The Max Planck Society (MPG) is an equal opportunity employer that strives to foster an inclusive workplace. As an institute of the MPG, the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science supports a working community for all free from discrimination and harassment. We explicitly encourage applications from qualified individuals who belong to groups that are often underrepresented in the workplace due to age, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender, nationality, race, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background or religion.

To find out more about the MPIWG and its policies on gender equality and hiring practices for persons with disabilities, as well as Germany’s anti-discrimination laws as outlined in the General Equal Treatment Act, visit these pages:

• Gender equality: https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/gender-equality
• Disabilities: https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/page/disability
• General Equal Treatment Act: https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/SharedDocs/downloads/EN/publikationen/agg_wegweiser_engl_guide_to_the_general_equal_treatment_act.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

The MPIWG has been certified by the Beruf und Familie organization’s “work and family audit” since 2006 for its family-friendly personnel policies.

The Max Planck Society is a non-profit research institution that is organized as a registered association under German law. Employees of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science are paid according to the German collective salary agreement for the public sector, federal level (TVöD-Bund).

The federal-level TVöD agreement includes 15 salary grades (Gruppen: based on the job description), each of which has six levels (Stufen: based on your own individual profile and proven professional experience). Further information can be found here (in German); for tables showing monthly earnings, see here.

Student assistants and graduate assistants are paid according to the public sector collective salary agreement, state level (TV-L). The current rates of payments for student and graduate assistants at the MPIWG can be found at the calls for applications. 

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science offers its employees the option of mobile working in consultation with their superiors.

The MPIWG pays its employees a monthly subsidy for public transportation in Berlin, through the “Job Ticket” scheme. To receive the subsidy, you must buy an S-Bahn Berlin season ticket valid for at least 12 months, and have at least 12 months remaining on your employment contract with the Institute.

The MPIWG is a hub for academic dialogue, with abundant workshops, conferences, lectures, and reading groups both within the individual research groups and departments and across the Institute. Examples of our regular event series are the Institute’s Colloquium with its changing umbrella themes, the DH Brown Bag Lunch introducing digital humanities, and the Skills Lab series, a forum offering practical help on career development.

In addition, members of the Institute organize a barbecue once or twice a year, and small groups meet up to visit the city center for exhibitions and events. In 2024 the Institute's staff went on a two-day retreat (February), founded a small choir (April), and had its first Health Day (July). Besides that, Yoga classes take place on a weekly basis.

After your successful application, the office of your department/research group will inform you in detail about the necessary steps to prepare for your stay with us in Berlin. In addition, the Welcome Page contains a wealth of information for you. You will be granted access six to three months before your arrival by your office staff.

One of your first tasks will be to arrange health insurance and organize travel and apply for your visa (if applicable). Ensure you retain receipts to claim back travel expenses (if possible and agreed).

You'll also need to find accommodation—the Institute's International Office is happy to assist. The Institute has a small number of apartments on site, but other options used by past and current scholars have included private accommodation, the IBZ academic apartments, and Humboldt University guesthouses. Accommodation can be difficult to find in Berlin, so we recommend starting your search well in advance. If you're not sure where in Berlin you want to live, information on life in the different districts can be found in the Guide to Berlin section of the Welcome Page.

Those of you with children should consider planning childcare, kindergarten, or schooling in advance of your arrival, since places can be limited. We have placed links to information on a single Family Page to help you navigate all of your tasks for before and during your stay.

For information on IT equipment, please contact the office of your department/research group. You will receive an e-mail address from us (this will be active from shortly before your arrival and until shortly after you leave the Institute), a profile page on the institute website, and access to IT support.

All scholars are permitted access to the Institute's Library, and also have access to our interlibrary loan system. You will be invited (via your MPIWG email account) to attend the official library introduction, taking place one a month, in order to sign up to the full library privileges and make the best use of the resources.

For general information on preparing your stay in Germany, please consult the brochure on "Living and Working in Germany–A Guide for International Guest Researchers" prepared by the Max Planck Society.