Application Process

How to Apply to the Robert Bosch Stiftung

A successful application starts with knowing what to expect. Here, we guide you through each stage of our application process, offering helpful tips and answers to the questions candidates ask most often.

Phase 1:
Online Application

Applications to the Robert Bosch Stiftung can only be submitted through our online application portal. There are good reasons for this: it is the fastest and most convenient option for you, and it allows us to process your application efficiently. It also ensures that your personal data is transmitted through a secure channel in line with our data protection requirements. At the same time, the portal helps us keep track of all applications and ensures that none are overlooked.

You will usually find the application deadline in the respective job posting. These deadlines help us manage the recruitment process efficiently and fairly. We therefore ask for your understanding that applications submitted after the deadline cannot be considered. Please make sure to submit your application in good time.

Once you have completed your application, it will be sent directly to us via the online application portal.

Take the time to prepare your application carefully and learn more about our foundation beforehand.
Tailor your application documents to the specific position you are applying for and familiarize yourself with the role and its requirements.
Make sure your application is accurate, complete, and well structured. Most importantly, ensure that all documents are clear and easy to read.

Please write a concise and compelling cover letter addressing the following questions:

Why am I interested in the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the advertised position, and how is this reflected in my professional journey and personal story?
What are my expectations of this new role?
Why am I a good fit for the position? Feel free to highlight both professional qualifications and personal qualities.

Authenticity is more important to us than perfect wording. Please take the time to write the cover letter yourself rather than having it generated by AI.

Structure your CV in reverse chronological order, with your most recent experience listed first. A clear and well-organized overview of your professional qualifications, personal profile, and previous positions helps us gain an initial understanding of your background and experience.

Your CV should include the following information:

Personal details (e.g. name, address, contact information)
Professional experience and relevant practical or specialist skills
Education and professional training (e.g. vocational training, university degree)
School education and qualifications
Additional skills and qualifications (e.g. language skills, Microsoft Office proficiency, international experience)
Further information about your personal and professional development (e.g. voluntary or community engagement)
A photograph is not required.

To help us verify the information provided in your CV and gain a comprehensive understanding of your profile, please include the following documents with your application:

Your highest school leaving certificate
Your vocational training and/or university certificates, including transcripts of records
Certificates and references relating to your previous professional or practical experience

We also welcome additional evidence of your skills, achievements, and commitment. This may include publications, volunteer work, or certificates of continuing education, for example. Please note that these documents are optional.

Any file size limits will be displayed directly in the application portal.

A helpful shortcut: You can pre-fill the sections on your professional experience and education by uploading your CV. You will still have the opportunity to review, edit, and add information afterwards.

You will then need to upload your complete application documents: your cover letter, CV, and, depending on your educational background, your school leaving certificate, vocational training certificate(s), university degree certificate(s), and employment references.

Ideally, these documents should be combined into a single PDF file. However, you may also upload multiple documents separately.

FAQ to Phase 1

Please understand that we do not accept unsolicited applications. As we are not currently expanding our staffing levels, we cannot predict when a position in the area you are interested in may become available again. In some cases, this may take more than a year. Data protection requirements are another reason why we are unable to retain unsolicited applications.

You can find all current vacancies on our website and apply directly through our online application portal.

You can find the relevant contact person(s) in the respective job advertisement.

Once you have submitted your application through our online application portal, you will receive an acknowledgement email within a few minutes (please also check your spam or junk folder).

If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact us at karriere@bosch-stiftung.de.

The relevant contact persons can be found directly in each job advertisement. They may vary depending on the type of position (e.g. voluntary internship, project management role, or working student position).

If you are unsure whom to address in your cover letter, you may also address it to the Foundation in general.

If you are interested in more than one position, please submit a separate application for each role. This helps us process your application documents more quickly and efficiently.

As different team members from our specialist departments and HR are responsible for individual vacancies, applications must be kept separate within the online application portal for data protection reasons. This ensures that your application is only accessible to the colleagues involved in the respective recruitment process.

We kindly ask for your understanding that applications submitted after the deadline cannot be considered. For data protection reasons, we also ask that you do not send applications by email.

Please make sure that your application documents are submitted via our online application portal in time to meet the application deadline.

If the application deadline has not yet passed, try using a different browser or check your files (for file size limits, please refer to the application portal). If the issue persists, please contact our careers team at karriere@bosch-stiftung.de or call the contact person listed in the job posting.

If the application deadline has already passed, it is no longer possible to apply. In this case, the application link will no longer work. While this may initially appear to be a technical issue, it is actually due to the system automatically closing applications once the deadline has expired.

