Data Privacy Statement for applicants

In the BioNTech job portal at jobs.biontech.com we offer you the opportunity to apply for a job offer online. In the case of an application, you provide BioNTech with your personal data directly via this job portal. 

Subsequent communication may take place via alternative channels (e.g. by e-mail or via professional recruitment agencies). You will be informed of this in advance and, if necessary, we will ask you for your consent. 

1. Legal basis and purpose of the processing of your personal data

The processing of your personal data is necessary to carry out the application procedure, to check your suitability for the posted position, to decide whether to issue an employment contract and to carry out administrative purposes, such as making appointments. 

As part of your application process, the processing of your personal data is based on the need to process your application (pre-contractual relationship).  

In the case of processing based on your consent, you will be informed of this at the appropriate point. 

Where necessary, we also process your personal data to fulfill a legal obligation to which BioNTech is subject. This may be the case, for example, if the vacant position you applied to is subject to legal requirements or conditions, so that your suitability must be checked, and corresponding proof provided. In addition, it may be necessary to process special categories of your personal data due to our legal obligations in the area of labor law or to assess your ability to work.

The processing of your personal data may also be necessary to protect a legitimate interest of BioNTech or a third party. We always check whether this interest outweighs your rights and freedoms. We justify BioNTech's legitimate interest at the appropriate point. 

In addition to processing your data as part of the application process, your data may be analyzed for statistical purposes. This evaluation is carried out exclusively in an anonymized manner and serves to evaluate and improve our recruitment and HR processes.

2. Categories of personal data 

As part of your application process, BioNTech processes the following data that you have provided to us via the job portal: 

First and last name, telephone number, e-mail address, country from which you are applying, country of residence, address data, date of birth, current and previous professional experience, job profile, professional qualifications, language skills and general application data such as data from your CV and the references you have provided. 

We need the underlined data for proper registration in our job portal, to contact you during the application process and to facilitate the recruitment process. Apart from the underlined data above, the provision of your data is optional for the submission of your application. Please note, however, that we may not be able to consider you in the selection process if the information required for the position is not provided.  

If it is necessary for the position for which you are applying, we may ask government agencies or authorities for certain personal data, e.g. proof of reliability.

If you are already employed by BioNTech and are looking for a job change internally, the personal data available in BioNTech's HR systems may also be processed as required in the context of your application.

3. Affected persons

Applicants and individuals who are interested in working at BioNTech. 

4. Forwarding of your application documents within the BioNTech Group

1. When registering in our job portal, you can choose whether your personal data should be processed exclusively for the purpose of the position for which you are applying and only be accessible to the BioNTech employees responsible for this or whether you agree that it should be visible to all recruiters of the BioNTech Group in order to be able to check your application options for suitable positions for you.
   You can also give your consent to this later in the job portal under "Other" in your candidate profile or revoke it at any time. You can revoke your consent by changing the viewing authorization to the persons specifically involved in your recruiting process.
   We would like to point out that it is possible that the BioNTech employees and our Recruiters who are responsible for a job posting may not only be based at BioNTech, but also at other BioNTech companies.
2. You can activate an "Alert" in our job portal or when registering in our job portal, and thus give your consent to be regularly informed about new job postings. This means that you will regularly receive an e-mail from us with job vacancies. You can revoke your consent in the job portal under "Other" in your candidate profile at any time by deactivating the corresponding field.  
3. When an employment contract is concluded with you, your personal data will be transferred from the job portal to BioNTech's HR management system and other necessary IT systems of the BioNTech Group to the extent necessary. 

5. Disclosure of your personal data to third parties

Your personal data will only be passed on or otherwise transferred to employees within the BioNTech Group who are involved in your application process as part of the application process. 

We also commission external service providers to process your application. Details on external service providers can be found below in section I.6. of this privacy statement. 

BioNTech may also disclose your personal data to local or foreign regulatory authorities or governments and law enforcement agencies if required to do so by law. These may be inside or outside the country in which you live.

