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Family: spouse and children

The IMP aims to give scientists all the support they need so that they can focus on their research. Alongside scientific services and facilities, this includes support for combining a research career with family life. From pregnancy lab to child care, as a staff member with a family, you will benefit from a number of measures that help you and your family to settle in and thrive.

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Juggling a career in science with a family is challenging, as we see every day with those colleagues at the IMP who have children. To make their lives easier, the IMP provides support to the families of staff members.

Information for scientists with families

To provide pregant scientists with a work environment that is safe for their unborn children in full compliance with Austrian laws, the IMP provides a special pregancy lab. Here, protocols, tools, and reagents that are safe to work with are provided.

There is a nursing room acessible to staff at all times, which provides privacy and appliances: cosy interiors, a mircowave, and simple kitchen materials to prepare and feed formula, solid meals, or breastfeed in comfort.

Just around the corner, one of the IMP seminar rooms is equipped with a book and toy corner - intended especially for children who spend a brief period of time at the IMP.

Both nursing room and play corner are also availbe for participants of scientific conferences and other events.  

The Vienna BioCenter Core Facilities includes a child care centre. Places for crèche (from 3 months until 1.5 years of age) and kindergarten (until the age of 6) are available to children of staff members from the Vienna Biocenter as well as for people working at the neighbouring media company hub.

The Child Care Center puts special emphasis on English lessons. As an indicator of quality, the teacher to children ratio exceeds legal requirements.

Further information on the Child Care Center including opening hours and current fees can be found at:  https://www.viennabiocenter.org/vbcf/child-care-center/

Nearly 50 percent of Vienna's population have international roots; the city serves as a hub for many international corporations and is home to a United Nations Office. As a result, Vienna has a number of international schools. While many of these are private and thus require fees, there are also public (and free) bilingual schools or schools with English language programmes.

Health insurance is obligatory for employed people in Austria. As a staff member of the IMP, you will be enrolled in the public health insurance system through our HR department. Dependents (spouse or children) are covered by your insurance.  If you have questions, please address them directly to the HR department.

If you live in Austria (legally), you are entitled to child benefits for children that are your dependents. As of 2024, these benefits amount to approximately 230 EUR per month for your child. The HR department of the IMP will be able to assist you with your application on your arrival if necessary.

Kindergartens in Vienna are generously subsidised and are either free (public) or inexpensive in comparison to the actual cost (generally under 500 EUR per month per child).

The city of Vienna organises summer activities for children. Public cultural institutions, such as the zoo, museums, and theatres, are usually subsidised, creating a stimulating and affordable environment for raising children.

Vienna is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse economy. Half of its population has an international background, and this expat community is one of the largest in Europe, so it is not unusual for companies to use English as their main working language. Your spouse is likely to find plenty of opportunities regardless of his or her professional background.

The human resources department at the IMP will be able to provide you with counsel and information to make settling in and identifying career opportunities a smooth process for your family members. 

We strongly believe that a supportive and collaborative intellectual culture is essential to attract creative and bold scientists, willing to cross the boundaries of their discipline in pursuit of ground-breaking scientific discoveries. The IMP always intends to improve its individual services to outstanding scientists.

As a result of our membership of the WWTF (Vienna Science and Technology Fund) “Dual Career Service Support”, the IMP offers job search information and assistance to spouses and partners of newly appointed principal investigators.

The Dual Career Service provides tailor-made support in exploring employment opportunities in science and research including administration in the academic and non-academic sector.

Vienna is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse economy. Half of its population has an international background, and this expat community is one of the largest in Europe, so it is not unusual for companies to use English as their main working language. Your spouse is likely to find plenty of opportunities regardless of his or her professional background.

The human resources department at the IMP will be able to provide you with counsel and information to make settling in and identifying career opportunities a smooth process for your family members. 

The human resources department at the IMP will be able to provide you with counsel and information on any of the topics outlined above. Please do not hesitate to address your question to: tanja.winkler[at]imp.ac.at