Career change as a lecturer

Career change paths

• Scientific officer at a project management agency (Projektträger)

  Also: Policy advisor in a ministry

  With on-the-job training

  At project management agencies, ministries or funding organizations, you look after funding programs, review applications, support projects and advise politicians.

  What you bring:

  You know research funding, grant applications and peer review from your own experience and can assess research projects professionally.

  How to get there:

  Project management agencies and funding organizations hire scientists with a doctorate and train them on the job in grant law and administrative procedures. Ministries are part of the public service, and project management agencies work on behalf of the federal and state governments.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an officeHome office possible

  €6,457gross per monthMedian salary

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• Management consultant

  Also: Strategy consultant

  With on-the-job training

  At a management consultancy, you work on projects for companies or public clients on strategy, organization or technology questions.

  What you bring:

  You can get up to speed on new topics quickly, analyze data and present results convincingly.

  How to get there:

  Consultancies also hire people with a doctorate and train them in their methods. Selection procedures with case studies are usual, and you can practice for them specifically. Expect a high workload and a lot of travel.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an officeHome office possible

  €6,768gross per monthMedian salary

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• Data scientist

  Also: Data analyst

  With on-the-job training

  You work with statistics, large datasets and often with programming languages such as Python or R. As a data scientist or data analyst, you analyze data for companies, insurers or authorities, build forecasting models and explain results to the specialist departments.

  How to get there:

  Companies often hire people with a doctorate in quantitative subjects directly. If you lack basics in databases or machine learning, courses lasting a few weeks to a few months help. A project of your own with real data often convinces more in an interview than a certificate.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €6,500gross per monthMedian salary

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• Science communication officer

  Also: Press officer at a research institution

  With on-the-job training

  At universities, research institutes or foundations, you write press releases, look after social media, organize events and advise researchers on dealing with the media.

  What you bring:

  You know research from the inside and can present results to laypeople clearly.

  How to get there:

  Research institutions hire scientists with writing talent and train them on the job in press work and media. Courses in science communication take a few days to a few weeks. Work samples such as blog posts or texts for the general public help with your application.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €5,318gross per monthMedian salary

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• Application specialist

  Also: Product specialist for laboratory technology

  With on-the-job training

  As an application specialist at a manufacturer, you demonstrate devices, train customers, develop applications and give technical support to sales.

  What you bring:

  You know measuring devices, laboratory methods and software from your research and can talk to professionals as an equal.

  How to get there:

  Manufacturers of laboratory, analytical and medical technology hire natural scientists with a doctorate and train them in their products. Expect travel to customers and trade fairs.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,550gross per monthMedian salary

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• Regulatory affairs manager

  Also: Medicines approval officer

  With on-the-job training

  In regulatory affairs at pharma, medical technology or chemical companies, you prepare approval documents, track legal requirements and stay in contact with authorities.

  What you bring:

  You can read scientific data precisely, assess it and turn it into structured documents.

  How to get there:

  Companies hire natural scientists with a doctorate and train them on the job in approval law and procedures. Part-time courses in regulatory affairs take a few weeks to a few months. Good English is required.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €7,039gross per monthMedian salary

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• Study program coordinator

  Also: Head of an adult education institution

  With on-the-job training

  As coordinator or head, you organize degree programs, continuing education programs or an educational institution, look after lecturers and students, and ensure accreditation and quality.

  What you bring:

  You know degree programs, examination regulations, course planning and the processes at universities precisely.

  How to get there:

  Universities, academies and adult education centers hire people with a doctorate and teaching experience for science and education management. Part-time courses on this take a few weeks to a few months. As administrative and management staff, you do not fall under the special fixed-term rules for academic staff, but fixed-term positions exist here too.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €6,457gross per monthMedian salary

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• Learning and development specialist

  Also: Leadership trainer

  With on-the-job training

  In the HR development department of companies or authorities, you plan further training, onboarding programs and development conversations.

  What you bring:

  You can plan learning offerings, lead groups and check learning results.

  How to get there:

  Companies train experienced continuing education trainers on HR processes and competence models. A further training course in HR development, lasting a few months, makes the switch easier.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €5,147gross per monthMedian salary

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• Career advisor at the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit)

  Also: Consultant for career reorientation

  With on-the-job training

  As a career advisor, you help young people and adults with choosing a career, further training and career changes.

  What you bring:

  You already advise learners and know educational paths, qualifications and funding options.

  How to get there:

  The Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) hires university graduates as career advisors and qualifies them in-house. Municipal counseling centers and training providers also train experienced advisors.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €4,457gross per monthMedian salary

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• IT trainer

  Also: Trainer for digital skills

  With on-the-job training

  As an IT trainer, you train employees and course participants in office programs, specialist software or digital ways of working.

  What you bring:

  You can patiently teach adults new things and know learning platforms and digital tools.

  How to get there:

  Training providers and companies train lecturers with good IT skills on the job. Vendor certificates usually take a few days to a few weeks. Some assignments are freelance.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €5,449gross per monthMedian salary

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• Employment agent at the Jobcenter

  Also: Integration specialist

  With on-the-job training

  At the Jobcenter or at training providers, you place job seekers in jobs and programs and support them along the way.

  What you bring:

  You can recognize people's strengths and know which qualifications really help.

  How to get there:

  Jobcenters and employment agencies hire career changers with a degree or counseling experience and train them internally in social law and software. The work is in the office with fixed consultation hours.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €5,226gross per monthMedian salary

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• Specialist advisor for teaching development

  Also: Policy advisor at a state institute for school quality

  With on-the-job training

  In school supervision, state institutes or the education administration, you help develop curricula, further training and quality procedures.

  What you bring:

  You have designed learning-field teaching, exams and school development yourself.

  How to get there:

  Teachers in the school service are usually seconded or transferred to advertised positions, often after experience as a specialist advisor. The routes differ from state to state.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €5,466gross per monthMedian salary

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• Secondary school teacher (Gymnasium)

  Also: Teacher of mathematics or natural sciences

  With a degree

  At a secondary school, you teach your subjects, guide classes over several years and prepare them for final exams.

  What you bring:

  You can explain difficult material, plan courses and conduct exams.

  How to get there:

  The states regulate the alternative route into teaching (Seiteneinstieg) differently. It is possible if teaching subjects can be derived from your degree and schools advertise positions for career changers. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) alongside work takes 24 months and requires two subjects and two years of work experience after your degree.*Regulated by law (State law: teacher education acts and alternative-route regulations of the German states).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €5,466gross per monthMedian salary

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• Teacher in integration courses

  Also: Teacher of German as a second language

  With further training

  In integration and vocational language courses, you teach German to immigrants and prepare them for exams.

  What you bring:

  You can teach groups of different origins and prior education well.

  How to get there:

  For integration courses, you need approval from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge). Without a degree in German as a foreign or second language, the Federal Office may require an additional qualification of 140 lessons. Some teachers work on a freelance basis for course providers.*Regulated by law (Integration Course Ordinance (IntV) § 15).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,890gross per monthMedian salary

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Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.