After the appointment offer
After you have received an appointment offer from the University of Hamburg, you will meet with the office of the dean and enter negotiations. The information below provides an overview of the procedural steps and contents of the negotiations.
Negotiations
The following is an overview of the typical negotiation process in an academic search procedure.
Resources for the professorship
The HR (staff) and the finances (materials / equipment) for the professorship are negotiated with the faculty. Here it is important to be aware that most positions in academic mid-level administration are directly connected to professorships. Positions funded through the University’s budget are usually negotiated when the appointment is offered.
Generally, you and your staff will be provided with a standard IT office space without you having to apply for the equipment (desktop-based system or notebook, up to two monitors, keyboard, mouse with a choice of Windows or Apple). If you need more extensive IT (computing poser, storage space, special application software, etc.), you should agree to these at these appointment negotiations. Please contact the faculty or directly Dr. Christian Kölzer from the office of the Chief Digital Officer, e-mail: cdo"AT"uni-hamburg.de. Commitments are included in the appointment offer. It is also possible to apply for further investment funds from the Regional Computing Center at the University of Hamburg (RRZ) (in German only) each year.
Appointment offers involve commitments for the first 5 years.
Salary
Salary amounts are regulated by the Hamburg civil service pay scale act (Hamburgisches Besoldungsgesetz, HmbBesG). Current salaries
- The base salary depends upon the professorship salary level.
- Appointments to W2 or W3 professorships also entail statutory base performance-related bonuses in addition to the base salary. Further appointment and performance-related bonuses may be granted in appointment negotiations.
- Junior professors who earn a positive interim evaluation receive a monthly supplement of €260 in addition to their W1 base salary.
- A family supplement is granted is dependent upon your familial status.
Civil service contract
Professors who fulfill the statutory requirements may be appointed as civil servants. Before being named as a civil servant with life-long tenure, professors may first serve as a probationary civil servant. The statutory probation period is one year and may in certain circumstances be waived (relevant prior employment periods).
Nontenured professors are initially deemed “temporary civil servants.”
Advantages:
- Job guarantee: Civil servants enjoy an extraordinary degree of job certainty because they have special protections from termination. They can be let go only in exceptional cases, for example, if they are no longer able to work or have committed serious violations of duty. This job security makes it easier to plan life goals and situations.
- Pension: Another major advantage of being a civil servant is the certainty of having sufficient retirement funds. Civil servants are entitled to a pension that is generally higher than the statutory social security payments for employees. The pension is calculated on the basis of the number of years you have worked and the last salary amounts, ensuring long-term financial security in old age. Furthermore, there are special regulations regarding survivors that protect the civil servant’s family in case of death.
- Health insurance: Civil servants can take out private health insurance. This has several advantages: The City of Hamburg, in its role as employer, grants civil servants supplements for private health insurance that contribute to financial relief for health expenses. Private health insurers often offer more comprehensive coverage and more options than statutory health providers offer. These include more timely doctor’s appointments, better standards of care, and the possibility of direct payment and invoicing. Civil servants can choose their own individual health insurance plan and adjust it to their needs, providing them with greater flexibility. Civil servants in Hamburg, however, can also choose public health insurance coverage. This may have advantages if you have a temporary contract. If you choose a public health insurance provider, the City of Hamburg reimburses half of the monthly contributions.
Reimbursing moving expenses
Whether moving expenses are reimbursed and/or a separation allowance is granted is not part of the negotiations; these are statutory matters.
Dual career
The Service for Newly Appointed Professors can depend the University’s excellent contacts to other employers to help your partner find a suitable position.