Data Protection Notice for Job Applications to RWTH Aachen University

This data protection notice applies to the RWTH Aachen University Jobs Portal (https://jobs.rwth-aachen.de and https://intern.jobs.rwth-aachen.de) nd is issued in accordance with the GDPR.
Last updated: January 22, 2026

1. Controller Responsible for the Processing of Your Personal Data

The controller within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable national data protection laws of the EU Member States, as well as other data protection provisions, is:

Rector of RWTH Aachen University
Templergraben 55
52062 Aachen (physical address)
52056 Aachen (mail address)
Phone: +49 241 80-1
Email: rektorat@rwth-aachen.de
Website: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/rectorate

2. Contact Details of the Data Protection Officer

Data Protection Staff Unit at RWTH Aachen University
Templergraben 83
52062 Aachen (physical address)
52056 Aachen (mail addresss)
Phone: +49 241 80-94114
Email: dsb@rwth-aachen.de
Website: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/dataprotection

3. Legal Basis for Processing of Personal Data

This data protection notice fulfills RWTH Aachen University’s information obligations under Articles 13 and 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding the processing of personal data in the RWTH Jobs Portal. The terms used in these notices, such as „personal data“, „processing“, „controller“, „third party“ etc. correspond to the definitions set out in Article 4 GDPR. The processing of personal data is based on Article 6 GDPR and is lawful where at least one of the following legal bases applies:

  • Consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR for the creation of a user account on the RWTH Jobs Portal and for the optional use of the job alert service and the contact form.
  • Pre-contractual measures pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) GDPR for the creation of a user account on the RWTH Jobs Portal and the submission of applications. Where an employment contract is concluded, or where information relating to a severe disability is provided, the processing is additionally based on Article 9(2)(b) GDPR.

4. Categories of Personal Data Processed in the RWTH Jobs Portal

For job postings processed through RWTH’s online application management system, the following personal data will be collected in addition to your application documents:

  • Personal details: form of address, academic title (if applicable), first and last name, date of birth, nationality
  • Contact details: email address, country, street and house number, city, postal code, additional address information (if applicable)
  • Further information: preferred language of communication, information on how you became aware of us, language skills

You may also voluntarily provide the following information:

  • Special categories of personal data: information relating to a disability or severe disability, including equivalent status
  • School education: highest school-leaving qualification, expected date of graduation
  • Vocational training: training provider/company, (expected) completion date, (intended) qualification, final grade
  • Higher education: (intended university) degree, (expected) graduation date, field of study, final grade, information on employment as a student assistant (if applicable)
  • Further professional qualifications: training provider, qualification obtained
  • Professional experience: employer, period of employment, position / description of duties, information on current or previous employment at RWTH Aachen University (if applicable)
  • Additional information: job-related skills and qualifications
  • Application documents (e.g., cover letter, résumé, certificates)

Providing information about a severe disability or equivalent status in the “Personal details” section of the application form is voluntary. If you do not have a severe disability, no equivalent status applies, you do not wish this information to be taken into account during the application process, or you prefer not to disclose it, please select “No information&rdquo.;

If you selected “Prefer not to disclose” in the online application form but your application documents indicate that a severe disability or equivalent status exists (for example, through supporting documentation or information included in your résumé or cover letter), we will assume this was an unintentional error. In such cases, the corresponding status will be added retrospectively in the RWTH Jobs Portal. You will be informed separately of this update.

You may object at any time to the recording of your severe disability status and to the associated involvement of the Representative Council for Employees with Disabilities in the application process by expressly notifying us of your objection. In this case, your application will be processed without taking into account the statutory procedural and/or support obligations, in particular hose arising from Sections 163 et seq. of the German Social Code (Book IX – SGB IX).

5. Data Retention, Use, and Deletion

The personal data and files you submit will be used exclusively for the purpose of processing your application. If you are hired, this data will subsequently be further processed for employment-related purposes.

Your personal data will be stored for as long as necessary to decide on your application or as required by law. If no employment relationship is established between you and the University, your application documents will be deleted six months after you are notified of the rejection decision, unless longer retention is required due to ongoing or potential legal proceedings. In such cases, certain data may be retained beyond this period if this is necessary to defend against potential legal claims.

Regardless of how you apply (online via the RWTH Jobs Portal, by postal mail, or by email), you may withdraw your application at any time.