Your personal data will also be transferred to third parties if this is required by law or necessary for the assertion or defense of legal claims, if third parties (e.g. lawyers or tax consultants) provide services for us or if a corresponding official order exists.

Beyond this, your personal data will not be transferred to third parties unless we have your consent to do so.

6. External service providers 

In some cases, we commission external service providers to process your personal data as part of your application process. We have concluded a contract with all external service providers for the processing of personal data (agreement on order processing in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR).

We use a SaaS solution from SAP SE for the BioNTech job portal and the online application process as well as the corresponding hosting, although SAP SE does not have permanent access to the hosting:

SAP SE
Hasso-Plattner-Ring 7
69190 Walldorf
Germany

In individual cases, we use external recruiters to support us in processing applications and selecting applicants. If you would like more detailed information, please send your request to BioNTech’s data protection officer using the above contact details.

7. Third country transfer

We might transfer your personal data to a country outside of your country and/or the European Union. Please be aware that the laws in other countries may not provide the same level of data protection as in your country or the European Union and may not stop data to be shared with others. To the extent that your personal data is accessed or transferred outside of your country and/or the European Union, your data will be accessed or transferred by using appropriate protections such as Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decision of the European Commission or your consent. If you require further information about the transfer of your personal data to third countries and the safeguards used, please contact BioNTech’s data protection officer using the above contact details.

8. Data storage and anonymization 

1. Your personal data in our job portal will be anonymized as soon as it is no longer required for the application process and there are no statutory retention periods that require a longer storage period. In detail, this means that your personal data in the context of your application will be anonymized 6 months (12 months in the UK) after completion of your application process and your candidate profile 6 months (12 months in the UK) after inactivity. 
   Please note that these periods only apply if your candidate profile remains inactive, i.e. if you log into the job portal within the retention period, the retention period for your candidate profile will start again.
   If you wish to anonymize your candidate profile, you can do so at any time in the BioNTech job portal under "Options" --> Settings" --> "Anonymize profile". Your candidate profile will then be anonymized, without any possibility to login again. 
   
2. Your personal data included in your application as well as your candidate profile will not be anonymized within the specified periods if a longer retention period is required due to legal regulations or legal disputes. 

Further information on your rights as a data subject and the contact details of our data protection officer for exercising your rights can be found at the beginning of this privacy policy.

9. Processing of your personal data when you visit the BioNTech job portal on the BioNTech website

If you visit our job portal at jobs.biontech.com, we process your personal data insofar as this is necessary to provide a functional an convenient website experience. 

You can view our job offers without providing us with any personal data, apart from the data required for the technical operation of the website. Registration and the associated creation of a candidate profile in the job portal is only necessary if you wish to apply for a position or set an "alert" for new job postings. 

We process the following technically necessary personal data when you visit our website: 

IP address, approximate location based on the IP address, the name of your browser, device data, the website visits, date and time of your website visit. 

This log data is stored for 7 days and then deleted or anonymized.

The aforementioned data is also processed to identify and track unauthorized access or attempts to the web server in order to ensure the security and stability of our system. In addition, they can be evaluated in anonymized form for statistical purposes.

The legal basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest in providing the job portal for advertising job vacancies.

10. Data security

After entering your personal data in the job portal, it is transferred directly to the server of our external service provider via an encrypted connection (see information under Section I. 6. of this privacy statement). BioNTech uses SSL/TLS encryption to prevent manipulation, sniffing or similar unauthorized data processing, especially during transmission. You can recognize the encrypted connection by the lock symbol next to the URL bar of your browser.

Both BioNTech and our external service providers use technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction or unauthorized access. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments. 

11. Cookies

On our job portal, we use cookies (small text files that are stored in your browser) and may also use similar technologies such as web storage or web beacons (hereinafter "cookies").

Technically necessary cookies are required for the website to function properly. They provide basic functions such as page navigation, access to protected areas of the website or language settings. We store these necessary cookies for up to twelve months.

We also use functional cookies if you have consented to them. We use YouTube cookies that help us to show you a video.

You can find our cookie directory here.

