Fraunhofer WKI as an employer

Only satisfied and well-balanced employees are able to handle demanding tasks. The Fraunhofer WKI would like, as far as possible, to give all its employees the opportunity to shape their own jobs in an adaptable way. Flexible working hours ensure your personal work-life balance.

The Fraunhofer WKI also values diversity amongst its workforce, including equality between men and women at work. The Institute's management team is supported here by an Equal Opportunities Officer elected by female staff members.

We offer flexible working-time models such as flextime or part-time hours as well as ways of organizing things to make life easier – for example by telecommuting. The Fraunhofer WKI operates a cooperative agreement with a nearby childcare facility and offers childcare places. In addition, we have a mobile child-friendly office (the MoMiKi), which is intended to help out members of staff when normal childcare arrangements break down, e.g. if the usual carer or nursery is unavailable.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft also has a cooperation agreement with “PME Familienservice” which offers members of staff rapid, non-bureaucratic help in family and personal emergencies.

PME Familienservice

The Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut is a member of the “Dual Career Network of southeast”, thereby supporting the partners of interested applicants in finding work in our region. After all, for an ever-increasing number of employees, good job opportunities for the partner at the new location are a crucial factor when choosing the new place in which to live and work.

Our membership of the Dual Career Network also enables important exchange with other cooperation partners from science and industry.

Dual Career Network of southeast (German)

Science Campus - The springboard for women in research

In cooperation with its institutes, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has created the “Fraunhofer Science Campus”. Female graduates and undergraduates (from the fourth semester) in the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are invited to come and find out about a range of different research fields and career opportunities at Fraunhofer. Fraunhofer Science Campus participants gain valuable insights into the work of researchers as well as opportunities to boost their personal and professional skills.

Fraunhofer Science Campus

Individual development

At the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut we run workshops on the subjects of communication and career development for women. Our Equal Opportunities Officer also provides information concerning external seminars in which our female employees can take part. At the WKI, we also offer participation in the “Fraunhofer TALENTA” careers program to recruit more women into applied research. The structural program is active at various career levels and offers entry-level employees as well as experienced researchers a personalized development program and female line managers.

Fraunhofer TALENTA

With professional training and development programs for (prospective) managers, we support our employees in gaining the best possible qualifications and thus achieving their personal career goals.

The professional and personal development of our employees is of great importance to us. With the Fraunhofer “Step forward” career mentoring program, we want to strengthen knowledge exchange and pair committed, talented employees with an experienced mentor.

Fraunhofer “Step forward”

Supporting the next generation is also very important for us. We regularly offer children and young people the opportunity to get a taste of what we do:

Girls’Day / Boys'Day (Zukunftstag)

We also give pupils the opportunity to get to know the various disciplines better as part of a work experience placement.