Heading a young investigators group paves the way for early academic independence and primarily pursues the goal of qualifying young scientists for a university career or a leading position in science. The connection to a university, e.g. in the form of a junior professorship, is of particular value, among other things in order to gain the teaching experience necessary for a university career.
Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups

Your contact is:
Dr. Katharina Klein, Corporate Development

For information regarding EU research funding, please contact. more

We support the Jülich scientists in the development of their international activities. more

An overview of funding programmes for young researchers can be found on the third-party funding portal.

International fellowships offer foreign young scientists of different career stages the opportunity to spend a research period at the FZJ or they finance the stay at the foreign partner institution for German young scientists within the scope of a research project. A large number of scholarships are offered by the DAAD. The Corporate Development Division has listed some of its programs here:

China Scholarship Council Programme (CSC)
Within the China Scholarship Council Programme (CSC), PostDocs work in the Forschungszentrum Jülich for 6 to 24 months.

Sino-German (CSC-DAAD) Postdoc Scholarship Programme
offers Chinese PostDocs the opportunity to conduct a 7- to 18-month research project at a German university or a non-university research institution.

DAAD Research short-term scholarships
This type of scholarship offers doctoral researchers and postdocs the opportunity to carry out smaller completed research projects at a German university or non-university research institution. The length of stay is 1 - 6 months.

DAAD one-year research fellowships
DAAD fellowships offer foreign doctoral researchers and young researchers the opportunity to conduct research and further their education in Germany. Support is available for different qualification phases and career stages. In addition, the scholarships support the exchange of experience and networking with colleagues. The length of stay is 7 - 10 months.

DAAD Re-invitation
To maintain contact with Germany, former DAAD research or study scholarship holders with a scholarship term of more than six months can apply for a re-invitation. The most important selection criterion is a convincing and well planned research or work project for the stay in Germany, which is coordinated in content and time with a supervising host. The funding period is one to three months.

Project-related exchange of persons programmes (PPP)
PPPs are a programme for the qualification of young scientists. The DAAD supports research projects to strengthen scientific relations between a German and a foreign institution and to promote research activities based on partnership. In particular, they serve the young scientists involved in the project and enable research stays at the foreign partner institution. PPP funding is available for more than 30 countries.

Your contact is:
Gabriele Weiland, Coporate Development

The research centre actively supports outstanding young scientists in applying for prizes and memberships in renowned research academies.

Your contact is:
Dr. Wolfgang Speier, Corporate Development

Since 2009, Forschungszentrum Jülich has awarded the Excellence Prize, endowed with € 5,000 for each winner, to internationally successful early-career scientists whose ideas have provided decisive stimulus in their respective area of research. The distinction is based on an outstanding PhD thesis, the main parts of which were written at Jülich, combined with excellent achievements during the subsequent one to two years of the postdoc. Based on external expert opinions, a high-ranking jury comprising four internal and four external professors decides which researchers belong to the top 5 % of their peers in their respective research field worldwide. The prize may be awarded to up to five early-career scientists. However, it is only awarded if a nominee’s scientific achievements are beyond doubt, and it is only awarded to the maximum number of researchers if five nominees meet these high standards.

Your contact is:
Dr. Sonja Holl, Corporate Development