"Goals are never reached by computers, robots or technical equipment, but by people …"

They operate in the background and, if it wasn’t for them, nothing would ever get done. Over 7,800 non-scientific employees ensure that everyday research activities at the Max Planck Institutes run smoothly. Administration, computer centres, libraries, workshops and animal houses are all essential components of an infrastructure, without which research would not be possible. This infrastructure is operated by committed and skilled employees. The wide range of insights, talent and experience they offer is one of the Max Planck institutes’ greatest assets.

The five colleagues presented are representative of all of the non-scientific employees who work at the Max Planck Institutes. The photographs and interviews are intended to provide a short look into their everyday working lives and to report on the personal challenges these employees set themselves.

• Thomas Haubold: Head of the Mechanics Department, Max Planck Institute for Physics, Munich
• Peter Weber: Head of the Library, Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law, Munich
• Katrin Reindl: Head of Biology Lab Technician Training, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology, Martinsried
• Volker Geiß: Head of Administration, Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Saarbrücken and Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, Saarbrücken and Karlsruhe
• Sabine Spehn: Press office, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen