Please only add the materials asked for, compiled into one PDF. Additional information (such as paper PDFs) will not be forwarded to the project PIs. 

If application PDF bundles are not submitted in the format described above, the application may be rejected and the applicant asked for an updated submission (within the appllication deadline).

It is up to the individual project PIs if they will contact the listed referees from your application or not. Usually no reference letter will be asked for, but the referees may be approached with a specific question or asked for a short general statement regarding the suitability of the candidate for the position. 

You can either submit multiple PDFs with motivation letters adapted to each individual position (can still be sent in one e-mail as long as the documents together do not exceed 10 MB), or submit only one PDF with a joint motivation letter for all positions that you apply for. 

The website lists the pre-announcement of the planned positions. Once the official job announcements of the individual institutions are online, they will directly be linked here. It is also possible to ask the individual project PIs for more information.

After the deadline, the project PIs will start reviewing all applications and decide on a shortlist for interviews. Shortlisted candidates will be informed in time about the date/time and format of the interview (online or in-person). After the interviews, all applicants for the position will be informed at the same time about the outcome of the selection process. The selection timeline will vary from project to project and may extend into late autumn 2026 for some positions. 

The salary level follows the TV-L 13 salary levels (75% for praedoc and 100% for postdoc positions). Exact salary depends on the experience level. 2026 salary for 100% lies between 4759.37 € and 6764.69 € gross salary per month (taxes/insurance etc. not yet excluded) plus end-of year bonus depending on experience level.

Each project will have a capped travel budget per year as well as additional funds for attending SFB meetings and training schools.

Yes, the project PIs will see which projects applicants applied for.