Our postdoctoral career programme supports young researchers in boosting their creativity and their transition to scientific independence. The CIBSS Launchpad Programme (CLP) provides a comprehensive set of measures to prepare postdocs for the challenges they will face as independent group leaders. Tailored and structured mentoring, qualification programmes, networking opportunities, as well as funding for independent research projects and awards enable researchers to launch their science careers.

The CIBSS Launchpad programme is open to postdocs from the University of Freiburg, the University Medical Center and the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics who are working in research groups that are led by a CIBSS investigator.

If you are not yet associated with CIBSS and are looking for a postdoctoral position, relevant links and information on opportunities at CIBSS are listed here.

On a glance: Download the CIBSS Launchpad flyer here.

CIBSS recognises that the postdoctoral phase is a critical time for the transition to scientific independence. As part of the CIBSS Launchpad Programme (CLP), CIBSS provides Launchpad Funds in two tracks: the Research Project Track and the Grant Proposal Track. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The Research Project Track covers a portion of the recipient’s salary for 6 to 18 months, so that they can work on their own independent Launchpad project during part of their working hours, and/or it can cover research or travel costs.

The Grant Proposal Track covers up to 100% of the recipient’s salary for three months to allow for time to write and submit their own grant, fellowship proposal or application for a competitive Junior Group Leader position.

Furthermore, in addition to funding, Launchpad Funds recipients automatically become members of the CLP and have access to all benefits of CLP membership.

Who can apply?

Postdocs from the University of Freiburg, the University Medical Center and the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics who are working in CIBSS research groups. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Find more details here and contact the CIBSS Early Career Coordinator Dr. Dengfeng Huang, dengfeng.huang(at)cibss.uni-freiburg.de for further information and the application guideline.

CLP membership offers mentoring, training and networking opportunities:

Launchpad mentoring includes project planning tools as well as individual career mentoring:

• The Flightplan is a career planning document. It contains personal career goals and lists achievements of the past year.
• The Career Checklist for Postdocs will help you to prioritise and think strategically in order to achieve a permanent position as Principal Investigator via the Junior Group Leadership route.
• Career Mentoring matches CLP members with CIBSS mentors who provide support by sharing their experiences and giving individual advice on career plans.

Launchpad Training includes tailored qualifications to prepare postdocs for the challenges they will face as independent group leaders.

• Grant writing and funding opportunities
• Good scientific practice
• Scientific writing
• Supervision
• Resilience
• Science communication
• Further workshops and trainings

Launchpad Networking offers opportunities for exchanging perspectives on scientific or career topics among peers, and with senior researchers and professors. Some events are also open to all early career researchers in the biological signalling field, independent of CLP membership (marked with *).

• CLP lunch series with professors
• Virtual Coffee Break

• CIBSS Early Career Retreat *
• CIBSS Career Days *

Upcoming events are listed here.

Past events are listed here.

Who can apply?

Postdocs from the University of Freiburg, the University Medical Center and the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics who are working in CIBSS research groups are eligible. Applicants should be working on integrative signalling research projects.

Application is easy: Contact the CIBSS Early Career Coordinator Dr. Dengfeng Huang, dengfeng.huang(at)cibss.uni-freiburg.de to receive the application form. You will need to hand in this form together with a short CV. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Note: If you have been awarded CIBSS Launchpad Funds, you will automatically become a CLP member and do not have to go through a second application process.

In addition to the CLP programme, all CIBSS early career researchers have access to the following support measures offered by CIBSS and the University of Freiburg:

CIBSS support measures

• The InteGREATor Award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements of doctoral researchers and postdocs including award funds.
• CIBSS Lab Support during pregnancy and early parenthood.
• Career Advancement and Travel Grant for conferences and scientific trainings
• Scientific Editing to provide detailed feedback on funding applications and manuscripts

University of Freiburg support measures

• Postdoc Career Qualification: Recognize and promote your scientific potential in cooperation with the University of Freiburg Postdoc Qualification & Faculty of Medicine Education and Qualification for Postdocs (EQUIP)
• University Teaching & E-Learning: Advance your teaching abilities in cooperation with courses of the University Teaching Center (HDZ) and E-Learning Department.
• Coaching: University of Freiburg and CIBSS Coaching Opportunities
• Support in proposals for your third-party-funded research projects: University of Freiburg Science Support Center

Early career researchers in Freiburg have access to many additional resources from the University of Freiburg and other local institutions, such as the following:

Relevant for research

• Freiburg Funding Portal: a battery of fellowships to support research
• Deutscher Hochschulverband: offer mentoring for junior professors and professors, e.g., salary negotiations
• Academics: offer tips for research and open positions
• Signalling Factory&Robotics Facility: provide scientific and technical assistance for researchers to design experiments & provides a collection of equipment and tools.
• HOX life science GmbH program is tailored in the field of pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, food and agricultural technology
• btS – Life Sciences Studierendeninitiative e.V. unites students and doctoral candidates from all areas of the life sciences.

Mentoring programmes

• AdvanceMent Freiburg (for postdocs und senior doctoral students): support researchers in their professional development in this crucial phase – whether they are aiming for a career in academia (@academia) or see their future outside academia (@newpathways) or @flexible.
• Studierendenmentoring Freiburg, including Intercultural mentoring, subject-specific mentoring, teaching-specific mentoring

Mentoring programmes especially for women

• EIRA-Mentoring (Faculty of Medicine)
• Kite mentoring (EN, for PhDs and Postdocs)
• MuT - Mentoring und Training (DE, Weg für Frauen in der Wissenschaft)
• Futura Mentoring (DE) tandems are formed, each with a mentor and a mentee, who set out together to address the mentee's previously set goals.

Berufsinformation & Services - Freiburg

• Berufsinformation & Services – Freiburg Bundesagentur für Arbeit, including the following 3 parts:
  • Agentur für Arbeit Freiburg 
  • Jobcenter Freiburg
  • Berufsinformationszentrum (BiZ) Freiburg
• JobTeaser Career Center: A career portal for students and graduates offered by the company JobTeaser about internships, job offers and events around job orientation and career opportunities.

• Schlüsselkompetenzen und Berufsfeldorientierung (mainly DE): offers all students a cross-faculty, interdisciplinary and demand-oriented range of courses with a high proportion of practical experience

If you are interested in founding your own start-up

• Gründungsbüro: Offers support in gründungsstipendium & discussing ideas or developing business plan