Diversity and equal opportunities at Forschungszentrum Jülich

International employees and applicants | Gender equity | Promoting diversity and inclusion | Applicants and employees with disabilities | Balancing work and caregiving | Networks

A career is just one aspect of life. To ensure that you can contribute your expertise, creativity and commitment to the fullest, we create framework conditions that help you balance your professional goals with your personal circumstances. We also support voluntary work, further training and secondary professional activities.

Forschungszentrum Jülich maintains particularly close partnerships in research, teaching and research management with numerous universities and non-university research institutions in the Rhineland region. Through our joint guidelines on equal opportunities (PDF), we actively promote diversity, a variety of perspectives and fair opportunities.

Promoting women in leadership positions, supporting the balance between work and family life, and embedding equal opportunities in our organisational principles are at the heart of the  TOTAL E-QUALITY award, which was granted to Forschungszentrum Jülich in 2023 and renewed in 2026.

International employees and applicants

Germany offers international professionals excellent working and living conditions: a strong social security system, statutory vacation, reliable health and pension insurance, and fair labor laws. But how does it all work in practice? What needs to be done – and, most importantly, who can help you along the way?

To ensure that you feel at home from the very beginning, we support you with professional, legal, and social matters. Whether it’s visas, residence registration, insurance, or tax regulations – our International Advisory Service, part of our HR department, is your first point of contact for new employees from abroad. We are here not only for you, but also for your family. Individual, multilingual, and with direct connections to all relevant authorities.

With our long-standing experience in welcoming international colleagues, we give our best to let you benefit in your onboarding process. Doctoral researchers, postdocs, visiting scientists, professionals, and professors from over 100 countries already place their trust in our support. We stand by your side so that you can focus on what truly matters – your research and your contribution to Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Further helpful information: The Research in Germany page provides helpful background information, such as

  • the pocket guide to Germany, a small booklet on living in Germany with useful information on visa and work permits, social security, finances, support for families, and finding a place to live,
  • the link postcard, a short collection of the most important links to get you started on your research career in Germany and a lot of further topics, like doing a PhD in Germany a guide for international postdocs,
  • or overviews of funding opportunites or of the German Research Landscape

Gender equity

An employee stands leaning against a bookshelf and smiles at the camera. She is holding a graduation hat in her hands.

Women still face a range of structural barriers within the scientific system. We are actively working to remove these barriers. This is driven by our mission to contribute to solving major societal challenges. We see it as our responsibility to ensure that women can help shape societal change on equal terms.

Promoting women in science and leadership positions is therefore a key priority for us. We pursue this goal through concrete measures, which are outlined in our Gender Equality Plan.

The Helmholtz Association’s First Appointment Programme (W2/W3) is also specifically aimed at outstanding female researchers.

Further information:

Promoting diversity and inclusion

Diversity of perspectives is a key success factor for excellent research at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Different professional, cultural and personal backgrounds foster innovation, creativity and new approaches to solutions – across scientific, technical, administrative and strategic fields.

Diversity & Equal Opportunities

We therefore foster an open, fair, and inclusive organisational culture in which all employees can realise their full potential. Key measures are outlined in our Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan (PDF).

By signing the Diversity Charter in 2021, Forschungszentrum Jülich joined a network of German organisations committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion are not only fostered at Forschungszentrum Jülich, but across the entire Helmholtz Association. Further information can be found in the Helmholtz Association’s guidelines on diversity and inclusion.

Applicants and employees with disabilities

We are continuously working to remove barriers – in our buildings, in our communication and in our mindset. Let us know what you need to fully contribute your talents. Even during the application process, our Inclusion Officers and the Representative Body for Employees with Disabilities are there to support you.

Insights into the everyday work of an employee

In the video, Carina Balduin shares her experience of working with a severe disability. She talks about specific adjustments to her workplace and how valuable it is to be part of a team that communicates openly.

Her perspective shows that inclusion above all emerges when individual needs are taken seriously and solutions are developed together to make everyday work easier.

Note: You can also watch the videos with German subtitles on the German-language version of the website.

Balancing work and caregiving

For us, family is where people take responsibility for one another, whether that involves looking after children, caring for relatives or other forms of care work.

We support our employees through:

  • flexible working hours and the option to choose where you work
  • support in arranging household services and childcare options
  • an on-site daycare centre and holiday programmes on the Jülich campus
  • guidance on individual work-life balance solutions
  • a wide range of additional services

Further information can be found on the pages of the Equal Opportunities Office.

Networks

Networking is a key factor in science for personal development and professional success. Professional networks enable targeted exchange of knowledge and expertise within specific fields. Cross-disciplinary networks create space for mutual support and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Gain interesting insights into the work of a Jülich network in this video, created during a JuWinHPC event on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In the video, colleagues speak about their work within the network at a JuWinHPC event held on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

You can hear more about visibility, role models and networking in science in episode 6 of the podcast “Begegnungen im Zentrum”.

Image credits on this page: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Sascha Kreklau

Last Modified: 08.10.2026