Work environment

Members of the intermediate staff – including doctoral candidates, assistants, postdocs, assistant and senior physicians, and assistant professors – are generally employed on a temporary basis in so-called qualification positions. Employment is based on a public-law contract with a job description and usually begins with a six-month probationary period.

All employees are entitled to an annual employee appraisal, which serves to assess their performance, collaboration, work situation, and professional development. Information and services related to this are provided by the Human Resources Office in Uni Intern. For questions regarding employment law, the HR managers at the institutes are the first point of contact, followed by the central Human Resources Office.

For new employees, the welcome brochure provides an overview of the most important labor law provisions. Additional and more detailed information on qualification positions is also available in Uni Intern.

The University of Bern promotes international research and collaboration. Business trips are essential to this and are organized efficiently and sustainably. The travel platform of the University of Bern supports employees in planning and booking business trips.

Please also note the traffic light system for business trips, which shows you which European destinations are better reached by train than by plane.

The KIHOB provides supplementary childcare and support for children of members of the University of Bern, the Bern University of Teacher Education, and other individuals associated with the university. Childcare costs are income-based, and hours can be arranged flexibly from semester to semester.

In addition to the German-language KIHOB website, the Welcome Center will be happy to send you a brief overview in English.

The University of Bern's advisory service guide summarizes the most important contact points and advisory services for labor disputes and crises.

The University of Bern offers various services to help with conflicts with supervisors. The triage office of the MVUB (Intermediate Staff Association) is helpful in this regard, providing low-threshold support for all intermediate staff members in the event of difficulties and conflicts.

The Faculty of Medicine has no representation.

Repeated derogatory behavior or systematic harassment with the aim of excluding or ostracizing a person can be a considerable burden. In such cases, the Universities of Bern Counselling Centre and the Personnel Office of the Canton of Bern are available as points of contact for advice and support.

An academic career often involves researchers changing universities across borders. On the Mobility page, you will find a list of funding sources that support the mobility of junior academics, categorized by funding source (UniBE, faculties, SNF) and career stage.

The Welcome Center provides information on what to consider when moving to Switzerland and how people who are new to Bern or who are in the process of applying for a job at the University of Bern or undergoing a professional assessment can get organized.

The University of Bern is actively committed to the mental health of its students and employees, as this is a key prerequisite for successful learning and working. In collaboration with the Universities of Bern Counselling Centre, it offers psychological support and has produced a leaflet with recommendations for action in mental health crises. The leaflet, lots more information, and contact and counseling centers can be found on the Mental Health page.

You can find more information about health promotion at the University of Bern on the Healthy UniBE website.

Working in academia can make it difficult to balance work and private life. The demand to perform at the highest level in research, publications, and teaching, and the expectation to be mobile, conflicts with the need to ensure reliable planning in partnerships and families.

The University of Bern supports work-life balance with various measures, e.g., in the areas of dual careers and external childcare.

The job prospects for scientists with doctorates are generally good. However, the situation for postdoctoral researchers on the job market is mixed, as there are strong subject-specific factors at play. In addition, the suitability of postdoctoral researchers changes with age, especially when it comes to moving from the academic world to the non-academic job market. With increasing specialization and age, expectations of finding suitable employment cannot always be met.

Although efforts are being made to increase the diversity of academic career options, it is still important to regularly assess your personal situation and weigh up the various options.

The University of Bern supports doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers in their search for a new position.