Head of the Division of Physics and Mathematics (f/m/nb)

Organizational unit

Division V - Physics and Mathematics

Job description

Division V of KIT:

KIT’s Division V pools research, academic education, and knowledge transfer in the areas of physics and mathematics. The Division comprises

• 21 institutes of KIT,
• the KIT Departments of Physics and Mathematics, and
• the coordination of KIT’s activities under the three programs of the Helmholtz Research Field Matter: From Matter to Materials and Life (MML), Matter and Technology (MT), and Matter and the Universe (MU).

What you can expect:

• As Head of Division, you will assume a high-profile and actively shaping executive position and will be responsible for the interface between research, academic education, and transfer activities.
• You will report directly to the Executive Board.
• You will bear responsibility for the staff, budget, and other resources in your Division and you will develop a strategic orientation to reach a top position on the international level.
• You will direct and support a highly qualified Division administration team that will assist you in the execution of your diverse and challenging tasks, including the chairing of the Division Council and of appointment commissions.
• In close cooperation with the Executive Board, the other Division Heads, KIT Deans, the spokespersons of the Helmholtz programs, and the central service and business units, you will cooperatively shape work at the interfaces within and outside of our organization.
• You will represent your Division internally and externally and you will participate in meetings of the Executive Board and work in the relevant bodies of the Helmholtz Association.

Starting date

1. Oktober 2025 / October 1, 2025

Personal qualification

• You are a highly committed and scientifically renowned person with several years of management experience at universities or scientific and science-related institutions.
• Your completed university studies (Master/diploma), doctorate, and your corresponding scientific achievements make you fulfill the requirements for a professorship or you are able to meet the challenges of your office, as you held a management position for several years in science, the arts, industry, administration, or the administration of justice.
• You have an outstanding national and international reputation in one of the areas relevant to Division V and you are willing to extensively familiarize with other relevant scientific topics of Division V.
• You have comprehensive expertise regarding the range of scientific funding instruments on the regional, national, and international levels as well as in industry and society and you are experienced in working in the corresponding bodies.
• Thanks to your strategy-based and target-oriented working style, your convincing communication skills on all levels, your will power for implementation, your pronounced commitment both inside and outside of the institution, your flexibility, and your capability of arousing enthusiasm, you will contribute largely to the success of KIT.
• You use modern target-oriented and participative management policies and you are responsible, agile, confident, team-minded, trustworthy, reliable, and have a good sense of how to adequately represent KIT to various target groups (science, politics, industry, civil society, media, etc.)
• You possess organizational skills, an ability to make sound judgements and to provide competent advice, visionary, strategic-conceptual, and analytical thinking, as well as gender and diversity competence. You are experienced in solving problems, acting in a service-oriented way, optimizing processes, and managing projects successfully.
• Your full professional proficiency in both German and English completes your profile.