Negotiating Salary for Contract Renewal as Researcher (PhD in Biochemistry/Biotechnology)

Hello everyone,

I’m a 32-year-old researcher who, for my first job after graduating, moved cities two years ago to join a research institute (public benefit foundation). Although my PhD is in biochemistry & biotechnology, I’ve been working on an immunology project. Despite a very steep learning curve, I’ve consistently impressed my employer.

When I started, I accepted a 2-year contract that expires end of this year with:

• ~€5,000 gross
• €7 meal vouchers/day
• Minimal annual leave
• No company car

Now I’ve become integral to a project running until end-2026. Feedback has been excellent, and they asked to extend my initial contract indefinitely. They even offered to keep me on after, but I plan to leave once this project wraps up and informed them of this decision.

They already sent me a constract extension to sign where they offer 5300 gross. Considering the fact that I have now proven my worth, I think that this is a lowball.

My questions:

1. What salary bump is reasonable given my expertise, role and market rates?
2. How can I frame my case to negotiate constructively and convincingly?
3. Which additional perks or conditions should I consider asking for? I do not need a company car.

Thanks in advance for your insights! And feel free to ask any info that might help you help me.