Habilitation / Postdoc

After the Doctorate

This page provides a brief overview of the options available after completing a Ph.D. for those interested in pursuing an academic career at the university. For more detailed information about career paths, we refer you to the KHYS website.

Before the introduction of the new Higher Education Act of the State (LHG), the standard qualification route for early-career researchers after completing a Ph.D. was employment as a scientific assistant in a C1 position. This qualification phase was completed with the habilitation. Afterward, it was possible to remain at the university as a university lecturer until receiving an offer for a professorship.

With the new LHG, the position of a Junior Professor was introduced. A six-year term as a Junior Professor is considered an equivalent qualification to the habilitation. However, the option to pursue habilitation was retained. At the same time, the position of scientific assistant was abolished. Due to these changes, a completely new structure for the qualification phase after the Ph.D. has emerged. The following career paths are now possible:

- employment as a temporary academic advisor (Akademischer Rat auf Zeit)
- employment in a BAT IIa position
- appointment as a junior professor.

Akademischer Rat auf Zeit

Postdoctoral researchers can be employed as "temporary academic advisors" (Akademische Räte auf Zeit) after completing their Ph.D. These civil service positions are intended to replace the discontinued C1 positions. This is the option preferred by the department.

BAT IIa-Stelle

An alternative model with third-party funding is employment under BAT IIa with allowances. This model is currently also being implemented in our department.

Junior Professorship

In principle, KIT offers the possibility of establishing junior professorships. A useful addition is the so-called tenure-track option, which allows junior professors to be appointed as regular professors after six years.

Here are some additional links about junior professorships:

- Information from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), with further links to the Framework Act for Higher Education (Hochschulrahmengesetz) and the Act on Temporary Employment in Higher Education (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz).
- The basis for junior professorships in Baden-Württemberg is, once again, the Higher Education Act of the State (LHG).

Habilitation

The habilitation is the examination process to determine the qualification for higher educational teaching. Since it is an examination process, it is not directly equivalent to an employment. The basis for the habilitation examination is the habilitation regulations, which are linked below.

Habilitation Regulations of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)