Junior Professorship (W1) for „Public Child Mental Health“ (f/m/d

The Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University invites applications for the

Junior Professorship (W1) for “Public Child Mental Health” (f/m/d)
fixed-term position for 6 years, without tenure track

to be filled as soon as possible. The junior professorship (Juniorprofessur) will be based at the Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (a public-law foundation of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Director: Prof. Dr. Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Commercial Director: Andreas-W. Möller).

The Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) stands for internationally outstanding research and pioneering treatment concepts in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Addiction Medicine. The special characteristic of the institute is its dual function as a health care and research institution. In the research area, this structure in particular enables the direct implementation of a translational research approach from basic research to clinical application.

Your responsibilities:

The junior professorship for “Public Child Mental Health” will strengthen the CIMH’s profile as an internationally outstanding research institution in the context of the mental health of children and adolescents, particularly with regard to the prevention of mental illness. The focus will be on establishing appropriate structures to safeguard the mental health of children and adolescents in the light of current crises and developments in modern society, optimizing preparedness for stress and expanding the dissemination of preventive medical care strategies as an appropriate crisis response. The junior professorship is integrated into the Center of Excellence for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, which is operated at the Mannheim site (CIMH) in cooperation with the University of Ulm.

The (further) development of a distinct research focus in a current area of public child mental health research is just as much a responsibility of the position holder as the coordination of the Center of Excellence. A willingness to acquire externally funded projects, supervise doctoral candidates, and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration is required, as is an active commitment to open science practices such as the use of open data and the promotion of reproducible research. The junior professorship in “Public Child Mental Health” is also expected to actively contribute to the “Mannheim Comprehensive Neuroscience Campus / MCNC” research focus and the Prevention research division of the Medical Faculty Mannheim, as well as to the curriculum in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry through teaching activities amounting to 2 SWS.

Your profile:

We are looking for a candidate with a research profile that focuses on the study of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders, preferably neurodevelopmental disorders. The successful candidate must have a proven track record in a current research area within the context of Public Child Mental Health and thus offer opportunities for collaboration with clinics, research institutions, and researchers at a high international level.

The professorship is a temporary qualification position. Requirements for appointment are:

• A university degree in a relevant field, completed in accordance with Article 51 of the Baden-Württemberg State Higher Education Act (LHG) An outstanding doctorate in a relevant field Pedagogical aptitude, typically proven by teaching experience According to Article 51 LHG, the total duration of prior employment as an academic staff member during the doctoral and postdoctoral phases should not exceed six years (in the field of medicine, it should not exceed nine years). A provable highly positive trajectory in the applicant’s academic career to date, with an equally positive prognosis Experience in research management; experience in securing external funding is also desirable Experience in the field of clinical psychiatric/psychotherapeutic care for children and adolescents (e.g., through completed or currently ongoing training in child and adolescent psychotherapy)

Junior professorships at Heidelberg University are generally limited to six years. There is no possibility for a tenure track. Provided that the general legal (German civil service law) and budgetary regulations are met, it is intended that the employment will have civil service status. The professorship will be jointly appointed by Heidelberg University and the Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim in the ‘Jülich model’. At the end of the appointment term, a performance evaluation focusing on suitability and competence as a university lecturer will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the University of Heidelberg Statutes on the Evaluation of Assistant Professorships and Tenure-Track Professorships dated September 24, 2025.

Applications with the usual documents are to be submitted exclusively in electronic form - in accordance with the applicant guideline “Bewerbungs-Leitfaden Formatvorlage” and the form "Bewerbungs-Formblatt" of the Medical Faculty Mannheim () - to Prof. Dr Sergij Goerdt, Dean of the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, University Medical Centre Mannheim, April 20, 2026.

Heidelberg University stands for equal opportunities and diversity. Qualified female candidates are especially invited to apply. Persons with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are equally qualified. Information on job advertisements and the collection of personal data is available at .