Profile of a postdoctoral researcher

A postdoctoral researcher

1. Rights

  • can count on the guidance of the supervisor (for research projects) or the head of the research unit (for individual fellowships), but takes on an important role himself/herself that is commensurate with his/her advanced research capacity and the degree of autonomy, which will be greater for individual fellowships than for projects;
  • is entitled to the material preconditions for conducting his/her research, for which the supervisor is responsible;
  • is assisted by the supervisor and/or the head of the research unit with the integration into the research unit, but makes his/her own contribution in this respect to the best of his/her abilities;

2. Duties

  • takes sufficient initiative and makes sufficient efforts to ensure the successful progress of the postdoctoral research;
  • reports problems or challenges as quickly as possible to the supervisor, the head of the research unit and/or other parties involved for the purpose of solving them as efficiently as possible;
  • complies with the generally accepted standards of research integrity;
  • ensures that his/her research data are stored securely and durably, taking into account the specific characteristics of the discipline and the nature of the research;
  • helps ensure, with the support from the supervisor, that research results are published when they are ready, and is entitled to recognition as (co-)author according to the common practice within the discipline;
  • seizes the opportunities offered by the supervisor and/or the head of the research unit and others to take part in suitable research networks and, where possible and appropriate, assists in developing such networks.