Equal Opportunity at PDI

At the Paul Drude Institute, we believe that excellence in science thrives where diversity, fairness, and equal opportunity are lived values. This commitment applies to all members of our institute: scientific, technical, and administrative staff alike. We aim to create working conditions in which people at every career stage and in every professional role can contribute their expertise, develop their potential, and pursue long-term career perspectives.

Our work is guided by PDI’s Equal Opportunity Plan (Gleichstellungsplan) and aligned with the standards of the Leibniz Association and the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB). These frameworks define clear objectives for equal participation, transparent procedures, and accountability in recruitment and career development.

A Long-Term Approach

Broadening participation in science and research support roles requires sustained engagement across the professional journey. Structural barriers can arise at different points, from early educational choices to doctoral and postdoctoral phases and into leadership and senior specialist roles. Addressing these challenges means ensuring transparent pathways, offering mentoring and development opportunities, and maintaining fair and open procedures in recruitment and advancement.

We provide structured support for doctoral researchers, assist qualified candidates in their pursuit of leadership and mentorship programs, and ensure that career opportunities are widely visible so that excellent candidates can apply within open, competitive processes.

Early Engagement

Equal opportunity begins before employment. Through initiatives such as Girls’ Day and our participation in Sendung mit der Maus, we introduce young people to scientific work and research environments. By opening our laboratories to the public through outreach activities, we contribute to strengthening participation in physics over the long term.

Fair Processes and Dialogue

Equal opportunity is embedded in our internal processes. The Equal Opportunities Officer and Deputy are involved in evaluations and decisions concerning personnel, organizational, and social matters to help ensure fairness and transparency. In addition, PDI’s Scientific Advisory Board includes a dedicated equity representative, providing an external perspective on equality and diversity standards at the institute, and ensuring that equity is considered at Board level.

For further information or confidential advice, colleagues are encouraged to contact the Equal Opportunities Officer or her Deputy.

• German Commission for UNESCO For Women in Science Germany
  For Women in Science Germany promotes four female early-career scientists working in Germany each year with an award worth 25,000 Euros. In Germany, the partners are the German Commission for UNESCO, L'Oréal Deutschland and the German Humboldt Network. In an innovative tripartite partnership, these partners are committed to promoting excellent female scientists in German science.
   
• Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard-Foundation
  The grants of the CNV-Foundation aim to support female doctoral researchers or postdocs with children in the field of experimental natural sciences. The CNV-Foundation sponsors graduate students from the start of the second year of their thesis and as long as the project is still in its experimental stage. The funding amounts to €500 Euro per month and is granted for one year. The application deadline is annually on November 30th.
   
• German Association of Women Academics – Funding Committee (Deutscher Akademikerinnenbund e. V. (DAB) – Förderausschuss)
  The DAB is the leading German academic organization by women for women. The association is committed to supporting female academics and students at home and abroad, and is committed to equal rights in family, career and politics. The funding committee supports female academics of all disciplines and acknowledges their achievements. This is realized by highlighting and promoting academically educated women who also serve as role models for the next generation of girls. The target group is female doctoral researchers or female young scientists and the annual deadlines are April 15 and October 15. They support by subsidizing expenses such as scientific publications in a German publisher, printing cost subsidy, and travel allowances for conferences and meetings.
   
• European Prize for Women Innovators
  The European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe's most ground-breaking innovations. The prize awards women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, whose disruptive innovations are driving positive change for people and planet. There are three prize categories: The Women Innovators prize, awarded to the most talented women innovators from across the EU and Associated Countries; The Rising Innovators prize, awarded to promising young innovators under the age of 35; and the The EIT Women Leadership Award, awarded to exceptional women leaders from the EIT Community.
   
• BMBF Professorinnenprogramm
  The Professorinnenprogramm (Professorship Program for Women) is the central instrument of the federal and state governments for promoting gender equality in higher education. Developed jointly by the federal and state governments, this program aims to dynamically increase the proportion of women in top academic positions, moving towards parity and thus actively counteracting the so-called “leaky pipeline”. The program supports female researchers on their path to tenured professorships and helps retain them within the academic system.
   
• DFG Equity and Diversity
  DFG has developed an Equal Opportunities and Diversity Concept offering numerous measures to promote a research landscape that reflects diversity and equal opportunity. One particular focus is gender equality. The main goal of all equal opportunity work is to promote excellence in the science system. At the same time, these measures also increase the appeal of Germany as a center for the pursuit of science and the humanities, in particular for highly qualified academics in an early phase of their career. Such measures include the Standard Allowance for Gender Equality Measures, Career development measures, and support during family leave.