Karriereseite und Stellenangebote – Max Planck Institut für Molekulare Zellbiologie und Genetik

As an institute of the Max Planck Society, the MPI-CBG's primary source of funding comes from federal funds. Therefore, employees receive a contract as negotiated with the German government known as the Tarifvertrag für den Öffentlichen Dienst (TVöD Bund), essentially the wage agreement for the public sector. Salary tables and calculators are available to the public here. Bandwidths for several staff groups can be found below.

• Group Leaders: W2
• Staff Scientists & Service Leaders: EG 14-15
• Predocs & Postdoctoral Scientists: E13 
• Technical Assistants = EG 7- 9B 
• Administration = EG 6 - 11

Experience is used to determine the “Stufe”/ Level and is calculated according to relevant paid work experience gained after completing training/studies. Professional experience has to be proved by work references, work certificates or contracts and must be accepted by the group leader/facility leader/department head. New staff members with the required qualifications are generally assigned to Step 1 of the respective salary group. Additional relevant professional experience may be recognized. The required years to advance to the next Stufe equals the number listed, i.e. after 1 year in Step 1 -> Step 2, after 2 years in Step 2 -> Step 3, and so on.

Employment with a TVöD contract

Most MPI-CBG staff are employed with a TVöD contract. This has the advantage of the wide benefits of the social net, i.e statutory health insurance, unemployment insurance, pension insurance, additional pension insurance (VBL, with an employer subsidy), annual special payment according to the collective agreement, automatic increase of the salary with collective agreement increases, Stufe/level advancement.

Via a stipend paid directly to the scientist

Fellowship or stipend holders such as DAAD, Boehringer Ingelheim, or Croucher awardees are registered guests of the MPI-CBG, covering accident insurance in the laboratories. Stipend holders are however responsible for their own health insurance. Please discuss with the group leader, Grants Office, and HR team before applying for a fellowship. We provide support weighing and arranging the potential benefits of fellowships/stipends.

MPI-CBG is committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) not just as a concept but in practice. We firmly believe that everyone who works at the institute should have the same opportunities – regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, and other components of identity. Having achieved gender parity in most all employee groups, we nevertheless continually evaluate equal opportunities and offer support to strike a healthy balance between work and family life, including:

• childcare places at day-care centres
• agreement with "pme Familienservice" for child or elderly care
• financial subsidies for childcare at conferences
• advice for dual-career scientist couples 
•  options for part-time working and teleworking

The Max Planck Society is the only German scientific organization that qualifies for the non-profit-making PLC "work and family" certificate, which acknowledges its family-oriented personnel policy.

In working at MPI-CBG, you join a vibrant and collaborative work environment in one of Europe’s leading research institutes. Though the salaries in the civil service may not be glamorous, we benefit from stable employment conditions. The take-home pay does not include the significant social package covered, including pension and insurance contributions. Given the comparatively low cost of living in Dresden, this gets you quite far. Additional advantages include:

• 30 days vacation per year
• Opportunities for professional development and networking through the Max Planck Society's "Planck Academy" and beyond.
• Special annual payment made to employees in the public sector, roughly equivalent to one additional month's salary.
• Jobticket subsidy
• Active measures to promote company health and work-life balance. 

• US citizens, in possession of a valid US passport, do not require a visa to enter Germany and can stay up to 90 days without being given permission to work.
• If you wish to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days, you are required to obtain a residence permit.
• You may apply for their residence permit after entering Germany without a visa – be warned this may take some time. Until you have a residence permit, you are not allowed to work. Alternatively, you can apply for a residence permit prior to entry at the German Embassy in Washington or at a German Consulate (currently located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York or San Francisco) in order to commence work immediately.

What is the difference between a visa and a residence permit?
A visa permits you to enter the state and stay in Germany for a specified duration, whereas a permit is obligatory for all those staying longer than three to 6 months.  

My wife has been asked to prove her German language skills for the visa. Is this accurate?
Typically, your spouse must validate basic proficiency in the German language which also aids with the initial steps in Germany. However, there are certain exceptions:

• If your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the European Union or a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco or San Marino
• If your spouse holds a university degree
• if you do not intend to remain permanently in Germany and hold an EU Blue Card or a residence permit as a researcher

I am married to a German national. Do I require a visa?
Yes. If you are a third country national and married to a German citizen, you are required to obtain a residence permit in the form of a visa and need to prove German language skills, at level A1.

I am married to an EU citizen. Do I require a visa?
No. If you are a third-country national and your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the EU or EEA, they are entitled to ▶freedom of movement and can therefore live and work in Germany without limitations. All they require to enter the country is a national identity card. They can apply for residence card after they have entered Germany.

We are not married. Can my partner apply for a family visa?
No. If you are not married your spouse is permitted to enter Germany for the purpose of short-term visits of max. 90 days within a 180-day period. You can apply for a dependent Visa only when you have a marriage registration certificate.