Postdoctoral Fellow (m/f/d) | Political Science

Position

The Max Planck Institute for Political and Social Science in Göttingen conducts interdisciplinary research into pressing issues of social and political change. The Department of Political Institutions and Conflict invites applications for the position of Postdoctoral Fellow (m/f/d) in Political Science (full‑time for three years, start day September 1 2026 or earlier).

Department Overview

The newly established department “Political Institutions and Conflict” (led by Ursula Daxecker) studies the relationship between political institutions and conflict, broadly construed. Research centers on three themes:

• (1) institutions and political violence
• (2) democratic politics in transformation
• (3) the political economy of electoral integrity

The department’s empirical focus is on the Global South and combines advanced quantitative methods – such as survey‑based and observational causal inference designs – with qualitative approaches, such as fieldwork and interviews. Through this research, the department aims to develop novel insights for important challenges in contemporary society, including the rise of extreme strategies and violence, threats to electoral integrity, and democratic erosion.

Responsibilities

• Conduct high‑quality research within the framework of the department;
• Write academic articles with other department members;
• Carry out fieldwork and interviews in research locations;
• Contribute to the recruitment of PhD students and junior researchers;
• Co‑supervise, support, and mentor PhD students and junior researchers working on the project;
• Assist with administrative responsibilities related to the project, including the organization of workshops, writing deliverables, data management, and dissemination of project findings in general audience venues;
• Be affiliated with and take an active part in the research environment at the Department. Regular presence at the Institute is therefore required, and researchers need to reside within commuting distance of Göttingen.

Essential Qualifications

• a PhD degree or equivalent in Political Science, obtained before the employment start date;
• excellent publication record in highly‑ranked international journals or demonstrated potential thereof;
• demonstrated interest in the department’s research themes and willingness to develop additional subject‑matter and regional expertise;
• excellent command of quantitative research methods, including panel regression, analysis of large administrative data, survey data, and statistical programming in Stata/R/etc;
• excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• a commitment to academic integrity and transparency;
• independent thinking and critical analytical skills;
• the ability to work independently as well as collaborate in an interdisciplinary team.

Desirable Qualifications

• familiarity with causal inference methods;
• expertise in Global South contexts relevant to the department’s regional focus, such as South Asia or West Africa;
• excellent oral and written communication skills in languages relevant to the department’s regional focus, such as Hindi or Bengali;
• experience collecting, coding, and analyzing event data;
• experience conducting fieldwork and qualitative interviews.

Our Offer

• A full‑time position for a period of three years in a stimulating and internationally renowned research environment;
• Employment according to the collective wage agreement for the German public service (TVöD Bund, EG 13), depending on qualifications and experience;
• Excellent opportunities for academic development, international networking, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Application Requirements

• a CV including a list of publications;
• a two‑page cover letter describing your interest and alignment with the department’s mission;
• a two‑page proposal outlining a research agenda related to one or more of the department’s themes;
• the names and contact details of three referees whom we may contact;
• one published article or one other writing sample (if co‑authored, please add a note clarifying your contribution).

Applications must be submitted no later than Sunday May 3 2026 as a single PDF file through the recruitment portal. Initial applications should not include additional materials. Interviews will be conducted remotely on June 11 and 12; please ensure availability on those dates.

Equal Opportunities

The Max Planck Society wishes to increase the participation of women across the sciences. Applications from women are particularly welcome and the Society encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Persons of any nationality can apply.

Contact

Queries should be directed to Jie Zhang ( ). Please do NOT send application materials to this email address; only applications submitted through the recruitment portal will be considered.

Max Planck Institute for Political and Social Science
Hermann‑Föge‑Weg 11
37073 Göttingen, Germany
For information on the institute, please consult: