Post-doc

SWPS University; Poland; On-site; PLN 122,000 - 146,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Graduate and postgraduate discounts

Language course discounts

Erasmus+ participation

Private healthcare

Multisport gym package

Group life insurance

Job summary

SWPS University seeks a researcher for a fixed-term project in Sociology, focusing on qualitative longitudinal studies. You will lead qualitative research activities, develop instruments, recruit participants, conduct interviews, code data, and manage databases with support from the Project Manager.

Required are a PhD in social sciences (sociology preferred), strong research publications, and fluency in English and Polish at C1 level.

Qualifications

• Requires PhD in social sciences; sociology preferred.
• Proven ability to conduct qualitative research and publish.
• Fluent English and Polish (C1).
• Willingness to learn new analytical methods.

Responsibilities

• Lead qualitative research activities within the project, including instrument development, recruitment, interviews, coding, data analysis and archiving.
• Conduct literature reviews and analyze existing data.
• Coordinate fieldwork and ensure research process transparency and data quality.

Skills

Fluent English

Fluent Polish

Qualitative research

Publications in journals

Sociology background

Education

PhD in social sciences

Tools

MAXQDA

Job description

Organisation/Company SWPS University Research Field Sociology » Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 1 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Warsaw) Country Poland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

• comprehensive implementation of qualitative research activities within the project, including the development of research instruments, recruitment of study participants, conducting interviews, data organization and coding, data analysis, and data archiving
• conducting literature reviews and analyzing existing/secondary data
• coordinating fieldwork and ensuring the transparency of the research process, as well as the completeness and quality of the research database
• contributing to the preparation of publications and the dissemination of research findings
• managing own research and administrative activities, with support from the Project Manager as needed
• providing substantive research support to the project’s scholarship recipient
• providing organizational and administrative support for the project
• holding a doctoral degree in the social sciences (preferred discipline: sociology)
• research experience, including demonstrated ability to conduct qualitative research
• publications in reputable international journals in the field of social sciences
• fluent English proficiency (minimum C1 level)
• fluent Polish proficiency (minimum C1 level)
• willingness to learn new analytical methods and techniques, with particular interest in youth studies / the transition to adulthood and qualitative longitudinal research

Preferred qualifications:

• familiarity with MAXQDA
• publication record in the field of youth studies / the transition to adulthood

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Languages POLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

• employment under an employment contract on a full-time basis for a fixed term from November 1, 2026, through October 31, 2029
• salary of PLN 12,000 gross gross/month
• support for academic development from the Research and Projects Department in obtaining and managing grants
• opportunity to participate in scientific conferences
• bonuses for high-scoring publications affiliated with SWPS University
• support for the commercialization of research projects
• an attractive benefits package:
  • a discount on graduate and postgraduate studies for employees as well as their close relatives and partners. This discount increases with the employee’s seniority
  • a discount on SWPS University’s remaining educational offer
  • a 30% discount on language courses offered by SWPS University’s language school
  • professional development opportunities through participation in the Erasmus+ program
  • psychological support via SWPS University's Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Clinic
  • a Multisport Plus gym and fitness benefits package
  • subsidized private healthcare package in Medicover or Lux Med for employees and attractively priced packages for their close relatives and partners
  • access to a cafeteria of one-time benefits
  • subsidized purchase of corrective glasses
  • group life insurance policy option with the PZU insurance company

Eligibility criteria

Formal criteria:

• academic achievements, including publications in reputable journals/publishers and active participation in national and international conferences: 40% of the final grade
• competencies relevant to the tasks in the research project: 40% of the finalgrade
• distinctions resulting from scientific work (scholarships, awards), experience gained outside the home institution (domestically or abroad), workshops, training, and participation in research projects: 20% of the final grade
• Ph.D. Justyna Sarnowska-Wilczyńska - Chair of the Committee
• Professor Mikołaj Cześnik - Member of the Committee
• Associate Professor Paula Pustułka - Member of the Committee
• Aleksandra Prusinowska - Member of the HR
• Zuzanna Świtalska - Committee Secretary

Selection process

Required documents:

• CV with a list of academic, teaching, and administrative achievements (with reference to the criteria specified above), as well as a description of other professional experience and research interests
• a scanned copy of the document confirming the award of a doctoral degree
• a statement confirming proficiency in a foreign language at the required level
• the deadline for submission of documents is: 2026-10-01
• successful candidates will be announced on: 2026-10-20
• date of commencement of work: 2026-11-01

The Competition Committee reserves the right to contact only selected candidates.

The candidates who receive the highest scores from the Committee will be invited for an interview.

INSTEP: Inbetweeners in Transition. Socialisation and Educational Pathways of First-in-Family Students Entering Adulthood in Poland

The project focuses on first-generation college students (first-in-family), whose parents do not hold higher education degrees, and examines their educational mobility and transition to adulthood from a temporal perspective. It addresses the following central research question: How do young people from working-class backgrounds in Poland construct and make sense of their educational mobility trajectories in the context of family and non-family socialization, higher education, gender, and place of origin?

The project is grounded in sociological theories of socialization and social class, drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital, Jeffrey Arnett’s concept of emerging adulthood, intersectionality theory, and Joel Migdal’s concept of the “weak state.” The project also develops the concept of social solvation, which captures how public policies - such as those aimed at promoting equal access to education - are interpreted, modified, or circumvented in everyday practices at the micro and meso levels.

Methodologically, the project employs a qualitative mixed-methods research design, with a particular emphasis on qualitative longitudinal research. The empirical study consists of four interrelated components: (1) secondary analysis of existing quantitative and qualitative datasets to contextualize patterns of educational inequality in Poland; (2) two waves of in-depth individual interviews with students aged 18–29; (3) individual interviews with students’ “significant others”; and (4) expert interviews with representatives of higher education institutions and policymakers involved in the development of public policy in the field of education.