ResearchJobsEurope

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland research jobs glossary

PraeDoc, PostDoc, W-professorships, Universitätsassistent, and other labels you will see on DACH vacancies.

PraeDoc, PostDoc, W-professorships, Universitätsassistent, and other labels you will see on DACH vacancies.

Written by
ResearchJobsEurope editorial team
Last reviewed
Published
Review schedule
yearly

Doctoral and early-career labels

Germany often uses Doktorand/in or Wissenschaftliche/r Mitarbeiter/in with a doctorate track. Austria’s Universitätsassistent/in praedoc is typically a PhD-stage university assistant. Switzerland mixes English postdoc titles with German Stellenbezeichnungen—read the degree requirement, not only the English marketing line.

  • PraeDoc / predoctoral → usually PhD phase.
  • PostDoc / Postdoktorand/in → after PhD.
  • Qualification position → fixed-term academic career stage; check teaching load.

Faculty-scale titles

German W1/W2/W3 and Swiss/Austrian professorial tracks are not interchangeable with UK lectureships. Junior professorships and tenure-track announcements should state evaluation criteria and tenure rules—if they do not, ask before investing in a long application.

Practical reading tips

Pay scales may reference TV-L or similar frameworks without quoting a number. Gender stars and “m/f/d” markers are inclusion language, not separate posts. Always open the official PDF or HTML ad; aggregator titles can drop the scientific subtitle.

Related guides

Comparing research jobs across European countriesA framework for comparing contracts, salaries, mobility, and application conventions across Europe.Postdoc contracts in Europe: what to check before you applyDuration, teaching load, PI dependency, benefits, and fixed-term rules that often decide whether a postdoc is a good fit.Visa and mobility resources for researchers in EuropeHow to identify the correct official immigration and researcher-mobility information for a potential role.

Put this guide into practice

Research jobs in GermanyBrowse current vacancies linked to institutional sources.Research jobs in AustriaBrowse current vacancies linked to institutional sources.Research jobs in SwitzerlandBrowse current vacancies linked to institutional sources.

This guide is general information, not legal, tax, immigration, or financial advice. Confirm current requirements with the employer and relevant public authority.

Browse verified jobs · All guides