.

3. A special aptitude for scientific inquiry, usually to be demonstrated by an outstanding quality of doctoral degree.

An outstanding doctorate list a doctorate that has been evaluated with "summa cum laude" or a comparable grade.

4. If employment as a research assistant has preceded or followed the doctorate, the periods of doctoral studies and employment together should not exceed six years.

The periods of previous employment are counted until the application deadline. Periods spent raising children or caring for family members are not counted toward the 6-year period. Disability-related extensions are not taken into account. Periods of doctoral or postdoctoral scholarships as well as periods of doctoral studies and employment abroad are to be counted in full. Exceptions to this rule are possible if longer periods of doctoral studies are required in a particular field.

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Information on junior professorships

1. A completed university degree (e.g., master's degree, state examination, etc.).

2. The pedagogical aptitude for teaching in universities

3. A special aptitude for scientific inquiry, usually to be demonstrated by an outstanding quality of doctoral degree.

4. If employment as a research assistant has preceded or followed the doctorate, the periods of doctoral studies and employment together should not exceed six years.

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