The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Heidelberg is a world-leading research institution with about 350 employees from 40 different countries. MPIA scientists are involved in high-performance computing, the analysis of large data sets and instrumentation.

For the professional support of the scientific, technical, and service departments we are searching for the 
Head of the IT Department (m/f/d) 
Ref. 399

Terms of reference

•    Strategic planning and further development of the IT infrastructure for scientific purposes
•     Management of a five-person IT team
•     Ensuring an efficient, secure and stable IT infrastructure

Your profile

•     PhD or Master's degree in an appropriate discipline (i. e. Computer Science, Information Technology), or comparable qualification
•     Several years of relevant professional experience, ideally in a scientific work environment
•     Very good knowledge of the design, development and operation of IT structures.
•     Strong leadership skills and a service-oriented attitude
•     Strong written and verbal communication skills in English and at least a working knowledge of German

Our offer

•     An international and collaborative environment in a stimulating scientific institute
•     Remuneration is based on the public sector collective agreement up to EG14.
•     Attractive pension and social benefits in the public sector.
•     A collegial and supportive team
•     Regular training and further education opportunities
•     Support for balancing family and career. Support in finding childcare facilities and an apartment is available if necessary.
•     Discounted job ticket and reduced rates for certain insurance policies

The Max Planck Society is committed to achieving gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. The Society is particularly interested in employing more people with severe disabilities, and therefore expressly welcomes applications from this group.

Your application

Are you interested? Then we look forward to receiving your complete online application. Please apply by September 19^th, 2025, exclusively online via our Online Application Form.  

You can find further information about the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at www.mpia.de.