12. Access to your personal data in our job portal

You can access the personal data you have entered in the job portal and in your candidate profile at any time by logging into the job portal. Please note that any changes to your details in the candidate profile or in your application may affect your application.

You can withdraw your application at any time and anonymize your candidate profile yourself. However, please be aware that your application and the associated candidate profile will be deleted in full after expiry of the period applicable to you specified in Section I.7. Please note that an anonymized candidate profile can no longer be used for an active application.  

At the end of an application process, we carry out a background check to verify the information provided in the application process and to check the integrity of the applicants. Your recruiter will inform you about this in advance. 

The background check will be carried out to the extent that it is permissible under the applicable law of the country of the position for which you are applying and to the extent that it is necessary and proportionate for the vacant position. 

The background check is carried out by an external service provider on behalf of and in the name of BioNTech. BioNTech will therefore pass on your personal data to this external service provider. Details of this service provider can be found below:

For positions at the German, Austrian, Spanish, Swiss, British, Rwandan, Turkish, Chinese or Taiwanese BioNTech company, this is:

HireRight Limited ("HireRight Ltd.")
15 Westferry Circus
Canary Wharf
London, E14 4HD
UK

For the BioNTech company in Singapore this is: 

Background Screening (HireRight) Singapore Pte, Ltd ("HireRight Singapore")
7 Temasek Boulevard
Suntec Tower 1 #27-03
Singapore 038987

For the BioNTech company in Australia this is: 

HireRight AU Pty Ltd ("HireRight" Australia") 
Level 1, 37 Main Road
Boolaroo
NSW, 2284
Australia 

hereinafter collectively referred to as "HireRight".

We have concluded a contract with all HireRight companies for the processing of personal data (agreement on order processing in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR). 

HireRight will contact you by e-mail as soon as your recruiter has informed you and initiates the background check. You must register on the HireRight portal to carry out the background check. There you will receive a separate privacy policy regarding the background check by HireRight on behalf of BioNTech.

The legal basis for the processing of your personal data for the purpose of the background check is your consent. HireRight will request this in its portal. 

You are of course free to give your consent. However, we would like to point out that BioNTech will not be able to offer you a position if you do not agree to the background check. 

If you have any questions about the background check, please contact your recruiter or BioNTech’s data protection officer using the above contact details.

If BioNTech processes your personal data, you are a data subject and you have the following rights:

• Right to information:
  You have the right to request information about whether and which personal data about you is processed by BioNTech and to request a copy of the personal data processed.
  
• Right to rectification:
  You have the right to rectify personal data that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
  
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"):
  You have the right to request the erasure of your personal data in certain cases.
  
• Right to restrict processing:
  You have the right to request BioNTech to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain cases.
  
• Right to data portability
  You have the right to request that BioNTech transfer the personal data you have provided to us to another organization. In certain cases this does not apply.
  
• Right to object to processing:
  If we base the processing of your personal data on BioNTech's legitimate interest, you have the right to object to the processing on grounds relating to your situation.
  
• Right to withdraw consent:
  If you have given BioNTech consent to process your personal data, you can withdraw this consent at any time.
  The revocation has no influence on the legality of the processing carried out up to the revocation, but only has an effect for the future.
  The revocation can be made in text form (letter, e-mail or fax) to BioNTech:
  
  BioNTech SE 
  An der Goldgrube 12 
  55131 Mainz 
  E-Mail: careers@biontech.de  
  

BioNTech does not use any automated decision-making or profiling in the application process. 

If you would like to exercise the rights listed, please contact BioNTech’s data protection officer using the above contact details.

If you believe that the processing of your personal data violates the GDPR, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. For complaints within the European Union, you can consult the list of supervisory authorities of the European Data Protection Board to find the contact information of the relevant authority: https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en. You can lodge your complaint with the authority of the Member State in which you have your habitual residence, your place of work or the place where you believe an alleged incident has occurred.

The job portal is subject to updates from time to time, so it may be necessary to amend this privacy statement. BioNTech reserves the right to amend this privacy statement at any time. You will get notified about the amended privacy statement when logging into the job portal.