WE ARE LOOKING FOR A

Personal Assistant (m/f/div) to support the Department Director (part-time 50%)

The Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg is seeking a part-time personal assistant to provide administrative support to the Scientific Director of the "Chromatin Regulation" research department and Vice President of the Biomedical Section of the MPG (Prof. Dr. Asifa Akhtar).

The position is to be filled as soon as possible and is initially limited to two years.

YOUR TASKS:

As a personal assistant, you will serve as the organizational hub of the "Chromatin Regulation" research department and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Your main responsibilities include:

Office administration (scheduling, organizing meetings, file and document management)
Travel management (planning and booking domestic and international business trips, as well as handling travel expense reimbursements)
Ensuring that information is distributed on time and to the correct recipients
Handling translations and all correspondence (in German and English; in French if needed)
Preparing and distributing meeting minutes, as well as following up on actions as decided by the department director
Assisting with the planning, organization, and execution of meetings, events, and seminars
Welcoming and assisting department guests
Professionally supporting employees during onboarding and offboarding
Clarifying open questions from laboratory members with the scientific, technical, and administrative service units at the Institute, as well as with the relevant contacts in the General Administration in Munich

YOUR PROFILE:

Completed training as a foreign-language secretary or a comparable business degree
Initial professional experience in the field is desirable
Written and spoken fluency in German and English is essential
Good skills in French are expected
Advanced skills in using standard software packages, especially MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) are required
Good knowledge of graphic design programs is a plus
Even with a changing and varied workload, you maintain a clear overview, manage multiple talks simultaneously, and set priorities
You display strong diplomacy and loyalty, and focus on goals
You are a team player, communicative, and bring a high degree of flexibility and initiative to the role

WE OFFER:

Located in a region that connects Germany, France and Switzerland, our institute offers an international research environment with outstanding infrastructure facilities and a positive working atmosphere that places a high value on work-life balance.

Payment according to TVöD up to a maximum of E8/9a if the collectively agreed and personal requirements are fulfilled
Social benefits in line with public service (VBL)
Additional performance-related remuneration component
Professional training and development opportunities
Good public transport connections and subsidy for job ticket
Challenging work in a modern working environment
Mobile working at a location of your choice within Germany is possible up to a maximum of 40% of the regular weekly working hours in justified cases.
There are shops within walking distance where you can buy food
Welcome-Service
Family-friendly offers (affiliated day care center at the institute, parent-child room, breastfeeding room)

Max Planck Institute for
Immunobiology and Epigenetics
HR Department
Stübeweg 51
79108 Freiburg

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Have we sparked your interest? Please apply with your complete application documents (letter of motivation, curriculum vitae, certificates) via our online application portal at until 23th November 2026.

The Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics (MPI-IE) in Freiburg, Germany is an interdisciplinary research institution that conducts basic research in two key areas of modern biology: Immunobiology and Epigenetics. Central questions address the molecular basis of cell type identities, as they are regulated during immune cell differentiation, metabolic response and epigenetic chromatin adaptation.

We value and promote diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities, so we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from severely disabled people. We would also like to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented and therefore expressly encourage women to apply.

Max Planck Institute for
Immunobiology and Epigenetics
HR Department
Stübeweg 51
79108 Freiburg