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“My path to the JKI – From career change to professional home”

In 2016 I stood at a turning point: after ending my self-employment, IWas seeking a professional restart – a place with stability, development prospects, and the chance to meaningfully apply my commercial training in the railway and road transport sector.

This search led me, through an speculative application, to the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI). In hindsight, it was one of my best decisions.

My entry began as a temporary assistant in the laboratory and on the trial grounds of the Institute of Epidemiology. Even though this job was initially fixed-term, it opened the door to a world that immediately fascinated me: the combination of research, practice, and administration – all in an environment that values collaboration.

Soon after I received the opportunity to take on a maternity protection and parental leave replacement in the Administrative Department – Procurement (HV-B) at the Braunschweig site. I took care of ordering and issuing office supplies, managed the company vehicles, and worked in the mail room. It was during this phase that I truly began to understand the structures and processes of the JKI—and I found my role increasingly fitting. I realized: something meaningful is happening here, and I am allowed to be a part of it.

Since July 2017 I have been working in the Household/Procurement Department at the Quedlinburg site – initially in a split role: half a position as a travel expense clerk, the other half as a front-desk assistant in the Institute for the Safety of Biotechnological Procedures (SB).

In 2019 I finally moved completely into the third-party funds administration – a field of responsibility that suits me perfectly. I love working with numbers, creating structures, and organizing things. But above all I value the feeling of making an important, behind-the-scenes contribution to making scientific work possible.

At heart I have always been a service provider – today I am one for science. And that is what makes my work so fulfilling for me.

I am proud to be part of the JKI. Here I have not only found a secure workplace but a place where I can grow, shape, and make an impact.

A place where I have arrived and found my professional home.

“With organisational talent and a down-to-earth approach in the budget department”

Organization is for me more than just a work principle – it is part of my personality. Since May 2024 I have been helping shape the Administrative Department at the Julius Kühn Institute. A task that motivates me every day because here I can contribute not only my professional strengths but also feel needed.

My path here has been diverse: after graduating from high school I completed training as a legal clerk and worked for over ten years in a security technology expert office. At the same time I continued my education – as a certified professional in business management and finally through a part-time bachelor’s degree at Harz University. I wanted to understand more, question, shape – and continuously develop.

I also gained experience in the construction and real estate sector – always with the claim to work responsibly and reliably. After the birth of my daughter and a period of intensive family time, I knew: I want to return to work with full energy. That is exactly what the JKI offers me – I am very glad to be at a place where I can think along, contribute to decisions, and participate.

What defines me personally? I am a very down-to-earth person. Growing up on a farm, love for animals, responsibility, and reliability are part of my everyday life. My involvement in the small animal breeding club is not just a hobby for me – it is a heartfelt project that has connected me and my family for a long time.