At the University of Greifswald’s Department of Political Science and Communication Studies, there is a job vacancy as part of the “Resilient Baltic Sea Region” collaborative project of the Interdisciplinary Center for Baltic Sea Region Research (IFZO) expected to be available from 1 October 2026, limited to a period of three and a half years, for a part-time (65%)
Research Associate.
Payment will be made according to pay group 13 TV-L Wissenschaft.
The position is part of the work package on the security policy dimensions of democratic resilience and offers the opportunity to conduct independent research on current issues related to societal and political responses to security policy and crises in the Baltic Sea region.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine, growing geopolitical tensions, and broader transformations in the field of security policy, the project examines how societies in the Baltic Sea region respond to external threats—and under what conditions security-policy adjustments either bolster democratic stability or deepen societal fault lines. At the core of the study are public attitudes toward issues of security, defense, crisis preparedness, and democratic order in relation with domestic political dynamics.
The empirical foundation consists of cross-national population surveys conducted in close cooperation with other subprojects within the research consortium. The position offers the opportunity to develop an individual research focus in the fields of democratic resilience, foreign and security policy attitudes, and societal transformation, while combining quantitative and qualitative research approaches.
The IFZO at the University of Greifswald is an internationally networked, cross-faculty, and interdisciplinary research center that examines the history, present, and future challenges of the Baltic Sea region. The position is part of the BMFTR collaborative project “A Resilient Baltic Sea Region: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Politics, Social Structures, and Cultural Identities.”
We offer:
- The opportunity to pursue a doctorate project connected to the Department of Political Science and Communication Studies using data generated within the “Resilient Baltic Sea Region” project
- Integration into an interdisciplinary, internationally networked research environment with diverse opportunities for collaboration and knowledge transfer
- Support for academic career development through a broad range of project-based and university-wide training opportunities
Responsibilities:
- Contributing to the theoretical and conceptual development of the subproject
- Conducting independent research on societal attitudes toward security, crisis preparedness, and democratic stability in the Baltic Sea region
- Analysing quantitative survey data and contributing to the design of comparative population surveys
- Developing and implementing independent research designs, for example survey experiments or qualitative complementary studies
- Collaborating and coordinating with other subprojects
Requirements:
- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Political Science or a related discipline completed by the time of appointment
- Solid knowledge of empirical social science methods
- Excellent English language skills (minimum C1)
Desirable:
- Interest in democratic resilience and social transformation
- Interest in an international and interdisciplinary research program at the intersection of the social sciences and the humanities
- Knowledge of the societies and political systems of the Baltic Sea region
- A high degree of independence, efficiency, and a sense of responsibility, as well as strong interpersonal skills
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.
For further information, please contact Prof. Margit Bussmann (margit.bussmann@uni-greifswald.de).
Please submit the following documents (in a single PDF file):
- Cover letter (max. 2 pages) outlining your interest in the position and your thematic fit
- CV including copies of academic certificates and transcripts
- A publication or another representative writing sample; if co-authored, please include a brief explanation of your own contribution
Applications must be sent with reference to the job advertisement number 26/ES12 by 30 June 2026 via email (one PDF file) to:
Universität Greifswald
Institut für Politik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft
Prof. Dr. Margit Bussmann
Ernst-Lohmeyer-Platz 3
17489 Greifswald