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What the CHA offers you

Postdocs at CHA belong to the Institute of Molecular Biology Postdoc Programme (IPPro), a broad international community with researchers from about 15 countries. The postdoc community organises regular scientific and social events to promote lively scientific exchange and collaboration with other junior researchers in Mainz.

Below you can find out more information about the IPPro's training opportunities to further your career:

Technical training

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Your scientific training will be complemented by theoretical and hands-on training, to ensure that you are always up to speed on the latest methods & technologies that will keep your project at the forefront of science. Training events include: 

  • Bimonthly Tech Talks, where invited speakers from academia and R&D in industry speak about the latest technologies and techniques in the life sciences
     
  • Core Facility lectures and practical courses on bioinformatics, flow cytometry, genomics, microscopy & proteomics

Professional skills training

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A man standing in front of a monitor

To prepare our postdocs for a successful career inside & outside of academia, we offer lectures, workshops and other activities providing training in a variety of professional skills, which are vital for a successful career. These include:

  • Scientific writing & grant proposal writing, to help you write high-impact papers & successful grant applications to fund your research
     
  • How to give effective presentations, to boost the impact of your scientific presentations
     
  • Leadership & management skills, to prepare you to successfully lead your own team
     
  • Project management, to know how to successfully lead projects both within & outside of academia
     
  • Negotiation skills, to get the most out of your collaborative projects
     
  • Job application & interview preparation, to enable you to get your next dream job, whether it be inside or outside of academia

Career development

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We offer different activities to learn more about career opportunities outside of academia. These include:

  • Career talks & events, where you will meet various representatives from local biotech & pharmaceutical companies who will inform you about the skills required for a successful career outside of academia
     
  • Company site visits, during which you will discover the various career paths within the organisation and network with professionals in R&D in industry

Mentoring

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Mentoring is an important factor for a successful career. Mentors can offer impartial advice, guide you through your academic development, expose you to new career options and prepare you to lead your own research team.

The mentoring scheme offered through the IPPro will enable you to have focused discussions about your career with accomplished senior scientific staff, e.g. CHA's directors, or senior professionals from industry.

  • Besides your group leader, you can choose an internal or external co-mentor among senior scientists working on topics relevant for your research, who will guide you through your academic development and prepare you to lead your own team
     
  • You will have the opportunity to meet with scientific & non-scientific directors at CHA and our affiliated institutes and talk with them about your career plans inside or outside academia
     
  • Discussing with invited speakers who are leaders in their fields in academia or in R&D in industry, you will learn about your career options and how you can successfully develop your future career

Scientific seminars, courses and events

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The CHA and our affiliated institutes host numerous scientific seminars and events to help promote scientific exchange, new ideas and international collaboration between our postdocs and the wider scientific community. These include:

  • Seminars to attend talks held by invited speakers who are leaders in the fields of ageing, epigenetics, genome stability & DNA repair
     
  • Conferences to share and discuss the latest advances in the fields of ageing with outstading international scientists
     
  • Dedicated lectures on epigenetics, gene regulation, genome stability & DNA repair held by leading scientists in Mainz to broaden your knowledge