GAUSS Career Blog

Career Information and Announcements

2025/01/30
by Stefanie Klug
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Workshop “How to get into the non-academic job market”, 27-28 January 2026

We are happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Service workshop “How to get into the non-academic job market” by Dr Philippa Cook.

For postdoctoral researchers with an international background, it can be a real challenge to get into Germany’s non-academic job market following an academic position. The entry routes into jobs are not always transparent, candidates are often not well-informed about what to expect in the application process and not everyone can offer German language skills. Where and how you can look for a job outside classic academia depends on your qualifications and skills set, on your individual life situation as well as on knowing about possible entry paths and strategies, the (unwritten) rules of the game and other parameters. This workshop offers assistance with this – tailored specifically for the needs of international scholars – and will encourage participants not just to prepare for this transition in a focused way but to create an action plan which they can start to implement.

Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday, 27-28 January 2026, 9-16h
Duration: 2 full days, 9-16h
Location: in person on North campus
Trainer: Dr Philippa Cook

Registration: Please register here and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description:

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2025/01/30
by Stefanie Klug
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GAUSS Career Impulse Session (30 January 2026, 11:30-13:00, in-person) with Dr Saskia Gressel (Patent Attorney at HOFFMANN EITLE (Biotech)): “From pipettes to patents: how I became a Patent Attorney in a European Intellectual Property boutique firm”

We’re happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Impulse Session, this time with alumna Dr Saskia Gressel, German and European Patent Attorney at HOFFMANN EITLE (Biotec), Munich, and Representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).

  • Date: Friday, 30 January 2026
  • Time: 11:30-13:00 (appr.)
  • Location: in person
  • Registration: Please write a short e-mail to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de if you would like to attend.

About the speaker:

What does a patent attorney do, and what makes this career path so unique? With appr. 14,400 European Patent Attorneys and 4,200 German Patent Attorneys, our work plays a critical role in bridging the gap between cutting-edge innovation and legal protection. In this talk, I will share insights into the daily life of a patent attorney in private practice, particularly in the field of biotechnology.

I will take you through my own career journey – from studying Chemistry and Biochemistry at LMU Munich to research projects with Prof. Jennifer Doudna at UC Berkeley, completing my PhD at the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen with Prof. Patrick Cramer, and transitioning into intellectual property (IP) law. I will discuss what it’s like to work in an IP boutique firm, the challenges and rewards of handling biotech IP cases, and how my scientific background informs my legal practice.

If you’re curious about careers at the intersection of science, law, and innovation, this talk is for you!

About the sessions:

Our Career Impulse Sessions offer a platform for interactive and informal exchange about career-related topics for PhD students and postdocs in the Life and Natural Sciences. By inviting PhD holders with different career paths, we would like to illustrate the broad range of potential careers for PhD students and postdocs and give inspiration for career choices.

2025/01/29
by Stefanie Klug
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Workshop “How to find your postdoctoral position”, 5-6 Feb 2026

We are happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Service workshop “How to find your postdoctoral position” by Dr Dagmar Sigurdardottir.

This workshop is intended for early postdocs and late-stage PhD students who are looking for their first or next postdoctoral position.

  • Dates: Thursday, 5 Feb 2026, 9:00-17:30h and Friday, 6 Feb 2026, 9:00-16:30h
  • Duration: two full days
  • Location: in-person on North Campus
  • Trainer: Dr Dagmar Sigurdardottir
  • Workshop Category: Knowing and Marketing Yourself

Registration: Please register here (in case you are not registered yet) and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description

Post-doctoral positions are usually not that hard to get but finding the right one that can firmly establish a professional career is really challenging. At the same time, scientists towards the end of their PhD don’t have a lot of time to spend on the search for the right post-doctoral position. Therefore, this workshop provides a compact overview of relevant aspects and the opportunity to explore one’s own preferences. Specifically, participants learn to define their own criteria for a successful post-doctoral position, develop their targeted search and application strategy, assess the relative benefit of post-doctoral grants and prepare to harness the full potential of their post-doc interview.

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2025/01/28
by Stefanie Klug
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Workshop “Interview Training for the non-academic job market”, 12-13 March 2026

We are happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Service workshop in 2025 “Interview Training for the non-academic job market” by Christelle Linsenmann.

This workshop is intended for Postdocs and late-stage PhD students in the process of applying for a job outside of academia.

