Research Opportunies Week

You are welcome to apply for the ROW if you meet the following requirements:

• Mobility Rule

External early-career postdocs and doctoral researchers in their final year from non-German institutions, who are living (i. e. have their residential address) in a country other than Germany at the time of the application can apply. People with German citizenship must have their official place of residence outside of Germany at the time of the application. Researchers who are already working at TUM or completed their doctorate at TUM are not eligible for the event.

• PhD Certificate or Statement from your Supervisor or University Registrar

You need to have completed a doctorate within the last 3 years (i.e. in or after October 2020) at an institution other than TUM. If you have completed your PhD at TUM, you are not eligible to apply.

Or you need to have recently submitted your PhD thesis at an institution other than TUM. For your application, you will need to submit confirmation of your submission.

Or you are going to submit your PhD thesis within the next 12 months. For your application, you will need a statement from your supervisor or your University registra confirming the expected date of submission.

• Matching Research Field

You need to have completed a PhD in one of the research fields listed on the websites of the TUM Schools and Departments, TUM Clusters of Excellence or TUM Research Centers. 

Please refer also to our FAQ if you have questions, if you are unsure whether you are eligible.

Applications can only be submitted via the application portal. Applicants need to submit the following documents in English.

• Letter of Motivation (approx. 1 page)

Please tell us about your motivation to join ROW. Please keep in mind that your letter of motivation is essential for the evaluation of your application. You are therefore asked to describe your professional goals as precisely as possible and to elaborate on your motivation to conduct a postdoc at TUM. Furthermore, make sure to explain in detail how the TUM professor(s) you are interested to work with match your research interests and scope. When writing your letter of motivation, please bear in mind that members of the selection committee might not be experts in your specific field of expertise.

• Curriculum Vitae including List of Publications and Copy of the Bestpaper

As part of your CV, please provide a list of publications or papers in progress. Please highlight the most important three papers with an asterisk (*). You may add awards, conference contributions (presentations, speeches, courses, poster sessions, workshops), patents, etc. to your track record.

• PhD Certificate

Please provide a PhD certificate, a conformation of your PhD submission or a statement from your supervisor that you have completed your PhD or that you will complete your PhD within the next 12 months.

• Reference Letter (e.g. current supervisor/professor)

There are two options to upload the Reference Letter: The applicant can directly upload the letter in MoveIN and submit their application. If the referee prefers to upload the letter themselves, the applicant has the option to send the referee an automated email from MoveIN. The referee then receives an email with a link that allows them to upload the letter themselves.

• Names of TUM professor(s) or TUM Junior Fellows that are of interest for you

Please name three TUM PIs, who are of interest for you. Please note that only TUM Professors, TUM Head of Institutes or Chairs and TUM Junior Fellows can be named as hosts. Other scientists cannot be named here. Honorary Professors, Distinguished Affiliated Professors, retired professors including the TUM Emeriti of Excellence and TUM President Prof. Dr. Thomas F. Hofmann cannot be named here.

You can use the following websites to help you find professors who fit your research profile: TUM Schools and Departments, TUM Clusters of Excellence or TUM Research Centers. You can also go through the list of TUM Professors or TUM Junior Fellows.

Please refrain from contacting TUM Professors beforehand regarding your ROW application unless you have already been in touch with them. You do not need to inform the professor(s) that you are listing them in your application.

• Support Statement from a TUM Professor (optional)

If you have already been in contact with a TUM professor who wants to support your application, s/he can provide you with a short statement that s/he would like to see you invited for the ROW. The short statement (1-2 sentences) needs to be written on official letter paper with date and signature. A longer letter of recommendation is not required for the ROW. If you have not been in touch with a TUM professor you want to meet, please refrain from approaching them beforehand.

All applications will be reviewed by a Scientific Selection Board. The applications will be evaluated with regard to the following criteria:

• scientific excellence
• quality of the motivation letter
• synergy with TUM hosts and departments
• career perspectives of the applicant

Please also refer to the FAQ for questions related to the application process.