Please upload your CV on the first page of the application form. A dedicated field is provided there to help us process your application efficiently and keep your information organized.

You can then upload all additional documents, such as your cover letter, certificates, and any other supporting materials, on the second page of the application form.

You can either enter your cover letter directly in the “Message to Recruiter” field or upload it as a separate PDF document. If you already have your cover letter prepared as a PDF, you can upload it on the second page together with your references and other supporting documents.

The “Message to Recruiter” field is optional. You may use it to provide additional information that you would like to share with the recruitment team, but you are not required to fill it in.

Phase 2:
Pre-Selection

Your application documents are reviewed in two steps. First, our HR team reviews your application and assesses how well it matches the requirements of the position. The responsible department then receives a pre-selected shortlist and decides which candidates will be invited to an initial interview.

If any questions arise during the review process, for example regarding your availability or missing documents, we will contact you by email or phone.

The pre-selection process takes approximately two weeks.

We aim to review applications as promptly as possible. However, delays may occur, particularly when we receive a high volume of applications. In most cases, a decision is made within four to six weeks after the application deadline has passed.

Where appropriate, you may receive an interim update informing you about the current status of the recruitment process.

If you have not heard from us within the expected timeframe, this does not mean that your application has been overlooked. Recruitment timelines can vary depending on the position. While we understand that you may wish to enquire about the status of your application, we kindly ask that you refrain from contacting us by phone for updates.

As a rule, we will contact you as soon as there is an update regarding the status of your application. We kindly ask for your patience and request that you wait for our response by phone or email.

We understand that you may wish to enquire about the status of your application in the meantime. However, we kindly ask you to refrain from making telephone enquiries regarding the progress of your application.

Before a position is advertised, we work closely with the relevant department to define the requirements for the role, such as educational background, professional expertise, experience, and personal qualities. The specific requirements for each position can be found directly in the job posting.

During the selection process, every application is reviewed individually by our recruitment team and assessed against the role requirements. We do not use automated screening or electronic pre-selection tools.

We want to get to know the person behind the application. Be yourself and share your story with us. Authenticity is what we are looking for. Please understand that complete application documents are required for us to fairly assess your application.

Phase 3:
Interviews

We will contact candidates we would like to invite for an interview by phone or email to arrange a date for the first interview. This first interview will take place online.

Depending on the position, there may be a second interview, which will be conducted in person. Whether a second interview takes place depends not only on the position itself but also on whether you are shortlisted. It is therefore not automatically part of the process.

For working student and internship positions, there is usually only one online interview.

As the decision is a mutual one, we ask for your feedback after each interview on whether you remain interested in the position. We will also provide you with corresponding feedback afterwards.

The first-round interviews usually take place over a period of one to two weeks. If a second interview is required, please allow approximately another two weeks for this stage.

To arrange your interview, we will contact you directly to agree on a suitable time and location.

To help you prepare, we encourage you to reflect on the following questions:

Why would you like to work at the Robert Bosch Stiftung?
How do you envision your future, and what are your expectations?
Which personal qualities and strengths do you bring that are particularly relevant to this position?
Which of your professional qualifications would add value to the role?
What questions do you have about the foundation and the position?

We want to get to know you. Be yourself and share your story with us. Authenticity is what we value most.

Your interview invitation will include details of the planned duration of the interview and the members of our team who will be taking part.

We look forward to meeting you in person.

Please make sure in advance that all details regarding your travel arrangements, travel time, parking options, and means of transportation are clear to you.

Travel expenses incurred in connection with the interview will be reimbursed.

If your situation requires special arrangements, for example if you are travelling from abroad, please contact the HR representative who scheduled your interview before making any travel bookings. If you require any support in connection with your journey or the interview itself, please let us know in advance so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

Phase 4: Contract Offer and Preparation

If there is mutual interest and positive feedback following the interview, the final candidate selection is made and a contract offer will be extended, subject to approval by the Works Council. The offer will be explained to you in detail, including all information regarding your salary. The terms and conditions will then be sent to you by email.

If you accept the offer, the Works Council consultation process will begin, followed by the preparation of your contract. Your final employment contract will be sent to you by post.

Phase 5: Welcome to the Robert Bosch Stiftung!

Your employment contract specifies your official start date with the Foundation. We look forward to welcoming you as a member of our team on that day and beginning your onboarding journey.

We place great importance on providing new employees with the best possible start. That is why we consider our comprehensive onboarding programme an essential part of our organisational culture and a valuable benefit for you.