The Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), invites candidates for a postdoctoral position in Political Behavior from August 1, 2021.

The position is for 3 years with the possibility of negotiating an extension for a 4th year.

Introduction

The Department offers a dynamic environment around the field of Political Behavior, which seeks to produce high-caliber research on pertinent societal questions. In addition, members of this environment also teach the popular MSc level core course in Political Behavior.

For more on the Department and its pluralistic academic environment, please consult our webpage: https://politicalscience.ku.dk/about/

Job Description

The postdoc will be employed as part of the project “E Pluribus Plures: Is identity politics a new fault line in contemporary societies?” led by Professor Peter Thisted Dinesen and funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark. The project seeks to understand the contemporary phenomenon of “identity politics” and its potential consequences for social cohesion understood as a variety of social ties with in- and out-groups as well as broader social and institutional attachments. The project aims to collect a variety of data (including survey data, administrative data, and social media data) and apply corresponding observational and experimental research designs (e.g., panel data, survey experiments, field experiments).

The position covers a variety of tasks related to the research process, including:

• Developing research designs
• Collecting various forms of data
• Analyzing data
• Writing papers

The postdoc will work closely together with Dinesen and other project members on each aspect of the research process.

In addition to conducting research, the position also entails teaching responsibilities. These include:

• Teaching courses on political behavior in the MSc programme in Political Science
• Receiving pedagogical training in order to complete a Certificate of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Your Competencies and Opportunities

The candidate must hold (or be close to completing) a PhD degree in Political Science, Sociology, or related fields relevant for the project. Other key qualifications include:

• A good grasp of relevant academic literature (e.g. on the role of identities in politics or the causes and consequences of trust, inter-group sentiments and other indicators of social cohesion).
• Strong academic writing skills.
• Experience with developing and applying different research designs, for example with designing experiments and/or survey questions.
• Strong skills in quantitative analysis, for example in the analysis of experimental data and/or cross-sectional or longitudinal observational survey data.
• Extensive experience with coding and data management in common statistical programming languages (e.g. R or Stata).
• The ability to work independently as well as collaborate with other members of the research team.

The position offers a range of attractive opportunities for the candidate, including:

• Being part of a vibrant and ambitious team that aims to produce high quality research.

• The opportunity to develop an independent research agenda within the overall project.
• Being part of a strong environment within Political Behavior within the Department and more broadly in the Nordic region.
• The opportunity to develop teaching competences when teaching courses on Political Behavior.
• Funding for conferences, additional training etc.

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences

The Department of Political Science is part of the Faculty of the Social Sciences. The Faculty is a successful academic community that strives to put knowledge into action by:

• Engaging partners in the co-creation of knowledge, learning and social change.
• Empowering our students to become reflective and responsible citizens who have the vision, the knowledge and the competences to change society for the better.
• Energizing global, European and Danish communities of knowledge by research findings with impact.

For more on the Faculty strategy, see: https://socialsciences.ku.dk/faculty/strategy
You can read the Department’s strategy here https://politicalscience.ku.dk/about/strategy-plan/

Terms of Employment

• Further information on qualification requirements as postdoc can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities 2019 here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/dokumenter/Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf
• Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• Salary and conditions of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The annual salary for postdoctoral researchers is within the range DKK 412.300 – 434.100 (about EUR 55,000 – 58,000). In addition to the salary paid directly to you, the University will also pay a monthly contribution to your pension fund corresponding to 17.1 % of your salary. Negotiation for additional supplements will be possible. A special tax scheme is offered for researchers recruited abroad, see https://ism.ku.dk/onarrival/taxes/

The recruitment process

Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here:  https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace

The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

International applicant?

The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: https://ism.ku.dk/

Contact information

Information about the recruitment process is available from HR Salma Schou, e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk, please refer to ID number: 211-0689/21-2I

Additional information about the position can be obtained from professor, Peter Thisted Dinesen, e-mail: ptd@ifs.ku.dk, phone 35323375

How to apply

Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word.

Your application must be written in English and include the following documents:

• Cover letter motivating your application
• Curriculum vitae including a publication list
• Up to three publications or working papers   
• Diploma (PhD, Master and Bachelor)
• Other relevant material

The closing date for applications is April 5, 2021 at 23:59 [CET].

Applications or enclosures received thereafter will not be considered.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.