As part of the Helmholtz Association, the GFZ is Germany’s premier research centre for geosciences, providing access to world-class research infrastructure and international collaborations. We promote research that can have a theoretical and practical impact for a better understanding of the solid Earth. Our commitment is to translate our findings into solutions that benefit society and nature and help shape a more sustainable future. We foster interdisciplinary research, encouraging collaboration between scientists from diverse fields, promoting the integration of different methodologies, theories, and perspectives.

Our work is guided by our core values: curiosity, integrity, relevance, appreciation, and diversity in perspectives. We believe that groundbreaking science is achieved when different viewpoints and disciplines come together, fostering a rich environment for innovation.

At the GFZ, employees benefit from the TVöD Ost public service pay scale, which offers salaries based on experience and role. This ensures equal pay and removes the pressure of salary negotiations. Additionally, employees enjoy predictable salary increases, a comprehensive benefits package, and excellent work-life balance protections, making it an attractive and stable workplace for career development.

Working within the Öffentlicher Dienst (public sector) comes with a range of benefits designed to support employees in both their professional and personal lives. A key advantage is access to the VBL pension scheme, which ensures financial security in retirement. Furthermore, the housing assistance programme offers support in finding suitable accommodation, helping to ease the process of relocating or securing housing. Additionally, employees benefit from a job ticket subsidy.

Through initiatives like the Career Center, the GFZ supports continuous career development, especially for early-career researchers, offering training, workshops, mentoring, individual counseling, and networking opportunities.

Apart from this, being part of the GFZ means having access to the extensive Helmholtz Association network, which offers further opportunities for cross-center collaboration, resources like the Helmholtz Leadership Academy, and professional growth across Germany’s leading scientific institution.

The GFZ is dedicated to promoting gender equality and advancing women's careers, especially in research and leadership roles. By implementing the cascade model, the GFZ sets progressive, career-level quotas based on the current representation of women, ensuring that each advancement tier has achievable goals for increasing female representation. You can find more information about this in our Gender Equality Plan.

We are committed to make science a safe space for everyone regardless of their gender, sexual identity, age, dissabilities, neurodiversities, or social background. For this, the GFZ counts with a Diversity Project that focuses on making the recruiting process a sensitive journey that atracts a diverse pipeline and offers equal opportunities for everyone. We are also aware that leaders are the catalysts for transforming science into a truly inclusive space, so we are committed to bring them on this journey and make sure that we are building a foundation where every voice in science can thrive and belong. But this journey not only starts there, we strongly believe that the power of diversity, equity, and incluison resides in the entire community, for this, we foster the creation of grassroots initiatives that provide a space for employees to connect with others who share similar experiences and interests. You can read more about Diversity and Inclusion in the website of the Helmholtz Association. 

We are proud of being part of the Charta der Vielfalt GFZ and to be part of a Success Factor Family member that prioritizes work-life balance through a federal initiative with industry & unions.

Our goal is to make you feel comfortable and supported when you start at GFZ. Starting a new job, especially in a new country, can be both exciting and challenging. The Welcome Center advises international researchers and employees as well as their families on all aspects of their stay. You can find our services here. We look forward to meeting you.

The GFZ supports employees through family-friendly policies and a flexible work environment. Flexible working hours, part-time options, and mobile-working help balance professional and family responsibilities. Our on-site childcare facilities and our commitment to family leave ensure that our employees can thrive both at work and at their private lives. We believe that supporting work-life balance leads to greater quality standards in science and satisfaction for everyone. Work flexibility helps our team members manage their time better and maintain a healthy work-life balance while delivering excellent research.

The Telegrafenberg is more than just a workplace; it’s a historic science campus set amidst nature! Here, you will work in a unique space combining scientific heritage, including the iconic Einstein Tower, with modern research facilities.

Our campus offers everything you need: your own office space and membership of a dynamic, international research community. You will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch breaks at the cafeteria and coffee meetings at the cosy Café Freundlich, and you will find plenty of quiet spots around the campus. Getting to the Telegrafenberg is easy; we are just 30 minutes from Berlin Zoo by regional train, and only 6 minutes from Potsdam main station via the shuttle bus.

At GFZ, we believe that work-life balance is key to productivity and well-being. Our employees enjoy various opportunities to relax and unwind, whether through our company run, company trips, the annual summer party, or on-site events and gatherings that bring colleagues together in a more informal setting. We also offer a range of sports activities, from on-site fitness sessions to team events, creating an inclusive and engaging atmosphere that fosters teamwork and well-being. You will also benefit from the support of the ombudspersons for doctoral researchers, ombudspersons for safeguarding good scientific practice, trained mediators at the GFZ, complaints office (according to AGG), conflict management team, and other projects that are engaged with safeguarding the wellbeing of the employees. 

Apart from this you would enjoy our program benefit@work throughout the year, where we offer a variety of programs and workshops. Through this you can learn stress management techniques, mindfulness practices, and get practical tips and support for parents and caregivers.