Research Associate in in election and political attitude research (Doctoral Candidate) (DRS-46)

GESIS - Leibniz Institut für Sozialwissenschaften; Deutschland; Vor Ort; EUR 40.000 - 55.000; Teilzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading research institute in social sciences is seeking a motivated Research Associate in electoral and political attitude research. This part-time Doctoral Candidate position offers the opportunity to contribute to a significant national election study while pursuing a doctoral degree in Mannheim, Germany. The ideal candidate will possess a master's degree in a relevant field and a strong foundation in quantitative methods and statistical analysis.

Leistungen

Flexible working hours

Subsidies for childcare

Holistic company health management

Further training measures

Qualifikationen

• Very good master's degree in a relevant social science discipline.
• Solid knowledge of quantitative methods for empirical social research.
• Strong interest in electoral research and survey methodology.
• Native-level proficiency in German and very good English skills.

Aufgaben

• Contribute to design and implementation of GLES studies.
• Conduct original research using GLES data.
• Present research results at conferences and publish in journals.
• Pursue a doctoral dissertation in electoral research.

Kenntnisse

Quantitative methods

Statistical data analysis

Communication skills

Teamwork skills

Ausbildung

Master's degree in social science

Tools

R

Stata

Markdown

LaTeX

Jobbeschreibung

Organisation/Company GESIS - Leibniz Institut für Sozialwissenschaften Department Data and Research on Society Research Field Sociology » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 28 Sep 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Part-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

GESIS – Leibniz-Institute for the Social Sciences is an internationally active research institute, funded by federal and state governments and a member of the Leibniz Association.

Starting at the earliest opportunity, the National Election Studies team in our Data and Research on Society department in Mannheim is looking for an
Research Associate in election and political attitude research (Doctoral Candidate)
(Salary group 13 TV-L, working time 75 %, limited to 4 years)

Monitoring current social developments is a primary objective of the social sciences. The department Data and Research on Society supports the social sciences in this task, by providing comprehensive data and tools to describe and analyse social changes.

The team National Election Studies conducts the German Longitudinal Election Study (GLES) – the central national election study in Germany. The GLES is embedded in national and international research networks and collaborates with scholars both in Germany and abroad. As part of a collegial, interdisciplinary team, you will contribute to the substantive and methodological advancement, as well as the implementation, of a socially relevant survey program. To strengthen our team, we are seeking a motivated individual aiming to pursue a doctoral degree in the field of electoral research or in the study of political attitudes and behavior.

Your tasks will be:

• Contributing to the design, implementation, data processing, and documentation of the GLES studies, in particular the longitudinal GLES Panel Study
• Participating in the substantive and methodological advancement of the GLES studies within the framework of the emerging joint data collection platform at GESIS
• Conducting original research using GLES data, presenting results at international conferences, and publishing in scholarly journals
• Pursuing a doctoral dissertation on a substantive or methodological topic in the field of electoral research or the study of political attitudes and behavior

Your profile:

• Very good master's degree in a social science discipline (e.g., Political Science, Sociology, Survey Methodology, Psychology, Communication Studies)
• Solid knowledge of quantitative methods in empirical social research and statistical data analysis (e.g., in R or Stata), along with the ability to present and visualize analytical results clearly and effectively in an academic context; familiarity with text- and code-based formats such as Quarto, Markdown, or LaTeX is an advantage
• Strong interest in electoral research and survey methodology, ideally with initial experience in conducting surveys (e.g., as part of research projects, coursework, or student employment)
• Native-level proficiency in German (C2) for confident written and oral communication, as well as very good English skills for confident use in academic contexts (minimum B2)
• A structured and self-reliant work style combined with strong teamwork skills and proactive, respectful communication in both internal and external interactions
• Opportunity to gain practical experience in data collection and research data management within a renowned national survey program
• Support of research activities by facilitating participation in international conferences and workshops, promoting the implementation of open science principles (e.g., support for open access publications), and providing assistance with applications for and administration of third-party funded projects.
• Flexible working hours and regulations for mobile working
• Very good conditions for reconciling work and family life, e.g. subsidies for childcare for children who have not yet attained the age of compulsory schooling
• Holistic company health management and discounted participation in the university's sports program
• Generous support for your pension provision as a direct insurance policy
• Promotion of your skills through further training measures; participation in the structured interdisciplinary graduate program of GESIS (GESIS Doctoral Program)

Please apply via our online application portal by September 28, 2025.
The reference number of this vacancy is: DRS-46