Helmholtz Distinguished Professorships

At the UFZ, excellent, collaborative, and diverse research teams are at the heart of our mission. We aim for excellence in science, in world-class research infrastructures, and in knowledge transfer that makes a difference. Guided by our strategic priorities, we invite excellent female researchers to jointly apply together with the UFZ for Helmholtz Distinguished Professorships.

This program offers the opportunity to recruit internationally leading women scientists to a full professorship jointly appointed with a German partner university. It is aimed at established research leaders with an international reputation, typically working outside Germany, who seek to further develop and expand their research at Helmholtz.

Current Call

The HDP-Call 2026 was published on April 30, 2026.
The deadline for submission via Helmholtz Centers is July 15, 2026.

Outline of the Program

The professorship is jointly appointed with a German partner university and comes with additional funding of €600,000 per year.

This funding supports the establishment and expansion of the research program, including personnel, infrastructure, and strategic development, and is provided for the duration of the appointment.

Application Process

The selection process is two-stage (center-level and Helmholtz-level). As the internal pre-selection at the Center starts immediately after the call is published, applying within the short call window alone is typically not sufficient.

We therefore warmly encourage interested candidates to get in touch with us at an early stage - at any time, including outside active calls - to explore potential opportunities together.