Sociologie-Jobs in United States

The Department of Demography and Health (AG8) at the School of Public Health has the following job opening: Research Position (Postdoc) ID: Wiss25107

• starting: 01.08.2025
• fulltime
• salary according to Remuneration level 13 TV-L
• fixed-term

The Demography and Health Group is seeking to appoint a full-time post-doctoral researcher to join the project "Linked Lives: Consequences of Long Commuting for the Health of All Family Members (COMFAM)" funded by the ERC Consolidator Grant. The project aims to understand whether long commuting – regularly recurring travel between home and work by a motorized private vehicle or public transportation – affects health and well-being of all family members. COMFAM's main objectives are:

1. to investigate the impact of long commutes on commuters' physical health
2. to investigate whether long commutes have adverse effects on non-commuting partners' health and well-being
3. to assess the effects of parental long commutes on children's health and social outcomes
4. to examine whether the health effects of long commutes differ across population subgroups, and whether these effects are short- or long-term

The successful applicant should contribute to one or more of the project themes. The project, led by Prof. Dr. Anna Oksuzyan, will bring together experts from demography, sociology, statistics, economics, and social epidemiology. Our group has an inspiring research-oriented environment and culture that enables everyone to develop their individual skills, competencies, and research network.

• research activities (95 %):
  • design and conduct quantitative research based mostly on longitudinal register-based data and health survey data
  • publish results in international peer-reviewed journals
  • collaborate on research tasks with multidisciplinary and international research teams
  • contribute to the further development of the group’s research
  • participate in national and international scientific conferences and workshops
  • communicate research findings to interested non-scientific parties, e.g., general public, journalists, and politicians
  • supervise young scholars
• contribute to other activities at the Department of Demography and Health and the School of Public Health, e.g., administrative work, participation in committees, and organization of a workshop (5 %)

Employment is conducive to scientific qualification.

• salary according to Remuneration level 13 TV-L
• fixed-term (2 years; with the option of a 3-year extension) (§ 2 (1) of the WissZeitVG; in accordance with the provisions of the WissZeitVG and the Agreement on Satisfactory Conditions of Employment, the length of contract may differ in individual cases)
• fulltime
• internal and external training opportunities
• variety of health, consulting and prevention services
• reconcilability of family and work
• an interdisciplinary workplace and the possibility to interact with colleagues of different nationalities and with strong ties to the international research networks
• flexible working hours
• good transport connection
• supplementary company pension
• modern work environment with digital processes
• various offers (canteen, cafeteria, restaurants, Uni-Shop, ATM, etc.)

We expect:

• scientific university degree (e.g. Master or Diploma) in demography, public health/health sciences, sociology, health economics or another relevant area of expertise
• completed or already well-advanced doctorate/Ph.D. studies in health sciences, sociology, demography, health economics, or another relevant area of expertise
• experience with empirical research in the fields of family dynamics and health, population health, or health economics
• solid knowledge of advanced quantitative methods
• knowledge of statistical software (preferably R or Stata)
• experience with publications in English-language journals and conference papers
• excellent written and spoken English
• clear analytical thinking and capacity to take on novel topics
• ability to work independently and in a team
• excellent communication skills
• ability to prioritize workload in an environment with competing demands and to manage timelines and deliverables
• ability to work in and have respect for an intercultural environment

• research or study stays abroad
• experience with applying for third-party funding
• experience in supervision of junior scientists
• gender and diversity competences

We are looking forward to receiving your application. To apply, please preferably use our online form via the application button below.

Your application in English should include the following (in addition to the CV, please include all other documents in a single pdf file):

• letter of motivation that describes how your expertise fits into the research agenda of the project and the group. Please include also your research accomplishments, and highlight your statistical and technical skills and areas of expertise (maximum two pages)
• curriculum vitae
• a writing sample (e.g., one of your publications or working papers)
• contact information of two academic referees

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Prof. Dr. Anna Oksuzyan (anna.oksuzyan@uni-bielefeld.de), for administrative questions please get in touch with Ms. Regine Myska (regine.myska@uni-bielefeld.de).

Prof. Dr. Anna Oksuzyan
anna.oksuzyan@uni-bielefeld.de
Postal Address
Universität Bielefeld
Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften
Regine Myska
Postfach 10 01 31
33501 Bielefeld

Bielefeld University has received a number of awards for its achievements as an equal-opportunity employer and has been recognized as a family-friendly university. The university welcomes applications from women. This is particularly true with regard to academic and technical posts as well as positions in information technology as well as the skilled crafts and trades. Applications are handled according to the provisions of the state statutes on equal opportunity. Applications from suitably qualified handicapped and severely handicapped persons are explicitly encouraged. At Bielefeld University on request positions can be carried out with reduced working hours as long as this does not conflict with official needs.