Advisory and Information Services
Working as a researcher is exciting, especially at times when long planned experiments are finally carried out, interesting data can be explored or a publication one has worked hard on can be published. On the other hand, being a researcher also involves many challenges, long working days, as well as periods of stress and frustration. Additionally, life with all its challenges goes on beside work and everyone needs to find a viable work life balance.
In challenging situations, the first step can often be to reach out to the supervisor or superior. But for situations in which colleagues cannot help or an external neutral contact is preferable, there are various counselling services on campus which offer support in different work and life situations.
For doctoral researchers who are unsure whom to contact, the DocTeam is always a good place to start and gather information. Furthermore, all support services are interlinked, meaning if one of the experts believes you require support from more than one service, they will cooperate with others, provided you give your permission. It is best to avoid contacting multiple support services yourself, as this can lead to confusion and miscommunication.
DocTeam
The DocTeam represents the interest of Jülich doctoral researchers. It is involved in various bodies at Forschungszentrum Jülich to improve general conditions for doctoral researchers. In addition, the DocTeam organizes lectures with internal and external speakers to improve doctoral researchers’ knowledge of the institutional and scientific context of research at Jülich. A key aspect of the DocTeam’s activities is the exchange of ideas and opinions. It also organizes partys, football tournaments, and regular meetups, allowing doctoral researchers to get to know each other better.
The DocTeam meets in the “gegenüber” café in the Central Library every month to discuss current projects and topics. It represents a great opportunity to have fun and meet other doctoral researchers.
Central Library
Finding, evaluating and processing information provided by other researchers is one of the core elements of scientific projects and a prerequisite for a successful doctorate. Also publishing in renowned international journals is often important for a career in science. The central library offers a variety of services in this field, ranging from literature search to language service and advice on open access publishing.
Equal Opportunities Bureau
Being a doctoral researcher is an exciting phase of life. In pursuing a career, reconciling work or a doctoral degree with family life is often particularly important. Sometimes, unplanned situations can arise, leading to changes in priorities. There are various instruments and measures available to doctoral researchers, which can help them to combine work and family life as effectively as possible.
The Equal Opportunities Bureau advises doctoral researchers on these instruments and on various (legal) provisions from parental leave to returning to work.
Crisis Counselling
Sometimes frustration or stress, which all doctoral researchers might experience at some point in a project, can lead to a personal crisis or a conflict and there are many ways of dealing with this. The first step is usually to reach out to the supervisor. If, however, the supervisor cannot help or you feel more comfortable talking to an external person for whatever reason, there are many services on campus that can provide additional support.
Career Center
What career opportunities do I have after completing my doctorate? How can I find out which job suits me best? How can I plan the next steps efficiently? These are just some of the questions that may arise in the final phase of a doctorate. The Career Center and Postdoc Office is the point of contact at Forschungszentrum Jülich for all career-related questions for early career researchers. It supports them in their career planning through individual counselling and coaching, mentoring offers, various training courses and networking opportunities.