Junior professors and assistant professors are fully integrated into the institutional procedures of the university. They are directly responsible for their own chair and for teaching assignments, they supervise final and doctoral theses, conduct exams and are represented in the committees of the university.

For appointment to a W1 junior professorship, the following requirements must be met in accordance with § 64 SächsHSG:

• Completed university degree
• Pedagogical aptitude
• Special aptitude for scientific work, which is usually demonstrated by the quality of a doctorate.

For junior professorships with medical or dental duties, recognition as a specialist or, if this is not provided for in the respective field, at least five years of medical practice after obtaining a license to practice or permission to practice must also be demonstrated. If the junior professorship to be filled involves educational or subject-specific teaching tasks in teacher training, three years of professional experience at a school must be demonstrated.

In addition, the combined duration of doctoral studies and employment as a research assistant or scientific assistant should not exceed six years, or nine years in the field of medicine.

As a general rule, junior professorships are published internationally as temporary positions. Typically, appointment is for three years, which will be extended to six years in total, after a positive evaluation. In some cases, there is the option for continuation of the junior professorship, so that after a further positive evaluation (without renewed appointment) the appointment is immediately converted into a W2 or W3 lifetime chair (tenure track).

Junior professors are typically given the status of civil servant and receive a salary of grade W1. No benefits will be paid, but the salary increases after positive interim evaluation. The facilities of junior professorships are still not satisfactory; often, the human and material resources are acquired through third-party funds.