Careers at MPI
Naming conventions for scientific positions at the MPI-IS:
| MPI-IS title | US university approximation | Corporate research lab approximation | Informal – how to think about it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post doctoral researcher | Post doctoral researcher | Post doctoral researcher | You have a PhD but are not ready to take a faculty position |
| Research scientist | Assistant professor |
Member of research staff I, Member of technical staff I, Researcher |
You could get a good entry-level faculty position |
| Senior research scientist | Assistant professor after 3 year review or untenured associate professor | Member of research staff II, Member of technical staff II, Senior researcher | You are on the trajectory for tenure in a good faculty position |
|
Principal research scientist (requires external review) |
Associate professor | Principal scientist, Principal researcher, or Area manager | You could go get a tenured job at a good university |
|
Max Planck Independent Group Leader (requires external review) |
Associate professor | Principal scientist or Area manager | You could go get a tenured job at a good university |
| Director | Full professor | Director | An academic with a significant and sustained record of accomplishment |
"Group Leader" is a designation describing someone who is raising funding, supervising students and generally leading a research group.
"Tenure" is a separate process and depends on many factors. In general at the level of Senior Scientist or above, the tenure process is similar to the process for professors in any top university.