Virtual Helmholtz Career Day - March 27, 2025

Unlock your career potential at our online career day — connect with industry recruiters and former postdocs who made the transition, discover both big names and hidden champions in industry, gain insider insights, and prepare for your next career move.

It’s an online event — join from anywhere and look forward to:

• Keynote by Dr. Katerina Falk, former postdoc and Helmholtz group leader
• Panel discussions with industry representatives and former postdocs
• Group sessions with a Helmholtz career counselor
• Skils workshops

 

Look forward to panel discussions, networking opportunities and get in touch with renowned international companies from sectors like AI development, energy supply, industrial R&D, consulting, chemical industry, science management, pharma industry and many more. On top of it all you can choose one out of different workshops to best be prepared for your switch into industry!

Note that the afternoon workshops have their own registration links, which can be found next to the workshop descriptions.

Our Programme:

08:50 Welcome

09:00 Intro and Keynote: Lia Lang (DESY) as our moderator and Katerina Falk (Infineon Technologies) with “tba”

09:30 Main Panel discussion “Thema”: Katerina Falk (Infineon Technologies, Keynote), Alessandra Lai (ASML), Pascal Struth (PowerCo), Johannes Niederhut (Accenture), Sven Peter Heyn (Eckert & Ziegler)

10:15 Coffee Break

10:30 Subpanels First Round

Room 1: ASML (technology): Alessandra Lai (R&D test engineer): ASML, based in the Netherlands, develops advanced lithography systems for semiconductor manufacturing. Its technology powers the production of smaller, faster, and more efficient microchips.

Room 2: Accenture (consulting): Johannes Niederhut (Strategist in enterprise achitecture): Accenture is a global professional services company that helps clients embrace change and create value through innovation and AI.

Room 3: Eckert & Ziegler (nuclear medicine): Sven-Peter Heyn (Managing director): Molecular imaging and nuclear medicine supplying different radiopharmaceuticals, radiochemicals and equipment for synthesis & radiochromotography of PET/SPEC tracers.

Room 4: d-fine (consulting): Jan-Niclas Gruse (Senior Consultant), Elizaveta Sytova (former postdoc): Imagine the power of more than 1,500 physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists working as part of a European company with over 20 years of service excellence focused on data science, technology and mathematical modelling. That´s d-fine.

Room 5: LITRONIK Battery Technology (technology), Christian Waurisch (Business development, technology scouting supply chain and customer care manager): LIKTRONIK is one of the few suppliers of compact, ultra reliable primary batteries for active implants anywhere in the world. Since 1990 the company has developed and manufactured these high-performance energy sources in a variety of performance ranges, and they feature, among other things, very high volumetric energy and power densities, rate optimisation, low self-discharge rates and high operating safety.

Room 6: ROTOP Pharmaka (pharmacy): Hang Laj (tba): ROTOP Pharmaka is a leading pharmaceutical company with over 20 years of experience that produces cGMP compliant radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostics and therapy in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and distributes them in more than 30 countries. Furthermore, ROTOP offers a broad range of CDMO services for cold kits and radioactive pharmaceuticals, such as drug product development and GMP manufactoring, API manufacturing as well as packaging and global transport and logistics.

Room 7: Gabler Naval Technology, Develogic, north.io (ocean technology), David Schirm (managing director): The northern German group of companies Gabler Naval Technology, Develogic, and north.io epitomise the innovative power of northern Germany as a maritime technology hub. Gabler Naval Technology stands for excellence in the development and production of submarine components, in particular low-signature mast systems. Develogic opens up international waters with highly developed underwater communication systems for naval and industrial applications. North.io in turn enriches this group with its cloud-based platform for maritime big data (TrueOcean), among other things. Together, these companies represent the successful symbiosis of deep-rooted maritime expertise and forward-looking technology development.

Room 8: Evotec (life science), Sadman Sakib (Research Associate): Evotec SE is a global drug discovery and development company headquartered in Hamburg. By partnering with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, it has more than 130 partnered programs in discovery, pre-clinical development and clinical development that also rely on AI powered data-driven approaches and technologies. The company works across a number of therapeutic areas including CNS/neurology (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease), metabolic diseases (e.g. Diabetes), Cancer, and inflammatory and infectious diseases.

11:20 Subpanels Second Round (Programme see First round)

12:00 Wrap up

12:15 Ask a career counselor

Use the last 45 minutes of the event to clarify final remaining questions in open group consultation sessions on the following topics:

• Know your strengths (Annette Leemans, DESY)
• Access to the hidden job market: Analyse and extend your network! (Jana Schmitt, KIT)
• Upgrade your professional online profile (Svenja Klinkenberg, FZ Jülich)
• Stand out in interviews: Mastering Communication, Presentation & Storytelling (Dr. Janine Göttling, HZDR)

13:00 Lunch Break

 

Workshops

Workshop 1: 14:00 - 17:00

Title: “From science to social - navigation social media for scientists”

