LIFE AT CISPA

CISPA is shaped by the people who bring it to life. Here, you’ll get to know our team, our shared values, and the spirit that defines our community. Discover the people behind CISPA and what drives us every day.

MEET THE WORLD AT CISPA

At CISPA, diversity is more than a value. Diversity is a driving force behind everything we do. With over 675 colleagues from 55 nations, we know that a multiplicity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives makes us stronger — in research, operations, and beyond. By embracing diversity in all areas, we foster fresh ideas, inclusive solutions, and a vibrant workplace where everyone can thrive. Creating an environment where every voice is valued isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s essential for excellence.

Currently, people from 55 countries are part of CISPA: Albania Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Cameroon Canada China Colombia Denmark Egypt Finland France Gambia Germany Greece Hungary India Indonesia Iran Israel Italy Jordan Lithuania Luxemburg Malaysia Netherlands Nepal New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Poland Romania Russia Serbia Singapore Slovenia South Korea Spain Sudan Switzerland Syria Thailand Tunisia Turkey UK Ukraine USA Vietnam

Overview People

EMPLOYEE VOICES

Working at CISPA was an incredibly exciting opportunity for me that I couldn’t pass up. I am proud to be part of this renowned institution – and by extension also of the Helmholtz Association, one of the largest scientific organizations in the world.

Dr. Theo Jäger
Head of Scince Support

FULL INTERVIEW

Working at CISPA is extremely exciting and varied, especially because we deal with cybersecurity research. It is particularly challenging, but also fascinating, when questions arise for which there are no clear legal guidelines or court decisions.

Jan Brinkmann
Data Protection Officer / Head of Corporate Data Protection & Information Security

FULL INTERVIEW

The fact that CISPA is still growing and its development phase has not yet been completed is particularly rewarding. We have the opportunity to shape many things together for the first time and initiate positive change.

Christian Dristram
Chief of Staff

FULL INTERVIEW

THE CISPA SPIRIT

CISPA is a great place to be for all our researchers and staff. At our research center, everybody is on first-name terms and (almost) everybody likes to play table soccer after work. And, needless to say, we all enjoy a little chitchat in the hallway.

And because nothing connects people like food and fun, we often come together for a lunch break, an after-work drink, and leisure activities.

CISPA on Linkedin

CISPA on Instagram

CISPA on Facebook

Mingling with colleagues at one of our internal events

CISPA @ NeurIPS 2024 in Vancouver

CISPA's occasional pop-up canteen

CISPA's occasional pop-up canteen

We love to play foosball

Faculty Ben Stock @ CCS 2023 in Copenhagen

Alexander Dax @ USENIX 2023 in Anaheim

CISPA Summer Party featuring a traditional Saarland barbecue

Faculty Aurore Fass and Faculty Wouter Lueks @ CCS 2023 in Copenhagen

Sahar Abdelnabi @ CCS 2023 in Copenhagen

Taking the alpacas for a walk

Paper cakes are a must at CISPA

Sometimes your office might look like this

Faculty Katharina Krombholz and Lea Gröber

CISPA Faculty Trading Cards for exclusive hiring events

OUR VALUES

This Code of Conduct serves as a framework for all the internal guidelines and the conduct of all the employees and supervisors of CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security (CISPA). This means that the Code of Conduct is an overarching set of rules which is part of the compliance management system. Our actions are based on respect, fairness, esteem, loyalty, security and frankness. CISPA's Code of Conduct set out below makes these principles clear.

More Info about OUR Code of Conduct (PDF)

At CISPA there's currently one common works council for all locations. It represents the interests of the employees and is elected for four years.

More Info

The Ombuds Office is a confidential and independent resource for all CISPA members. We want to deal constructively with concerns and conflicts related to your experience and work at the CISPA.

More INFO

The Anti-Discrimination Agency has been set up to protect against discrimination in accordance with the General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz – AGG).

MORE INFO

CISPA strives to be an inclusive, fair and supportive workplace for all its employees. This is one of the reasons why our center has signed the Diversity Charta/Charta der Vielfalt. The first port of call for any questions concerning gender equality and equal opportunities at CISPA is our Equal Opportunities Office. It is also responsible for the implementation of CISPA’s Equality Plan.

More Info

WHAT WE OFFER

Meaningful Work &
Purpose

Whether in science, technology, or administration – your work contributes to groundbreaking research and real-world impact.

Attractive Salary &
Security

Benefit from public sector pay (TVöD-Bund), a secure work environment, pension schemes, and additional benefits.

Professional
Development

We support your growth. Take advantage of tailored training opportunities, language courses, and access to national and international networks.

International &
Inclusive Culture

Work in an open, diverse environment where English as the working language and which offers support for relocation and integration.

Flexibility &
Work-Life Balance

Enjoy flexible hours, mobile working, and generous vacation days – including time off on Christmas and New Year.

Family-Friendly
Environment

We promote a family-friendly corporate culture and help you balancing career and private life if you go on parental leave, re-enter the labor market or take care of relatives.

Appreciation &
Culture

We value respectful collaboration, open communication, and a strong sense of community. Your work matters – and grows in an environment shaped by trust and appreciation.

Health &
Wellbeing

Your health matters to us. We offer a range of programs to support physical and mental wellbeing – from ergonomic workspaces and health checks to workshops on health-related topics.

Modern Workspaces &
High-Quality Equipment

From ergonomic furniture to state-of-the-art technology, we create an inspiring environment where productivity and creativity thrive.

JOIN THE CISPA FAMILY

Faculty at CISPA

Senior researchers can apply for tenure track and tenured CISPA-Faculty positions in all areas related to cybersecurity, privacy, cryptography and trustworthy artificial intelligence.

© Tobias Ebelshäuser

PhD at CISPA

We offer full-time positions to PhD students. Working with our research-group leaders and Faculty, they will acquire new techniques and methods and find support for their research projects.

Other CISPA Careers

Needless to say, CISPA also offers exciting career opportunities in the non-scientific sector, for example in administration and Science Support. You can also start your career as a research assistant or doing an internship!

CISPA AS EmployER