Career advice
Academic career planning
Academic Careers Office
The Academic Careers Office advises (early) career researchers on planning their academic career; in particular, it supports them in identifying suitable funding opportunities at the postdoctoral level.
Contacts: Matthias Hirt, matthias.hirt@unibe.ch and Judith Zbinden, judith.zbinden@unibe.ch
Faculty points of contact
The faculty points of contact are currently being set up. Their aim is a low-threshold initial consultation.
Career entry, career and career path
The Career Service offers support for PhD students who wish to prepare for starting their career during their studies (study jobs, internships/trainees, direct entry), for example with workshops to acquire application skills, counseling, courses with employers, a job portal, etc. for the transition from studies to working life.
The Career Service works in cooperation with the Universities of Bern Counselling Centre, which will assist you with any questions you may have about career planning and possible professional fields.
Contact: Career Service, Caroline Schmid, career@unibe.ch
Contact: Universities of Bern Counselling Centre, beratungsstelle.bernerhochschulen@be.ch
Dual Career
The University of Bern supports partners of newcomers to their careers in Switzerland. Personal advice is offered and, depending on the target group and requirements, support and targeted coaching are also offered in the search for a job. The offer applies to partners of researchers at postdoc level and above who have been employed at the University of Bern for at least three years. No positions can be offered.
Contact: Joel Schaad, Office for Equal Opportunities, joel.schaad@unibe.ch
Funding instruments
Grants Office
The Grants Office/Euresearch Office offers support in identifying suitable funding opportunities for EU research funding and informs and advises researchers on specific applications for external funding from public research funding agencies (Switzerland and internationally).
Contact: grantsoffice@unibe.ch
Research Commission Administrative Office
The Research Commission Administrative Office advises early career researchers on submitting applications for funding instruments that it administers.
Contact: Andrea Bshary, andrea.bshary@unibe.ch
Promotion of early career researchers with regard to gender equality and equal opportunities
The Office for Equal Opportunities advises early career researchers if gender equality or equal opportunities issues are relevant to career planning.
Contact: info.afc@unibe.ch
Job search
BNF, the national qualification programme for jobseeking academics, supports people with tertiary education with (re)orientation processes, defining a professional focus, and developing networking strategies. To this purpose we offer personal consulting, participation in BNF project work, as well as specialised job application and complementary professional courses. Jobseekers registered with a regional employment centre (RAV/ORP) can register with the BNF branch in Bern after consulting with the RAV/ORP.
Stakeholder groups: students, doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers (support after graduation or upon expiry of employment)
Contact: Muriel Riesen, head of the BNF office in Bern, +41 31 684 57 20, bern.bnf@unibe.ch
Work-life-balance
Intermediate staff members with care responsibilities towards children or relatives in need of care, extra-professional commitments or a time-consuming hobby are often faced with the question of how to balance these commitments in a way that promotes health. The office listed below offers advice and support.
Contact: Sebastian Dällenbach, Office for Equal Opportunities, sebastian.daellenbach@unibe.ch