Equal Opportunity Resources

The Max Planck Institute for Software Systems is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment for all its members regardless of gender, race, national origin, religion, disability, age, or sexual identity. Our team’s diversity is part of what makes MPI-SWS a stimulating and vibrant place to work.

Family Support

Childcare

MPI-SWS has arranged for childcare at two locations in Saarbrücken. The first is at the Unikate daycare ceneter, located on the university campus in the immediate vicinity of the Institute. There are 8 places reserved for members of the institute. The second is the Meine Villa daycare center, located in the Saarbrücken city center. There are 10 places reserved for members of the Institute.

We are currently arranging childcare in Kaiserslautern.

If additional childcare costs are incurred as a result of work-related travel, MPI will reimburse some or all of these costs.

Parent-Child Room

MPI-SWS offers all employees with young children access to a fully equipped parent-child room, where they can work while caring for their children.

Family Services

In cooperation with the PME family service agency, MPI-SWS offers its employees a placement service for in-home daycare, kindergarten, childcare for sick children, holiday camps, and much more. The costs for consultation and placement are covered by MPI-SWS.

Further information: PME Family Service

Professional Development

MPI-SWS offers extensive support to young researchers through various mentoring and career development opportunities.

PhDnet for Doctoral Students

The Max Planck PhDnet is a platform for exchange among the approximately 5000 PhD candidates working at the 83 Max Planck institutes of the Max Planck Society.

Further information: PhDnet

Career Steps Opportunities for Postdoctoral Fellows

Career Steps Opportunities is a service offered through the Max Planck Society to provide scientists with comprehensive information about offerings in the areas of career development and balance of work and family. There are regular lectures by experts from the business community, industry, personnel management, and science, designed to actively support young scientists in their career planning. Workshops are also available on topics such as work-life balance, dual career planning, strategic career planning, gender awareness, self-management and self-marketing.

Further information: Career Steps Opportunities - Road Show

LeadNet for Junior Faculty

The LeadNet network provides an extensive training program for junior faculty, and it also provides a forum for regular exchange and coordination among young researchers, especially junior group leaders. At annual meetings, research group leaders and other researchers in leading positions have the opportunity to share scientific and technological knowledge as well as discuss their experiences regarding career planning and administrative issues.

Further information: LeadNet

Max Planck Symposium for Alumni and Early Career Researchers

The aim of the Max Planck Symposium for Alumni and Early Career Researchers is to provide a platform for the exchange between young scientists and experienced alumni. Alumni are important contact persons in other organizations and businesses. They are recruiters and possible sponsors and possess a pool of competencies and experience that the Max Planck Society can make available to its institutes and thus also to its young scientists.

Further information: Max Planck Alumni Association (MPAA)

Support for Women Scientists

Minerva FemmeNet

Minerva-FemmeNet is a network for women scientists at all research institutes and levels in the hierarchy of the Max Planck Society. Its aim is to pass on the expert knowledge of experienced women scientists – including former institute members – by having them mentor young women researchers.

Further information: Minerva-FemmeNet

Elisabeth Schiemann-Kolleg

The Schiemann-Kolleg is a mentorship network for women in the natural sciences. It helps women scientists successfully establish themselves in science at the end of the postdoctoral phase, or as a group leader or junior professor on the path to professorship. The main program components are mentoring, networking, scientific exchange, and regular plenary meetings. Mentoring is achieved through one-on-one mentoring and/or group mentoring.

Further information: Elisabeth Schiemann Kolleg

Contact

Gretchen Gravelle
Equal Opportunity Officer
Room 402, Building E1.5, Saarbrücken

Carina Schmitt
Deputy Equal Opportunity Officer
Room 431, Building E1.5, Saarbrücken