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Quantum Universe
Cluster of ExcellenceQuantum Universe

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Quantum Universe

Family

Photo: Ekaterina Sharakova on Unsplash

It is not a secret that pursuing a scientific career while being part of a family can be challenging. We are aware of the many compatibility issues that scientists still face today when taking care of children or elderly realtives. It is our aim at Quantum Universe to support a healthy work-life balance for parents and actively support our members with family and care obligations.

  • Family-friendly meeting hours: We strongly encourage all our research groups to end their meetings by 5 pm to avoid that members with family responsibilites are excluded and therefore experience disadvantages.

Child Care

  • Financial Support for Child Care: We can support researchers with family responsibilities by participating in the financing of additional individual childcare (e.g. babysitting during laboratory or conference hours). Funding decisions are made on a case to case basis. Reach out to our diversity officer to assess your specific request.

  • Child Care at Quantum Universe Events: We try to provide childcare at all late afternoon and evening events organised and hosted by Quantum Universe. You can indicate your Child Care needs when signing up for the event. If you cannot indicate your needs in the form, please write to our diversity officer to let us know and we will try to find an individual solution.

Parent-child office at Bahrenfeld campus (building 67, room 004)

a few toy cubes stacked by a child

Photo: Markus Spiske/Unsplash

You want to bring your child to campus? You need a quiet and safe space for breastfeeding? The Parent-Child Office is equipped with a desk with telephone and internet access, a bed for babies, a changing table, and a set of toys for your child/children to play with while you are working. You may use the parent child office at any time without signing up. The room is unlocked and ready for spontaneous use.

Annual Event: Scientific Career and Parenthood

a wooden toy in bright colours

Photo: Sandy Millar/Unsplash

Scientific Career and Parenthood provides expert input into the legal framework of limited work contracts (under the WissZeitVG) and their effects on e.g. parental leave. In the subsequent panel discussion we invite a number of researchers from different career stages to share their strategies on how to manage career and family life, what support they receive and which obstacles they face.

General Information for Parents

The Quantum Universe Office will do their best to answer all your questions with regard to family & compatibility in the work context. Feel free to reach out to our diversity officer or the family experts listed below.