The University of Greifswald is seeking candidates for a position in the DFG Research Group “Adaptation Processes of Public Service Infrastructures in Rural and Peripheral Areas (AdaptInfra)” at the Professorship for Health and Prevention, subject to the provision of funds. The part-time (75 %) position for a
research assistant
shall be available as of 1 September 2026, for a term of 4 years. Payment will be made in accordance with Pay Grade 13 of the TV-L Wissenschaft.
The interdisciplinary research group AdaptInfra investigates how public service infrastructures in rural-peripheral areas adapt to changing social conditions. These adaptations are examined comparatively from socio-technical and system-dynamic perspectives by researchers from the fields of economics, geography, criminology, psychology, theology, medicine, and political science. The position is part of Subproject 3, which focuses on adaptation processes of security infrastructures in peripheral rural areas in collaboration with the Professorship for Criminology (focus on civil protection) and the Professorship for Health and Prevention (focus on disaster management).
Against the backdrop of social transformation processes—demographic, economic, and sociocultural, including the digital divide—that have a particularly severe impact in rural and peripheral regions, Subproject 3 analyses the adaptation processes of security infrastructure in rural and peripheral areas, These include, for example, authorities and organisations with security responsibilities that operate in the field of hazard prevention (e.g. police, fire department, THW) as well as specialised task forces, municipal crisis management teams, and administrative actors. The experiences, needs, and challenges are examined while taking into account complex interactions with the security-related attitudes, experiences, and needs of the local population. In the civil defence focus area, the emphasis is on police hazard prevention, while in the disaster control focus area, the emphasis is on non-police hazard prevention.
We offer:
- The position provides the holder with the opportunity to pursue a doctorate (PhD) at the research group, making use of the results gained in the AdaptInfra project.Work on a topic of high political and social relevance
- Close collaboration within a cooperative and highly qualified team across disciplinary boundaries, both within the subproject and in the AdaptInfra research group
- First-rate opportunities for further professional development through a wide range of offers provided within the framework of the project or available across the university
- A family-friendly environment at the university and in Greifswald
Job description:
- Conducting systematic literature reviews and preparing reviews on the adaptation of civil protection and disaster management infrastructures, with a focus on rural and rural-peripheral areas
- Preparing, conducting, and analysing qualitative, guided interviews with experts in civil protection and disaster management, as well as representatives of self-organised social groups with safety responsibilities
- Preparing and conducting quantitative secondary data analyses on security-related indicators among the population, particularly in rural-peripheral areas, in German-speaking regions, and in comparable European regions (e.g. surveys on perceived safety, crime)
- Joint and comparative analysis of the results in the field of civil protection and disaster management (in collaboration with the team from the Professorship for Criminology), triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data, and development of process models (using process tracing)
- Further analysis of the influence of regional and differential factors, e.g. the degree of rurality and the extent of digitalisation, using qualitative (e.g. typology) and quantitative (e.g. moderation analyses) methods, taking into account the study regions and the various civil protection and disaster management sectors
- Collaboration with other subprojects within AdaptInfra, as well as contributions to the research group’s synthesis
Job requirements:
- A successfully completed university degree in psychology, the social sciences, or health sciences by the time employment commences, with a relevant qualification (bachelor’s, master’s, or equivalent)
- High level of relevant methodological expertise in psychology, social sciences, or health sciences, e.g. in the analysis of quantitative longitudinal data or secondary data (ideally with a focus on public safety, civil protection, or disaster management) OR e.g. in the analysis of qualitative longitudinal data or expert interviews (both of which would generally need to be demonstrated through relevant academic publications, papers, or reports)
- Experience in consolidating and integrating different data sources (e.g. structural data, survey data, qualitative data) or a willingness to learn how to do so
- Interest in the field of public safety and disaster management
- Interest in interdisciplinary collaboration within a cross-faculty team
Further requirements which may have an impact on the decision-making process:
- Experience in interdisciplinary collaboration or an interdisciplinary educational background, ideally related to civil protection or disaster management
- Strong proficiency in advanced quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approache
- Interest in developing scholarly publications
- Interest in pursuing further academic qualifications (e.g. doctorate (PhD), postdoctoral qualification)
The position is open to all persons, irrespective of gender. Severely disabled applicants with the same qualifications will be considered with preference.
In accordance with § 68(3) PersVG M-V, the Staff Council will only be involved in staff matters of the academic or artistic staff on request.
Unfortunately, the application costs (e.g. travel expenses for interviews) will not be reimbursed by the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Please note that by submitting your application, you provide your consent pursuant to data protection law for our processing of your application data. Further information about the legal bases and the use of your data can be found here.
Please submit the following documents:
- Curriculum vitae
- Proof of professional qualifications (copies of master’s and doctoral degree (PhD) certificates or similar)
- Master’s/Doctoral thesis
- If applicable, relevant publications
Applications must be sent with reference to the job advertisement number 26/Sa13 by 25 May 2026 via email (one PDF file) to:
Universität Greifswald
DFG-Forschungsgruppe AdaptInfra
Chair of Health and Prevention
Robert-Blum-Street 13
17489 Greifswald
silke.schmidt@uni-greifswald.de