Joint Fellowship Program of HIAS and IFSH

Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung; Indiana; On-site; USD 27,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

Training opportunities

Flexible working up to 60% from home

Job summary

HIAS and IFSH invite outstanding scholars to apply for a research stay at one of Germany's leading research institutions in peace and security studies. Based in Hamburg, IFSH offers an interdisciplinary and international environment, with fellows from multiple disciplines and collaboration with HIAS.

The program emphasizes research on core topics such as peace and security, political violence, and climate security, with on-site work and tandem collaboration.

Qualifications

• Doctorate (minimum) in the humanities, social sciences, or natural/life sciences.
• Publications in relevant academic journals or comparable outlets.
• Interdisciplinary and international research profile.
• Relevant experience in research on the fellowship program’s core topics.
• Prestigious prizes and awards.
• Very good command of English.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research aligned with HIAS/IFSH core topics and participate in interdisciplinary exchange.
• Collaborate with tandem partner from IFSH and HIAS fellowship network.
• Attend weekly lunches and colloquia, and engage in the academic program.

Skills

Interdisciplinary research

English proficiency

Education

Doctorate (humanities/social sciences/natural/life sciences)

Job description

HIAS and IFSH. Joint Fellowship Program of HIAS and IFSH invites outstanding scholars (minimum requirement: doctorate) to apply for a research stay at one of Germany's leading research institutions in the field of peace and security studies. Based in Hamburg, IFSH offers a unique environment to foster innovative and interdisciplinary research combined with the intellectual and professional experience of spending time in a group of internationally renowned fellows from a broad range of disciplines at HIAS.

The program welcomes applicants with substantial academic achievements, intellectual curiosity, and an above-average interest in inter- and transdisciplinary exchange. Ideal candidates are willing to cooperate with scholars at IFSH and fellows at HIAS. Applicants should also consider how their project might foster a broader public understanding of the topic.

Research topics

• Societal perspectives on peace and security, political violence, fascism, polarisation, radicalisation, and counterterrorism
• Great power conflict, arms dynamics and deterrence, strategic stability, emerging technologies and cybersecurity
• European security architecture, European regional security organisations, future of European security
• Climate change and security, polycrisis, disaster response and preparedness, crisis resilience and civil protection

Projects that connect such topics with interdisciplinary perspectives are especially welcome.

Applications from artists, policy makers, and other professionals may also be considered if their work is closely related to the program's research focus and engages substantively with scholarly inquiry.

As HIAS and IFSH are committed to equal opportunities, the fellowship program particularly welcomes applications from female and non-binary scholars, early career researchers and from individuals from regions that are usually underrepresented in research and academia.

During their fellowship, fellows live and work in Hamburg. Therefore, only projects that can be carried out on-site at HIAS and IFSH are suitable.

Applicants from within the metropolitan region of Hamburg are not eligible. All fellows are expected to collaborate with a tandem partner from IFSH.

Possible financial contributions from the applicant’s home institution, for example through a sabbatical or paid leave, are highly encouraged and should be mentioned in the application.

The academic year usually begins on October 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred period, which must consist of at least three and no more than nine months. July, August and September are not fellowship months.

Your profile

Evaluation criteria

• doctorate (minimum) in the humanities, social sciences, or natural/life sciences
• publications in relevant academic journals or comparable publication outlets
• interdisciplinary and international research profile
• relevant experience in research on the fellowship program’s core research topics
• prestigious prizes and awards
• very good command of English

HIAS and IFSH take career stage into account and pay particular attention to the future potential of early career researchers. A doctorate is required for fellows working in academia.

Project evaluation criteria

• Does the project open up new questions and ways of thinking?
• Does it benefit from interaction with other disciplines?
• Does it address questions relevant to the fellowship program’s core research topics?
• Does it fit an Institute for Advanced Study environment?
• Can a suitable tandem partner at IFSH be identified?
• Is the project feasible within HIAS, IFSH, and Hamburg’s research environment?

What we offer

In addition to exciting work in a dynamic and highly relevant research environment, we offer the following additional benefits:

• A company pension scheme based on the Hamburg pension model
• Individual training opportunities as part of our IFSH staff development program
• Flexible working hours and the opportunity to work up to 60% from home, depending on your personal situation and job context
• Additional incentive pay based on our collective agreement (TV AVH) in the form of a tax-free non-cash benefit card

Utmost freedom and flexibility

Fellows can pursue their own research projects independently while benefiting from interdisciplinary exchange in the intellectual environment of HIAS and IFSH. The fellowship is funded by IFSH either through a stipend to the fellow or by reimbursement of the home institution’s costs of a teaching replacement.

Excellent working conditions

Fellows are offered a fully equipped workspace in central Hamburg and continuous assistance by the HIAS and IFSH teams. Each fellow is accompanied by an IFSH‑based academic tandem partner. Through this tandem structure, fellows gain access to relevant local research networks and infrastructure. Furthermore, HIAS will support fellows in identifying and connecting with potential cooperation partners at one of HIAS’ ten member institutions.

Academic program

Fellows are expected to attend the weekly lunches and colloquia/dinners at HIAS and may participate in additional excursions. Active participation in the academic program is mandatory.

Family-friendly living conditions

Fellows may be housed in the centrally located guesthouse of the University of Hamburg, which offers fully furnished apartments with cooking facilities. HIAS and IFSH welcome accompanying life partners and children and assist in finding suitable accommodation, schools, and day care facilities.

Further information

In addition, diversity in terms of disciplines, countries of origin, gender, and career stages is taken into account with regard to the group of scholars at IFSH and the respective cohort of fellows at HIAS.

We look forward to receiving your application.

By submitting an application, you consent to the purpose-related processing of your personal data. The data will be shared with the HIAS and IFSH committees and, if necessary, with external reviewers.