  1. Online applications
    All application documents submitted, as well as information relating to your education and professional experience, will be deleted immediately. Your personal data (first and last name, date of birth, email address) and the status of your application, including the history of any withdrawal requests, will remain stored in the RWTH Jobs Portal until the end of the application process.
  2. Paper-based or email applications
    All application documents submitted will be destroyed or, where appropriate, returned to the applicant. Your personal data (first and last name, email address or postal address) and the recorded withdrawal request will be retained until the end of the application process.

In all cases, personal data will be stored for six months after completion of the application process in order to comply with legal obligations, including documentation requirements under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), and will then be deleted. When applying online, you may request the anonymization of your personal data at any time by sending an email to jobportal@rwth-aachen.de. In that case, your personal data and files will be deleted from the RWTH Jobs Portal. The email requesting anonymization will be deleted six months after completion of the application process.

RWTH Aachen University reserves the right to retain a limited set of data beyond the standard retention periods for statistical purposes. This includes, in particular: information on employment at RWTH Aachen University, title, disability status, place of residence, year of birth, application status, school-leaving qualification, academic degree, professional qualification, academic title, response to the question “How did you hear about us?” This data is anonymized and does not permit any conclusions to be drawn about your identity or your individual application.

6. Recipients of the Data

During the application process, the following parties may have access to the data and documents you have submitted:

  • the University unit responsible for filling the position
  • the Human Resources Division responsible for the job posting
  • the RWTH Jobs Portal support team
  • the Representative Council for Staff with Disabilities
  • the Equal Opportunities Officer
  • the Staff Council responsible for the job posting

Your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties in the context of the application process. The following exceptions apply:

  • Disclosure may be necessary to defend against legal claims asserted against the University arising from the application process.
  • The University has entered into a data processing agreement with milch & zucker GmbH. Within the scope of this support agreement, milch & zucker GmbH may access personal data where this is necessary to identify and remedy technical errors.

7. RWTH Jobs Portal Account

To use the RWTH Jobs Portal, you must have an RWTH Jobs Portal user account. You may create an account by registering directly on the Jobs Portal or, if you are an RWTH employee, by using your RWTH single sign-on account (see Section 9)

Applications submitted through the online application process in the RWTH Jobs Portal are automatically linked to the creation of a Jobs Portal user account, unless such an account already exists. All communication and appointment coordination relating to online applications takes place exclusively via the RWTH Jobs Portal.

If you have created a Jobs Portal user account, you may renew it on a regular basis. You will also be prompted to renew your account at regular intervals (every six months). User accounts that are not renewed will first be deactivated and will then be automatically deleted after a further six months.

If you do not wish to create an RWTH Jobs Portal user account, you may submit your application by postal mail as a paper application, including for job postings that are otherwise processed via the online application system.

RWTH Jobs Portal user accounts for which registration has not been completed or confirmed will be deleted after 21 days. Online applications submitted without confirmed registration will not be considered. You may also delete your Jobs Portal user account yourself at any time via the Jobs Portal. Deletion takes effect immediately. All active applications associated with your account will be automatically withdrawn.

8. Registering With and Logging in to the RWTH Jobs Portal Using Your LinkedIn Profile

This feature allows you to use your existing LinkedIn account to register on the RWTH Jobs Portal and create a personal Jobs Portal user account. For this purpose, a verification check is performed to confirm that you have a valid LinkedIn account, which you can then use to log in to the Jobs Portal. With your consent, your first name, last name, and email address will be transferred from LinkedIn to the RWTH Jobs Portal for the purpose of creating your Jobs Portal user account. Your LinkedIn profile picture will not be transferred. No RWTH Jobs Portal user account will be created without your consent to the transfer of this data.

9. Registering With and Logging in to the RWTH Jobs Portal Using Your RWTH Single Sign-On Account

This feature allows RWTH employees to use their existing RWTH single sign-on account to log in to the RWTH Jobs Portal and to create a personal RWTH Jobs Portal user account. For this purpose, the data provided by Identity Management will be displayed to you for review and approval. No RWTH Jobs Portal user account will be created without your approval. Only administrators of the Jobs Portal can see whether your RWTH Jobs Portal user account is linked to your RWTH single sign-on account. Applications for internal job postings can only be accessed via the RWTH single sign-on account.

