Academic Staff Member (f/m/d) ID no. 382/2025

Euraxess WorkFromHome

Stellenbeschreibung:

Offer Description

The Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Chair in International Organizations (Prof. Dr. Thomas Sommerer) at the University of Potsdam invites applications for the following position limited to 36 months, which will be filled by :

Academic Staff Member (f/m/d)

ID no. 382/2025

The successful candidate will work 30 hours per week (75%). The position is classified within remuneration group 13 of the collective wage agreement among the German states (TV-L). The fixed term of employment is in accordance with Section 2 subsection 1 of the German Act on Limited Scientific Contracts (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz or WissZeitVG). If necessary, an extension is possible if personal and legal requirements are met.

Your Field of Work:

The position is located within the DFG-funded research project “Autocratization, Policy Preferences, and Performance of International Organizations” (APPIO), which is being conducted jointly with a team from Zeppelin University (Prof. Dr. Maria Debre). APPIO investigates the impact of autocratization, democratic backsliding, and populism on the problem-solving capacity of international organizations and the changing policy preferences of their member states. The project employs a mixed-methods research design that combines statistical analyses, automated text analysis, case studies, and survey experiments.

The Scope of Your Responsibilities:

Development and independent work on a doctoral project (related to the project topics)
Collaboration on the empirical strategy of the APPIO project
Support and co‑authorship of project publications
Participation in project communication
Further development of your own academic profile and acquisition of relevant qualifications

Further academic qualification (doctorate) is possible. At least one-third of working hours is available for in-depth academic work.

Your Qualifications:

A university degree (MA) in political science, social science, or public administration, preferably with a focus on international organizations or international relations
Knowledge of, and interest in, theory-driven empirical research, as well as expertise in (quantitative/qualitative) social science methods
Excellent English skills; German language skills are an advantage

We offer you:

Collaboration in a highly motivated and widely connected project team working on key issues in international relations.
Support for your doctoral project at a chair with extensive experience in supervising doctoral candidates.
Flexible working hours and a defined share of remote working hours (e.g. work from home). You have 30 vacation days per year and are exempt from work on December 24 and 31.
Access to a company pension scheme, a special annual payment, and capital-forming benefits.
Opportunities for continuing education, networking, and professional development within the university.

Application Instructions:

Please send your application (including a motivation letter, CV, an outline of your dissertation ideas (up to 2 pages), your MA thesis (or a writing sample), your MA certificate (or transcript of records) and contact details of two academic references) by the deadline of 31 January 2026 and provide the ID no. 382/2025 to Prof. Dr. Thomas Sommerer by e‑mail to

The University of Potsdam values the diversity of its community and pursues the goals of equal opportunity regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation and identity. Applications from abroad and from persons with a migration background are expressly encouraged. The university strives for a balanced gender ratio in all employment groups; in areas where women are underrepresented, women are given preference in case of equal suitability. People with disabilities are given preferential consideration in case of equal suitability. In aptitude tests and selection interviews, individual compensation measures for disadvantages are granted, taking the specific disability into consideration. If a person with a disability would like to make use of individual compensation measures, please state this in the application letter.