  • Dates: Thursday and Friday, 12-13 March 2026, 9-16h
  • Duration: two full days
  • Location: in-person on North Campus
  • Trainer: Christelle Linsenmann

Please register here (in case you are not registered yet) and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description

In this workshop, participants learn to prepare for upcoming application procedures and especially the different phases and requirements of a job interview. After this workshop, participants can effectively describe their individual job-relevant skills and unique strengths, present themselves professionally in a job-interview and are able to master unforeseen or difficult situations confidently. The workshop focuses on the reflection of individual competencies, practical exercises on frequently asked questions and techniques in interviews and dealing with critical or unknown questions. Finally, participants will develop their own authentic self-presentation. Methodologically, the workshop focuses on a change of input phases, feedback rounds and guided exercises.

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2025/01/27
by Stefanie Klug
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Workshop “Mastering Academic Job Interviews: Securing Postdocs, Grants, and Leadership Roles”, 16-17 March 2026

We are happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Service workshop “Mastering Academic Job Interviews: Securing Postdocs, Grants, and Leadership Roles” by Dr Alexander Britz.

This workshop is intended for Postdocs and late-stage PhD students preparing for the next big step in their academic career.

  • Dates: Monday, 16 March 2026, 9:00-17:00h and Tuesday, 17 March 2026, 9:00-13:00h
  • Duration: 1,5 days
  • Location: in-person on North Campus
  • Trainer: Dr Alexander Britz

Registration: Please register here (in case you are not registered yet) and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description

Whether you’re applying for postdoctoral positions (domestic or abroad), preparing for selection interviews for competitive grants, or aiming for junior group leadership or professorship roles, this workshop is designed to help you excel. In this interactive workshop, participants will develop and practice key skills to leave a strong, professional impression in academic interviews. Effective preparation strategies, presentation techniques, and ways to navigate the unique expectations of academic hiring processes are covered and the specific challenges of academic job applications will be addressed.

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2025/01/26
by Stefanie Klug
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Workshop: “Leadership Skills for Postdocs”, 15-16 Apr 2026

We are happy to announce our next GAUSS Career Service workshop “Leadership Skills for Postdocs” by Dr. Sabine Lerch.

Advancing as a scientist, both out- as well as inside academia, comes with increased leadership responsibilities. In this interactive workshop the participants learn the essential leadership skills which are necessary to be successful as a PhD student or Postdoc and to later facilitate a successful transition to a senior position at a research institution or the dream job outside academia.

Dates: Wednesday, 15 April 2026, 9-17h; Thursday, 16 April 2026, 9-13h
Duration: 1,5 days days
Location: in-person on North campus
Trainer: Dr. Sabine Lerch

Registration: Please register here and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description:

This course has been designed for Postdocs to provide you with theoretical and practical knowledge about leadership. The word “leader” goes together with “people”. Leaders are expected to improve human performance and manage resources. Yet many professionals focus only on technical or scientific qualifications – not on complex social interactions. These professionals quickly learn that poor leadership and communication skills can undermine credibility and overall effectiveness. Whether in academia or industry, leaders are likely to manage ‘knowledge workers’ (smart, creative, highly professional people) – who expect to be treated with respect and given opportunities to develop their potential. For these roles, working collaboratively with others, understanding their motivations, making sound decisions and influencing a group towards win-win goals will be valuable skills. You will take steps to learn how to identify your own leadership type, clarify leadership ideals and behaviours, script successful meetings and discussions, listen to get complete information, empower your people, give constructive feedback and manage conflict.

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2025/01/25
by Stefanie Klug
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Online workshop: “Time and Self Management” (20 May 2026)

We are happy to announce our upcoming GAUSS Career Service online workshop “Time and Self Management” by Dr. Matthias Mayer.

This workshop is intended for Postdocs and late-stage PhDs in the Natural and Life Sciences.

  • Dates: Wednesday, 20 May 2026, 9-17h
  • Duration: 1 full day
  • Location: online
  • Trainer: Dr. Matthias Mayer

Registration: Please register here (in case you are not registered yet) and send an email to career@gauss.uni-goettingen.de including a short statement on your motivation to attend the workshop.

Workshop description:

Are you sometimes struggling to balance the demands of research, professional development, and personal life? This workshop is designed specifically for PhDs and postdocs who want to master the art of time- and self-management. With a focus on directly applicable, well-proven methods, you’ll gain actionable insights to set clear goals, plan effectively across different time horizons, and reduce stress in competitive academic environments. Join this engaging, interactive session to take control of your schedule, overcome distractions, and build habits that lead to long-term success—in your PhD, postdoc, and beyond.

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