FAQs: Lise Meitner Excellence Program

Whom we are looking for / Application procedure / Selection process

Support for young researchers

A. Target group

B. Application process

C. Application documents

D. Letters of recommendation

E. Selection Process

F. Technical issues

A. Target group

1. Who is the Lise Meitner Excellence Program (LME) aimed at?

The Lise Meitner Excellence Program has been created for highly talented early-career women scientists who received their doctorates no more than nine years ago (family breaks are taken into consideration accordingly). The Max Planck Society has established the program with the goal of significantly increasing the number of women scientists in management positions. Applicants of all genders are welcome. 

The Lise Meitner Program expressly serves the objective of counteracting an existing under-representation of women scientists in the Max Planck Society at the W2 (associate professor) career level. In a legal sense, this program understands itself as a positive measure in favor of the underrepresented gender. Applications by women, therefore, enjoy priority within the boundaries of what is legally permissible. Any preferential consideration of women scientists is excluded if reasons worthy of legal protection, which lie in the qualification and/or person of another candidate, prevail.

2. What are the criteria for applications to succeed?

You should be able to provide evidence of initial steps towards scientific independence during the early stages of your career in science, e.g. in the form of independent projects, and be able to show outstanding innovative scientific achievements. You should ideally also have already acquired initial experience as a group leader. Another selection criterion is the thematic fit with a suitable institute. 

3. Is there an age limit?

There is no age limit. You should already have gained some leadership experience as a talented early-career scientist and ideally not have completed your doctorate more than nine years ago at the time of your application to head a Lise Meitner Group. Please provide a detailed description in your cover letter of why you remain eligible for the program if this limit has been exceeded in your specific case.

4. Is the LME program only open to scientists from Germany?

No. The Max Planck Society is looking for the best and most motivated and talented women scientists worldwide. That is why submissions from both national and international applicants for the Lise Meitner Excellence Program are equally welcome. All women scientists with a doctorate/PhD – regardless of their nationality or current residency – are eligible to apply. The Max Planck Society is committed to gender equality and diversity. As part of our commitment to equal opportunities and diversity, we welcome applications from all countries of origin, especially from groups that are currently underrepresented in science in terms of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, social background and severe disability. Applications from severely disabled people are expressly encouraged.

5. How do family breaks affect the postdoctoral period?

The Max Planck Society expressly welcomes applications from early-career women scientists who were awarded their doctorates more than nine years ago and haven’t been able to apply sooner as a result of family-related breaks or interruptions. We therefore ask about family-related interruptions or breaks in the application form of the application database. Please inform us about these breaks or interruptions not only in the database, but also set out these times in the cover letter so that they can be considered during the selection process

6. Are there fixed regulations regarding the crediting of family-related interruptions in relation to the time after finishing the PhD?

No, there is no fixed regulation. Each application is assessed individually and is decided on a case-by-case basis. It is therefore important to inform us of any family-related interruptions in the application database and in the cover letter.

B. Application process

7. There are so called “sections” mentioned. What does this mean and in which section should I apply?

The Max Planck Institutes conduct research in the fields of life sciences, natural sciences and the humanities. Although this is very difficult, as many institutes work on an interdisciplinary basis, for example, the institutes are divided into three so-called Sections:

  • The Biology and Medicine Section
  • The Human Sciences Section
  • The Chemistry, Physics and Technical Section

You do not have to actively apply for a section. By choosing one of the available research areas you have to choose in the application database, you will automatically be assigned to a section.

The chosen section will then evaluate your application. It is not eligible to apply for more than one section at once.

The assignment of the research areas to the respective sections can be found below.

8. Which research area in the application database belongs to which Section?

Biology and Medicine Section (BMS):

  • Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Chemical Biology, Biophysics
  • Cell and Developmental Biology, Genetics
  • Computational Biology, Big Data, Machine Learning / AI
  • Immunobiology, Molecular Medicine, Microbiology
  • Neurobiology and Behavior
  • Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution

Human Science Section (HSS):

  • Cultural Sciences and Legal Studies
  • Human Cognitive Sciences & Natural Sciences
  • Social- and Behavioral Sciences

Chemistry, Physics and Technical Section (CPTS) - a host letter required (see below)

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Chemistry
  • Complex Systems
  • Computer Science and Mathematics
  • Earth Sciences
  • Materials Research
  • Physics

9. Which Max Planck Institutes (MPI) belong to the research areas of the Chemistry, Physics and Technical Section and can therefore be contacted regarding a host letter?

Astronomy / Astrophysics

Earth Sciences

Materials Research

Chemistry

Computer Science / Mathematics

Complex Systems

Physics

10. Can I apply if I am already or was previously employed at a Max Planck Institute?

Yes. In terms of career development, it is usually better to establish your independent research at a different institute. However, there may occasionally be good reasons for choosing a Max Planck Institute where you are currently employed or already have been employed as the optimal location for your future research project.

C. Application documents

11. Which documents are required for a successful application?

Requirements for all sections:
Only applications submitted via the application portal can be considered. 

