Junior research group leadership
By leading an independent junior research group, you can implement your own research project and thus expand your scientific independence and your own research profile. By leading a junior research group, as an alternative to habilitation, it is possible to obtain appointability and at the same time gain leadership experience.
In most cases, junior research groups are financed by third-party funds and supported for five years. They can be based at university or non-university research institutions. A tenure track option is still rare (e.g. at the MPG), but the prospects of appointment to a professorship are very good, as the evaluation of funding recipients from the Emmy Noether Programme and the Volkswagen Foundation shows.
If you are already a junior research group leader or will be in the foreseeable future, you can take advantage of the continuing education programmes offered by JLU's Human Resources Development to enhance your leadership skills.
Funding programmes for junior research group leaders
A selection of funding opportunities for junior research group leaders:
ERC Starting Grants (European Research Council)
- Postdocs of all research areas
- 2 - 7 years after doctorate
- funding of up to € 1.5 million over 5 years
- application only after call for proposals
- Postdocs in all research fields
- 2 - 4 years after doctorate
- funding over 6 years
- application possible at any time.
Non-university research institutions also fund junior research group leaders:
You can find further funding opportunities in the Funding section.