10. Job Alert Service

The RWTH Jobs Portal offers you the option of subscribing to a job alert service to receive notifications about new job vacancies at RWTH Aachen University. As part of the email-based job alert service, your email address will be stored for as long as the subscription remains active, based on your consent. You may cancel the job alert subscription at any time, thereby withdrawing your consent to the storage of your email address. In this case, your email address will be deleted immediately. For this purpose, each email sent via the job alert service contains a corresponding unsubscribe link. Job alert subscriptions for internal RWTH job postings are available exclusively via the RWTH single sign-on account.

11. Contact Form

The RWTH Jobs Portal has a contact form that can be used to get in touch electronically. If you use this option, the data you enter in the input mask will be sent to the RWTH Jobs Portal team by email. This data includes:

  • Title (optional)
  • First name
  • Last name
  • Email address
  • Telephone number (optional)

In this context, the data will not be passed on to third parties. The data will be used exclusively for processing the conversation.

12. Provision of the Website and Creation of Log Files

  1. Subject Matter and Purpose of the Processing of Personal Data
    Each time you visit this website, it is technically necessary for information to be exchanged between your device (e.g., a computer, tablet, or mobile phone) and the servers that make the website available. This exchange enables communication between your device and the website. Each time the website is accessed, data relating to this process is also temporarily processed and stored in log files. In particular, the following data is collected:
    • date and time of access
    • IP address of the user
    • information about the browser type and version used

    The log data is processed to ensure the proper operation of the website, in particular to detect, limit, and eliminate technical malfunctions or errors.
    In addition, the log data is processed for technical security purposes, in particular to protect against and defend against cyberattacks. Processing for these purposes is carried out on the basis of Articles 6(1)(e) and 32(1) GDPR in conjunction with Section 58(1) of the North Rhine-Westphalia Data Protection Act (DSG NRW).
  2. Legal Basis for the Processing of Personal Data
    The temporary storage of data required for technical communication and the creation of log files is based on Articles 6(1)(e) and 6(3) GDPR in conjunction with Section 3(1) DSG NRW and Section 3 of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (HG NRW).
  3. Data Deletion and Storage Period
    The data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for the purposes for which it was collected. As a rule, this occurs no later than within 3 months. Storage beyond this period may be necessary in individual cases. In such cases, users’ IP addresses will be deleted or anonymized so that they can no longer be attributed to the accessing device.

13. Use of Cookies

  1. Subject Matter and Purpose of the Processing of Personal Data
    The Jobs Portal uses a technically necessary session cookie.
    Cookies are small pieces of information that are stored and managed by the web browser, typically in a database. When a user visits a website, a cookie may be stored on the user’s device. This cookie contains a characteristic string of characters that enables the browser to be recognized when the Jobs Portal is accessed again.
    The use of the technically necessary session cookie serves to ensure the functionality of the Jobs Portal. No personal data is stored in this process.
  2. Legal Basis for the Processing of Personal Data
    The legal basis for the processing of personal data through the use of technically necessary cookies is Articles 6(1)(e) and 6(3) GDPR in conjunction with Section 3(1) DSG NRW and Section 3 of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (HG NRW).
  3. Data Deletion and Storage Period
    The session cookie does not have a fixed expiration date and is stored only for the duration of the current browser session, which usually ends when the browser or all browser windows are closed. In private or incognito browsing mode, the cookie is deleted at the latest when the private window is closed. The session cookie may also be deleted manually at any time via the browser settings.

14. Your Rights as a Data Subject

As a data subject, you may exercise the rights granted to you under the GDPR. These include, in particular:

  • Right of access (Article 15 GDPR): You have the right to obtain information about whether and which of your personal data is being processed.
  • Right to rectification (Article 16 GDPR): You have the right to request the correction or completion of inaccurate or incomplete personal data relating to you.
  • Right to erasure (Article 17 GDPR): You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data.
  • Right to restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR): You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted.
  • Right to object (Article 21 GDPR): You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data.
  • Right to withdraw consent (Article 7(3) GDPR): You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out on the basis of your consent prior to withdrawal.

In addition, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in accordance with Article 77 GDPR:

Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen
Kavalleriestraße 2-4
40213 Düsseldorf
Telephone: +49 211 38424-0
Email: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de

Complaints may be addressed to the competent data protection supervisory authority in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia if the information provider has failed to comply, or has not fully complied, with its obligations.