Since mid-2018, she has been living in retirement in her adopted home of Lübeck and is a volunteer for refugees and on the state board of Pro Familia Schleswig Holstein.
From 1985 to 1989, she worked as a research assistant on a project commissioned by the Leitstelle zur Gleichstellung der Frau in Hamburg.
From 1989 to 1996, together with her colleague Sabine Haenitsch, Birk headed the first women's office in the Hanseatic city of Lübeck.
On 31 May 2006, she returned to the state parliament as a successor to the former minister in the Simonis cabinet and retired MP Annemarie Lütkes until 2009.
On 29 October 2009, Birk was elected Mayor and Head of Department for Social Affairs, Youth, Education and Sport of the City of Trier for a term of eight years.