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Information for new Postdocs

Overview of services to support and promote research, career development and integration into the scientific community at Osnabrueck University

Dear new Postdocs, a warm welcome to Osnabrueck University!

Various facilities at Osnabrueck University offer services to support Postdocs who have recently taken up a position at Osnabrueck University regarding their research, career development and integration into the University’s scientific community. The information assembled on this website is targeted directly at early career researchers after the doctorate who do Postdoc research and teaching at the University, either as a member of scientific staff or as a scholarship holder.
Please note that some services may only be available to Postdocs holding an employment contract with the University.

The following links lead to English websites if available.

Offers of the PhD/Postdoc Career Center (Zentrum für Promovierende und Postdocs - ZePrOs)

As an interdisciplinary institution of the University of Osnabrück, the PhD/Postdoc Career Center at Osnabrück University (German abbreviation: ZePrOs) supports doctoral and postdoctoral researchers as well as junior professors of all disciplines in their scientific and interdisciplinary further qualification.

Condition for taking up these offers is a registration at the PhD/ Postdoc Career Center. Postdocs simply register by sending an informal application by e-mail to: zepros@uni-osnabrueck.de. Those registered are kept up to date on all ZePrOs events via regular emails. The workshops offered by the ZePrOs are free of charge for the University’s Postdocs.

• Osnabrück University provides “career talk” discussion guidelines (PDF, 1,58 MB) for its Postdocs and their supervisors as a basis for regular conversations on individual career development. The abundance of potential career paths and additional qualifications open to Postdocs means that consultations between Postdocs and professors are a key part of the career planning process. The career consultations are voluntary. However, it is highly recommended that they take place once a year.
• The ZePrOs offers interdisciplinary seminars to help participants strengthen their academic and professional key competencies.  The ZePrOs course program is published every semester and includes workshops in German and English targeted specifically at Postdocs. It also includes support offers and seminars provided by the Language Center, International Office, University Library, Organisational Development Division, Transfer and Innovation Management, Equal Opportunity Office and Family Service, Koordinationsstelle Professionalisierungsbereich (coordination office professionalization) and Center for Digital Teaching, Campus Management and University Didactics (Virtuos) that are particularly relevant to PhDs and Postdocs.
• In annual rotation, the ZePrOs organises two major informational events: the “Symposium on Good Scientific Practice” and the “PhD and Postdocs Days”. Details are published in due time on the ZePrOs website.
• The mentoring programs offer highly qualified early career researchers individual support in their career development. A 12-months Mentoring Program for Postdocs takes place every other year.
• Dr. Marie-Kathrin Drauschke is available for individual consultations with Postdocs who require assistance in decision-making processes or advice regarding career strategies and research funding options. Consultations are confidential and can take place in German or English, either in person or as a video conference. Postdocs dealing with conflicts in the work and research context are also welcome to contact her.

Offers of the research service

The research service supports scientists in the selection of suitable project funding and assists in the application process.

• The research consultants at Osnabrueck University support scientists during the entire process of applying for third-party funding from researching suitable funding instruments to handing in the finalized application. They also provide advice on applying for postdoctoral fellowships, conference funding opportunities, research-related travel grants, and fellowships abroad and offer feedback on work in progress. Contact person for Postdocs is Dr. Marie-Kathrin Drauschke.
• An overview of typical third party funding programs (in German) provides basic information for Postdocs of all disciplines.
• The research consultants offer regular workshops on the principles of proposal writing and the most important third party funding institutions and programmes. Dates are published in the ZePrOs course program.
• The Research Newsletter “FIT for Science” contains the latest announcements for funding. Subscription is recommended.
• The Research Support Pool offers financial support for Postdocs working on a proposal for substantial third-party funding. Please contact Dr. Marie-Kathrin Drauschke to find out about eligibility and details.

Further funding opportunities

• The Female Promotion Pool of the Equal Opportunities Office awards funding to female scholars and supports research in gender studies or promoting gender awareness.
• The Universitätsgesellschaft (University Society) awards subsidies for travel and accommodation expenses for active participation in conferences (German website)
• The Open Access publication fund is administrated by the University Library. It offers subsidies for publication fees of peer-reviewed journal articles published by members of Osnabrueck University as Corresponding / Submitting Authors.

Basics of good research & important information for researchers

Osnabrueck University offers various resources to enable and promote research according to the highest standards.

• Osnabrueck University fosters a culture of scientific integrity as laid down in the DFG's Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice and has published its own guidelines on this topic. In cases of potential scientific misconduct, University members can contact the Ombudsman Board. If uncertain, Postdocs can get first advice about contact persons and procedures at the ZePrOs. Furthermore, the DFG’s Research Ombudsman may be approached by all researchers for advice and support in matters relating to good scientific practice and its abuse due to lack of integrity.  
• Osnabrueck University promotes transparency in research and welcomes and supports open access to scientific knowledge, offering scientists technical and financial support for open access publications as well as guidance on handling and storing research data.
• The publication server osnaDocs offers all members of the University the opportunity to publish their academic documents online and thus increase visibility and availability of their work.
• osnaData, the institutional research data repository of Osnabrueck University, offers all members of the University the possibility to publish their scientific research data according to the FAIR principles (German website).
• There are two committees dealing with the important topic of research ethics and misuse/Dual Use (German website). Biomedical or psychological research on humans falls under the responsibility of the Ethics Committee of Osnabrueck University. In all other questions of freedom and responsibility in research, the Commission for Research Ethics (KFE)  can be addressed for advice.
• The Transfer- und Innovationsmanagement (Transfer and Innovation Management / TIM, German website) gives advice on technology and knowledge transfer of Osnabrueck University and Osnabrueck’s University of Applied Sciences. It also provides a start-up service.

Networking

• The Postdoc representatives are part of the Scientific Advisory Council of the PhD/ Postdoc Career Center, where they represent the particular interests and needs of their peers. New Postdocs are welcome to join the StudIP group “Postdocs at Osnabrück University”.
• The ZePrOs regularly organises a networking event for the University's Postdocs with the Vice President responsible for Academic Staff Development in order to facilitate an exchange about experiences at Osnabrück University, support offers provided and current university policy topics. Invitations are distributed via the ZePrOs mailing list.

Further qualification and consultation offers

• Further qualification and consultation opportunities are offered by various institutions, especially the the Language Center, International Office, University Library, Organisational Development Division, Transfer and Innovation Management, Equal Opportunity Office and Family Service, Koordinationsstelle Professionalisierungsbereich (coordination office professionalization) and Center for Digital Teaching, Campus Management and University Didactics (Virtuos). The latter also offers teaching staff of the University the opportunity to acquire a certificate in higher education didactics.
• The ZePrOs course program  collects support offers and workshops that are particularly relevant to PhDs and Postdocs from all these institutions.
• The Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act  (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz) provides the legal framework for fixed-term contracts in science and academia. The ZePrOs regularly offers information events on this topic. Dates are published in the ZePrOs course program.

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