Please submit the following documents with your application for the position: 

  • a cover letter,
  • a curriculum vitae,
  • a list of publications,
  • a one-page summary of scientific achievements (written for a non-specialist):
    • for applications in the Chemistry, Physics and Technical Section and the Human Sciences Section: 11-point type, double spaced, Times New Roman, 25mm margins on 4 sides,
    • for applications in the Biology and Medicine Section: no formal requirements
  • a research statement including all references, figures, and tables (written for a specialist):
    • for applications in the Chemistry, Physics and Technical Section and the Human Sciences Section: five pages, 11-point type, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 25mm margins on 4 sides
    • for applications in the Biology and Medicine Section: three pages, no formal requirements
  • access to and/or copies of your three most important publications,
    • in the Biology and Medicine Section and Chemistry, Physics and Technical Section access to your three most important publications is sufficient
    • in the Human Sciences Section copies of your three most important publications are welcome, but access to the publications is also possible.
  • combined in one PDF file.

You are also required to invite two referees to upload recommendation letters for you to the application portal.

Further requirements for applications in the Chemistry, Physics and Technical section (CPTS):

If you wish to apply for a research field in the CPTS, you must submit a so-called

  • host letter from one or more Max Planck Institutes of the CPTS in addition to the regular application documents. 

The host letter(s) can be directly included in your application PDF file. Since they have a longer submission window, they can also be submitted separately by June 30th 2026 23:59 CET.

12. What is a host letter and how to receive it? (Only relevant for applications within the CPTS)

The host letter must include the commitment of a Max Planck Institute (MPI) in the CPTS to accept you as a Lise Meitner Group Leader if your application is successful.

Please contact one or more MPIs in advance of your application with a request for a host letter. Please send your enquiry to the Managing Director of the respective MPI. You can find their contact information on the MPI homepage. The MPI should then provide the host letter and hand it over to you, so that you can upload it together with your other application documents via the database (one PDF file). You have to submit at least one host letter for a successful application. However, it is also possible to submit more than one host letter.

There is a template for the host letter, which is available to the MPI and does not have to be provided by you. It is neither possible nor required of the MPI to submit the host letter to the database. Applicants may upload the host letter to their application within the application deadline, or they can submit it separately at the latest on June 30th 2026 23:59 CET. We offer this extended deadline only for the host letters; all other application documents have to be completed within the regular application deadline. Without a host letter, the formal criteria relating to the application documents are not fulfilled.

13. Can I submit a host letter of a MPI that I am currently affiliated with?

Each MPI follows different internal guidelines.

14. Do the application documents have to be written in English?

Yes. The selection committees are made up of international members. That is why we are only able to accept applications and letters of recommendation written in English. If your section requires the submission of papers, only papers published in English can be accepted for the same reason.

15. Are there formal criteria as to how the documents must be laid out?

There is one mandatory requirement for applications in all sections: 
The documents must be written in English (please also refer to the question above: ‘Do the application documents have to be written in English?’). 

For applications in the CPTS and HSS, the summary of scientific achievements as well as the research statement must be written in: 11-point type, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 25mm margins on 4 pages, including all references, figures, and tables (please refer to: ´Which documents are required for a successful application?´). This does not apply to applications in the BMS.

For all other documents, there are no formal requirements.

Please also note that application is only possible during the call and only application documents submitted via the online application portal will be considered.

16. What should be written in the research statement?

There is no right or wrong way to structure your research proposal. The research statement should convince the selection committee of the candidate's research idea for the LME group and the innovative approaches to solving problems. Detailed budgets, group plans or schedules are not necessary, but can be included if you wish to do so. The structure is entirely the applicant’s decision.

17. What can I include in the publication list and what papers can I submit?

If your section-specific instructions for application include the submission of papers, please do not submit work that is currently undergoing peer review. Pre-prints or manuscripts that have been accepted by a journal will be considered as long as they are marked as such. Please submit papers or journal articles only. Instead of a paper or journal article it is also possible to submit a book chapter along with a short summary of the book. The submitted work must be in English.

Our committees, in general, only count published papers or papers that are in press (formally accepted). If a paper is accepted but not yet in print, please indicate this in your publication list. Papers in your publication list that to date carry the status of submitted or under review must be clearly marked as such.

18. Can I modify my application after the deadline?

Adjustments after the deadline has passed are not possible. This includes all documents of the application. Requests to update the status of papers in the publication list cannot be processed either. Please make sure you submit the right documents within the application deadline.

You can, of course, make adjustments if the deadline has not passed yet. If your application has already been submitted, you must withdraw it and submit a corrected version within the deadline. Cloning your application beforehand can save time.

D. Letters of recommendation

19. Who can be a referee?

Referees should be able to assess your academic achievements and leadership potential. Letters of recommendation may come from individuals affiliated with the Max Planck Society or from external referees. If one referee is a Max Planck Director, the second referee must not be affiliated with the Max Planck Society. Former affiliations count if they ended less than six years ago. Referees can be former supervisors who can evaluate you and your work.

20. What should be written in the letter of recommendation?

There is no template or formal guideline for the letters of recommendation. Your two chosen referees should evaluate you and your work and write a letter of recommendation for you outlining why you are suited for the desired position.

