What's the "Dr." for?

I always oriented myself on American conventions.
One that's pretty clear: To apply for an academic job, you need the Ph.D.
For that matter, the Austrian doctoral degree and the American PhD is considered equivalent.

At least that's something?
Well, only sort of.

First of all, the Dr./PhD isn't all you need.
For example, you're also expected to have experience teaching at university level.

Doesn't sound too difficult, except that the best you can, initially, get in Austria is being a teaching assistant. Undergraduate teaching is absolutely not a part of Austria's doctoral degree programs (as I said, they are research-based, not taught). They are of American programs, however; so in the US it's expected that you would have some experience…

On the other hand, there are many lecturers who (only) carry the "Magister" degree, but these jobs are few and far between. Some departments at least announce openings (but usually, only on the respective institute's websites), many don't even do that but simply choose among the people personally known...

So, you mainly go into a doctoral program if you want to get that degree. You are unlikely to actually get into academia with it… more on that later.

B.A./B.Sc., M.A./M.Sc., PhD? You wish…

The Anglo-American three-tiered system (bachelor, master, PhD) has been chosen as guiding line (and the switch is labeled as the Bologna process).
It is not the worst idea.
After all, the equivalence among degrees was not easily determined: In Austria, there was only the "Magister" and the "Doktor".
Thus, the first degree was at a higher level than the B.A./B.Sc., but not necessarily recognized as the same as a M.A./M.Sc. (it is only the first degree, after all).
The doctoral degree, on the other hand, is not quite as advanced as the PhD (or, quite simply, different as it is a research degree, not a taught degree). It, however, is usually recognized as equivalent - after all, you can't simply get any higher degree than that, you are entitled to carry the academic title "Dr." (just like with the PhD)…

In trying to switch to the three-tiered system, first of all came the introduction of "Master" degrees. But Austria mainly used them - while saying that the "Magister" should be equivalent to the M.A./M.Sc. - for academic courses (that you would, in the USA, only get a certificate for). And, during that time, different "Master" degrees (e.g. a Master of Advanced Studies, but no M.A. or M.Sc.) were introduced. This system, at least, is now being discontinued.

With the Bologna process, however, we still do not simply take over the bachelor, master, PhD system, but a similar system with the labels bakkalaureus, magister/master, doctor.
Not too problematic so far.
Yet, some people who earned their Dr. here decided to translate it into PhD on their CVs. Some Austrian universities have started offering (very few) "Ph.D." courses in addition to doctoral programs - in effect adding to the confusion.

Interestingly, our pedagogical institutes (institutions of higher learning for teacher training, but only for primary schools and the "Hauptschule" - teacher training for the "Gymnasium", which is like a high school preparing for university, is taking place at university) are now in the transition to becoming pedagogical universities. Not only does the designation change, but the degree they now confer is the B.Ed. (yes, they did choose to use the American label).
Teacher training at universities, for the "Gymnasium", so far still confers the "Magister" as first degree.

Academic Absurdistan: Intro

I have been studying at University of Vienna, Austria, for years now.
Naturally, a love-hate-relationship develops; somebody like me who is active in different departments and interested in most goings-on just sees too many things happening.
Now, both going on studying after gaining the Ph.D., and seeing what the post-doc life is like, I've been gaining even more insights. Some of those, I feel a need to share ;-)