The junior professorship enables academics with an outstanding doctorate to make a seamless transition into research and teaching at scientific universities. After successful evaluation, it offers the option of a tenure track position or, without a tenure track, the qualification for a lifetime professorship.

The prerequisites for appointment to a junior professorship are usually an outstanding doctorate and, if applicable, further academic achievements as well as pedagogical-didactic aptitude. Further subject-specific qualifications may be required.

Junior professors are appointed for a fixed term in a quality-assured appointment procedure. The appointment is initially for three years. In the third year, an interim evaluation takes place, which decides whether the person has proven themselves as a university teacher and whether the junior professorship will be extended for another three years. The focus of the evaluation is on research and teaching performance, but activities within the framework of academic self-administration are also taken into account.

Although junior professors belong to the group of university teachers in terms of cooperation law, they are at the same time still assigned to the field of academics in qualification phases due to their qualifications and temporary status. Assignment to the group of university teachers results in basically identical rights and obligations as for permanent professorships. Junior professors conduct research and teach independently, participate in academic self-administration and have the right to supervise doctoral students. However, the teaching duties are lower for W1 professorships (4 SWS in the 1st phase, 5 SWS after successful interim evaluation).