Clarity for your master’s thesis, academic career or PhD
Academic Career Coaching for Students, PhD Candidates & Researchers
Whether you want to complete your thesis, successfully navigate your PhD or take ownership of your academic career, as a certificated coach I support you with experience, structure and a thoughtful, open ear.
Are you currently facing challenges in your academic career?
Whether you’re working on your thesis, pursuing a PhD or planning your next steps in academia, many students, PhD candidates, and postdocs find themselves in similar situations.
Difficulties with academic writing
Uncertainty about structure and planning
Lack of clarity about your next career steps
High expectations and time pressure
For STUDENTS, PhD Candidates and Postdocs
Academic Career Coaching for Your Academic Career
Are you pursuing a PhD or working as a postdoc and wondering what comes next? I support you in finding your own path in academia, beyond expectations and without the pressure to follow a predefined trajectory. With clarity, strategy, and academic career coaching grounded in mutual respect.
Develop and implement a publication strategy
Sharpen your research profile with intention
Make confident decisions during the postdoc phase
Reflect realistically on different academic career paths
Are you stuck on your dissertation or your next career step and unsure where to begin? The Academic Freedom Lab supports you with individual coaching, protected working time, and a small community of academics, from your dissertation to what comes next.
What Students, PhD Candidates and Postdocs Say About Working Together
Coming to Austria with an academic background from another country and trying to break into the local university system felt impossible.The reframing work was uncomfortable but effective. I have now sent my first professorship application and have my base covered through teaching assignments. That would not have happened without these sessions.
Jen
Central European University
After a long career in business I decided I wanted to go into academia. I had looked into the options but didn’t know how to make it coherent. Two sessions helped me move from a confused wish to something that felt like a plan with a spine. The goal work was the key; I came in with a vague sentence and left with something I could actually explain to other people.
Raphael
University of Bern
“After my PhD, I still didn’t know what truly matters for an academic career or that there isn’t just one path. Thank you for the thoughtful and supportive conversations. I now feel I’m on the right path.“
Jen
Technical University of Munich
“Best decision I made. In the first two hours of thesis coaching with Dominik, I learned more about academic writing than during my entire degree. Highly recommended.“
David
Johannes Kepler University Linz
I’m older, I have some health constraints, and I still want to build something meaningful in academia. Dominik helped me get clear on what I actually value about this goal and from that we figured out how I could obtain a PhD that would actually make sense. Still in the process, butI feel oriented now and a lot of opportunities emerged already.
Ron
xxx
From Teaching to Coaching
Hi, I am Dominik!
Professor, certified coach, and someone who truly knows the academic world from the inside. I have led international projects, conducted research in seven countries, and learned one key lesson: Brilliant people don’t fail because of lack of ability, but because of missing clarity and support. That’s exactly where I step in with coaching that fits your life, not the other way around.
Develop a sustainable writing practice, get into writing flow consistently, and overcome unproductive writing habits.
Mastering your quantitative research thesis
Conceptualize quantitative research projects, develop a research question, plan data collection, and conduct data analysis using JASP, an open-source statistical software package.
Starting with Social Network Analysis
Design your own social network studies, collect and analyze network data independently, and deepen your understanding of social network research.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to double your salary overnight? Sounds amazing, right? For many academics, that dream becomes a reality when they transition to industry roles. But what happens…
Academic productivity isn’t about how much you get done—it’s about doing what matters. Here’s how to escape the busywork trap and realign your work with your values.
Discover the crucial difference between writing-to-think and writing-to-publish — and how separating them can transform your academic writing workflow.
When researchers ask me how to design their ideal day for academic writing, they often expect a recipe: Find your peak performance time. Block two or three hours of uninterrupted writing. Turn off email,…
Reading is a silent competitive advantage in academia. Learn a simple, realistic reading system that boosts your academic productivity without adding more pressure.
Building an academic career means building a real network—not just on LinkedIn. This includes collaborators, mentors, reviewers, and those who assess your worth. This article covers how to choose partners wisely, protect trust, and…
Many researchers struggle when trying to turn their PhD insights into practical tools. Success requires letting go of purely academic methods, adopting an academic entrepreneurship mindset, and designing projects that are sustainable and impactful…
