Careers & Mobility

PhD, Postdoc & Research Careers in Germany: Coaching

For students, researchers and engineers from South Asia, the Gulf and elsewhere who want a PhD, a postdoc, a TV-L 13 research post or an industry job in Germany. I spent nine years in German research and earned my Dr.-Ing. there, and I coach you from where you are to an offer.

Who this is for

This is for people who are serious about a research or engineering career in Germany and want a plan instead of a hundred unanswered applications. Typical clients are master’s graduates looking for a funded PhD post, PhDs looking for a postdoc, and experienced engineers weighing a research post against an industry job.

You have emailed professors and heard nothing back.
You are unsure whether a PhD, a postdoc or industry is the right move.
You don’t know how German academic CVs and cover letters differ from what you are used to.
You have an offer and want to understand the contract and the first year.

What we work on

We work on route choice, finding the right groups or employers, German application documents, degree recognition and the first year after you arrive. The order depends on where you are; most people need the target list and the documents first.

Route choice PhD, postdoc, research post or industry: what each means for contracts, career and family, compared against your goals.

Finding groups and writing to professors A target list built from funded projects and active groups, and first emails written to get a reply.

German application documents CV and cover letter in the form German professors and HR departments expect, without the habits that get applications skipped.

Degree recognition Reading your anabin entry and preparing the documents your applications will need.

Contracts What fixed-term and part-time research contracts mean in practice, and the questions to ask before signing.

Your first year Building a network, a publication record and the next step, so the first contract is not the last.

Why me

I spent nine years at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, earned my Dr.-Ing. there with the best-thesis prize, and supervised more than 20 BSc and MSc theses, with students from more than 15 countries. I have seen German academic hiring from both sides, and I speak German at B1 to B2 level, so I know where the language matters and where it doesn’t.

9 yrsresearch and teaching in Germany

Dr.-Ing.magna cum laude, TU Bergakademie Freiberg

20+BSc and MSc theses supervised

15+countries my students came from

As a mentor and senior, he has been a constant source of wisdom, encouragement, and genuine kindness. His ability to blend technical excellence with empathy makes him an exceptional role model in both engineering and life. I truly learned the essence of real research methodology from him and applied it to achieve many milestones in my scientific career. Throughout the past six years in Germany, Dr. Qayyum guided me with patience and clarity, inspiring me to think beyond conventional approaches, to think outside the box, and to embrace challenges with curiosity and purpose. Muhammad Umar, PhD Researcher, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany

How it works

Tell me what’s going on. Your background, the route you are considering and your timeline. I reply within two working days.
Mobility Roadmap session. A 60-minute video call about your profile and options. I read your CV beforehand.
Written plan. Within five working days: the route, a target list, documents to rework, and a timeline.
Your choice. Carry out the plan yourself, or continue with me through applications, interviews and the offer.

What I do and don’t do

This is career coaching, not placement. I don’t place candidates, and I take no fee that depends on you being hired.
Advice on your individual residence or visa case is a regulated legal service in Germany. I point you to Make it in Germany, the Federal Foreign Office and anabin, and to a qualified lawyer for your own case.
I don’t quote salary scales or visa thresholds here, because they change every year. Check the official sources for the current figures.
I don’t write your applications for you. I review, explain and improve them with you.

Common questions

Should I do a PhD, a postdoc or go into industry in Germany?

It depends on what you want in five years, not on which offer comes first. A PhD or postdoc builds a research career but usually on fixed-term contracts; industry pays more sooner but values different evidence. We compare the routes against your profile and goals before you apply anywhere.

How do I find a supervisor or research group in Germany?

Most research posts in Germany are attached to a professor’s group and a funded project, so you find them through the groups as much as through job portals. I help you build a target list and write emails that professors actually answer.

Is my degree recognised in Germany?

Check it in the anabin database of the Kultusministerkonferenz, which lists foreign institutions and degrees and how they are rated. I help you understand what the entry means for your applications; formal recognition decisions come from the responsible German authorities.

Can you help with my visa or Blue Card?

I can explain the general routes and point you to the official sources, such as Make it in Germany and the German Federal Foreign Office. Advice on your individual residence case is a regulated legal service in Germany, so for that you need a qualified lawyer or the responsible authority.

Can you find me a position?

No. I coach you through the process, but I don’t place candidates, and nothing I charge depends on whether you are hired. What I can do is make sure your target list, documents and interviews are as strong as they can be.

Tell me what’s going on

Tell me your background, the route you are considering and your timeline. I’ll tell you honestly what your profile needs and where we would start.

Start with a Roadmap Book a free 15-min call