A science manager position is available at the Department of Psychology (scientific director: Christian Doeller) at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany. We are looking for someone to coordinate, in close cooperation with the scientific director, the relevant organizational and management tasks in support of the scientific activities in the Department. Our scientific focus is on cognitive neuroscience.
Your responsibilities
- You will play a central role in supporting the scientific activities of the Department together with the scientific director, research group leaders, and a team of support staff. You will be a crucial part of the senior management team of the Department.
- You will act as contact person and representative in external communication (with e.g. the headquarters of the Max Planck Society, grant agencies, the press and our many local, national and international scientific partners) and play a central role in improving our internal communication between the Department and the Institute (e.g. with administration, research coordination, core facilities, and scientists), as well as between scientific and support staff, and the scientific leaders within the Department.
- You will assist the scientific director in the process of grant applications, management and reporting, budget management, publication of our scientific results and teaching and dissemination activities, incl. social media.
- You will support our doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in the coordination of research projects and career-related aspects.
- You will help to further improve our Department’s working culture (e.g. support efforts towards increasing diversity, equality and wellbeing).
- You will support the organization of Department events, training and visitor programs, and major conference visits of the Department.
- You will lead the organization of and prepare the documents of the Department for formal institute evaluations, scientific advisory board meetings, and yearly reports.
Your profile (desired)
- You have completed a PhD and postdoctoral work, preferably in cognitive neuroscience, or related disciplines and are excited about science in general.
- You have some experience in, and a talent for, organizational and management roles, preferentially in an (international) academic context.
- Professional experience in science management would be an asset.
- You have excellent interpersonal skills and can appreciate the diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds of the members of our Department.
- You are a team player.
- You have high integrity and are able to handle sensitive and confidential information.
- You are highly reliable and have good time management skills.
- We expect that candidates would be prepared to do national and international business trips as part of their job.
- You have excellent written and oral communication skills both in English and in German. The working language in our institute is English.
Our Offer
You will work closely and collaboratively with scientists, other research coordinators, students, administrative staff, IT support, and central scientific facilities to help achieve the scientific goals of the Department. We offer interesting, challenging, and varied tasks at the interface between science, administration and management in a highly topical field of research. You will be part of a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary, and international team embedded in a unique world-leading research environment. We offer a pleasant, creative, and dynamic work environment at the forefront of science with societal relevance, access to the best international scientific networks, regular opportunities for further education and training and long-term career support within and beyond academia. The position is funded for two years initially, with the possibility of extension. Renumeration depends on experience and qualification, following the rates established in the German Collective Agreement for the Civil Service (“Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst – TVöD”). This is in principle a full-time position, but flexible working hours can be negotiated. The work location will be at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig.
How to apply
The preferrable starting date is September 2023, but this is negotiable. To apply, please upload the following documents as pdf files: a max. 2-page letter that describes your personal qualifications, interests and motivation, and that clearly outlines how you fit the job requirements, a max. 3-page CV, a page with contact information for 2-3 references, and copies of up to three of your publications. If you think you do not fulfil all items on our desired profile, we still encourage you to apply. Please submit your application via our online application portal (the subject heading is “SC 04/23”). Applications will be reviewed until the vacancy is filled. Applications submitted by June 16, 2023, will be given full consideration. Interviews of shortlisted candidates are planned in July.
Contact for informal enquiries regarding the post: Susanne Starke. For more information, see http://www.cbs.mpg.de/departments/psychology and doellerlab.com.
The members of our institute come from various countries and cultural backgrounds. We highly value diversity and strive to further increase the representation of underrepresented groups. We therefore especially encourage applications from individuals that can help us further improve on creating a welcoming and inclusive work culture. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.
Leipzig is a vibrant city that has been called “Germany’s new cultural hot spot” by the Guardian and is listed as one of the 52 places to go in 2020 by the New York Times. It has a long-standing history of classical music, academic education, and —recently— modern arts. With its many parks, forests, canals and lakes, Leipzig is a perfect place for recreation, sports, and leisure time. It is located a one hour train ride south of Berlin.