21. How should the letter of recommendation be submitted?

We ask referees to upload them directly to the portal themselves to ensure there are no changes in the content and also to ensure confidentiality. Applicants should generally not see the content of letters of recommendation because confidentiality is crucial for the letter writer to provide an honest and candid assessment. This is a standard we take seriously. Please be aware that only letters of recommendation in electronic form (as pdf), which have been submitted by the referees themselves via the online portal, will be considered.

You can invite referees in the application portal. You will be asked to provide their names and e-mail addresses. The application portal will then send an automatic e-mail to your referee with further instructions on how to upload their letter of recommendation and link. You will be notified when your referee has uploaded their letter of recommendation via the link. You can submit your application before the letters are uploaded. However, letters of recommendation need to be uploaded within the application deadline as well. Otherwise, the application will be considered incomplete. It is therefore recommended to contact referees well ahead of time to ensure that they have received the email from the application portal and to remind them of the submission deadline if necessary. The deadline for the letters of recommendation is not extendable.

22. Can you reuse my letters of recommendation from my previous application?

For data protection reasons, application documents will be deleted once the selection process is complete. It is not possible to reuse letters of recommendation or other documents from previous applications. We ask you to request new letters of recommendation to provide the most recent and accurate evaluation of your work.

E. Selection Process

23. How does the selection process work?

The selection process is centrally coordinated and proceeds through several stages. All submitted applications will initially be screened and examined for the highest criteria of excellence. The option of becoming personally acquainted by invitation from suitable institutes will be available subsequent to the pre-selections made on the basis of the written documents. The remaining candidates will be invited to a symposium where they will be requested to give a presentation and be interviewed for the final round. 

24. Who are the members of the selection committee?

The Max Planck Society is divided into three sections: the Biological and Medicine Section, the Chemical Physical Technical Section and the Human Sciences Section. Each section has its own selection committee made up of Max Planck Directors. The Vice President of the respective section will chair the commission during the first stage. This committee is responsible for pre-selecting the candidates to be invited to the selection symposium. The latter selection symposium will then be chaired by the Vice President of the respective section (joined by the head of the section in the CPTS), who will forward recommendations for appointments to the President following the symposium. The final decision for appointments to a group leader position will be taken by the President of the Max Planck Society. 

25. Are leaders of Minerva Fast Track Groups or Max Planck Research Groups also eligible to submit applications for the LME program?

Yes. Applications from Max Planck Research Group Leaders as well as from Minerva Fast Track Fellows are generally possible. They must, however, meet the specified criteria. 

26. How are Lise Meitner Groups resourced?

The Lise Meitner Groups are awarded funds for their own personnel and material resources and may utilize the infrastructure that is available at the corresponding Max Planck Institute. As a leader of a Lise Meitner Group, you will be able to use the approved resources in accordance with your own needs and projects.

27. What are the prospects for subsequent career development?

Participation in a W2 Tenure Track procedure is guaranteed. The timing of the evaluation is flexible. The evaluation should take place after five years at the latest. Successful applicants will be awarded the W2 position and the management of the research group for an unlimited period of time if the evaluation results are positive. The program hopes to develop the selected candidates so that they can become Max Planck Directors or develop successfully into a W3 (full professor) position outside the Max Planck Society. 

28. Will I be able to reapply after a previous rejection?

Yes, you may submit a new application with new application documents and reference letters. You will, however, receive no information about expert opinions or other feedback from the initial application, even on request.  It is not possible for us to retrieve and use your previous application documents. 

29. Can I receive feedback on my application?

Although we understand your desire for individual feedback, we ask for your understanding that, due to the high number of applications, it is not possible for us to provide detailed feedback on the submitted documents. Each application goes through several stages of the process and is evaluated by the directors of the host institutes and various experts. Unfortunately, in the overall assessment of all applications, it can happen that some submitted documents were not rated highly enough to be selected. 

F. Technical issues

30. I cannot create an account on the application portal.

The application portal is only open during the call. First, you need to register on the portal, after which you will receive a registration code via email. This process can take up to 45 minutes. Please also check your spam folder. If you still do not receive the registration link, you may need to try with a different email address. If you have applied before, you may already be registered and can request a new password.

Please do not wait until shortly before the deadline to upload your documents! As you can imagine, the application portal can be overwhelmed if many applicants try to submit at once.

31. I cannot log in to my account on the application portal anymore.

Please try using a different browser or device. Should the problem remain, try resetting your password.

32. My referee did not receive an autogenerated email for the upload of the letter of recommendation.

Please check that you have entered the correct contact details in the application portal. Refresh the page and resend the link via the portal. If you still do not receive an email, even in your spam folder, and the problem persists, please ask your referee to provide an alternative email address and try again.

33. I am a referee and the link does not work anymore.

Please note that upload links are for single use only and are only valid until the deadline. If you require a new link to upload the letter, please contact the applicant. They can resend one from the online portal.

If you experience further technical issues or still have other questions regarding the Lise-Meitner Excellence Program, please contact .

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