Trainer: Karin Bodewitz

Participants: tba

registration: https://indico.desy.de/event/47408/

description: By now, Instagram, X or LinkedIn are no longer new. Also for scientists, social media platforms have become integral networking tool to connect globally, exchange research ideas and advance careers. But, what´s a proper way for scientists to use these platforms? Shall scientists talk to the public directly through social media? And if so, how? In this online workshop, you will better understand the current state of digital science communication. You will learn how scientists can integrate social media into their activities - in a helpful and productive way. The workshop advocates a reflected media usage that keeps a close eye on how and when it is recommend for you to ‘go online’. In this course you will learn about: - Find professional assistance in clarifying your objectives for engaging with social media. Why should I consider social media? What are my goals? - Find help in figuring out which of the many media platforms is the right one for you. - How to create content for social media (e.g. publicize your publications and reach journalists). - Find assistence on how social media may help you explore your career options (e.g. after phd or postdoc). - Take first steps towards brushing up your personal professional online profiles.

organising center: DESY

 

Workshop 2: 14:00 - 17:00

Title: “Mastering your voice and self-presentation: perfecting your pitch for job interviews”

Trainer: Julia-Toni Reiche (Dialogwerk)

Participants: 25

registration: https://events.hifis.net/e/careerday/voiceandpresentation

description: This workshop helps you enhance your voice and self-presentation for job interviews. Through exercise on breathing, voice control, and emphasis, you will learn to find your natural tone and improve your impact. Key topics include the five elements of a self-presentation, crafting strong interview openings, managing nervousness, and receiving personalized feedback on your pitch. Boost your confidence ans make a lasting impression.

organising center: HZDR

 

Workshop 3: 14:00 - 16:00

Title: “Application”

Trainer: tba

Participants: tba

registration: https://events.hifis.net/e/workshop_career_day

description: In this interactive two-hour workshop, you will learn how to stand out in job applications and interviews. You will explore strategies for analyzing job postings, tailoring applications documents, ans showcasing your unique strenghts. Professional input, practical exercises and group discussions will provide actionable insights to boos confidence and success in the competitive job market. 

organising center: FZJ

 

Workshop 4: 14:00 - 18:00

Title: “Discover hidden champions: navigating the hidden job market for scientists”

Trainer: Caroline Ketting

Participants: 35

registration: https://www.khys.kit.edu/veranstaltungskalender.php/event/55313

description: This workshop is designed to guide academics as they navigate the recruitment process and explore career opportunities beyond academia. Participants will gain insights into the hidden job market, where many roles for skilled professionals remain untapped. Through targeted networking strategies, you will learn how to build connections that open doors to these opportunities. The session will also focus on identifying and articulating your unique competencies, helping you stand out to potential employers. Join us to discover how to translate your academic expertise into a successfull  and fullfilling career.

organising center: KIT

 

Workshop 5: 13:00 - 17:00

Title: “Networking in the academic context”

Trainer: Cornelia Altenburg (Golin Wissenschaftsmanagement)

Participants: 12

registration: https://plan.events.mpg.de/event/403/

description: In the light of growing complexity in the knowledge society, the ‘know-who’ is gaining in importance next to the ‘know-how’. Fortunately, in recent years the possibilities to make quick and target focused contact, be it face-to-face or via social media, have increased in number and significance. With just a few clicks you can reach out to colleagues, experts, potential employers, funders and business partners of all kind. Networking requires initiative and continued investment. It is helpful, in this context, to be able to rely on proven traditional and digital strategies to make the right contacts, to maintain them on a long-term basis and to find the balance between giving and taking. The following points are dealt with: - Basics of networking: Objectives – right from the start! - Before the harvest, sow: Building contacts face-to-face and online - Network care: Traditional and digital opportunities - Network academia: Which contacts and bodies are important? - Networking: My next steps

organising center: IPP

 

Workshop 6: 14:00 - 17:00

Title: “Take the leap - An empowerment course for women to look for careers outside academia”

Trainer: Anna Canning, Meike Klischies, Lisa Samrock

Participants: 16

registration: https://events.geomar.de/event/699/

description: This course is designed to help women in academia explore fulfilling alternatives that align with their values, needs, and strengths, building confidence to embrace change and take control of their career paths. It is tailored for female postdocs who are ready to consider new professional landscapes. Through a combination of reflective activities, skill-building exercises, and networking, we address the unique challenges women face when transitioning from academia to industry.

organising center: GEOMAR

 

Workshop 7: 14:00 - 17:00

Title: “How to choose and find the job you love”

Trainer: Sarah Blackford

Participants: 25

registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/VU6dZLa7QMuHmT4CVw0Nag

description: We spend most of our lives working, so it's important that we enjoy our jobs. As researchers, you are accumulating a wide range of experiences and skills, which could take you in all sorts of career directions in the future. But how do you know what types of careers will suit you best in the short and longer term and, more importantly, where can you find jobs that are associated with these careers? In this workshop, we'll look at how you can make informed decisions about your career both now and in the future: - be aware of the kinds of jobs and positions that will suit you and why (important when going for interview!) - which organisations employ in these roles - job seeking strategies to help you to locate and secure the job you love in a vast array of job vacancies and (mostly hidden) opportunities, including how to use modern-day tools and platforms (AI and social media). By the end of the session, you will feel more confident to make you next career move, whether its within or outside of academia.

organising center: DZNE