Postdoctoral Position (m/f/d)

Overview

The Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy in Munich, Germany, is a research facility of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science. The Department of Foreign and International Social Law is seeking applications for one Postdoctoral Position (m/f/d) for the Research Group PERGAP “The (Mis)Perception of Economic Inequality: The Impact of Welfare State Institutions on Social Perception and Preference Formation".

Your tasks

The selected candidate will be part of the research group headed by Dr. Simone M. Schneider and supported by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant, Project ). The group collects legal information of social security systems in the fields of healthcare, old age security, unemployment, and minimum protection across 50 countries for three time points with the aim of creating a unique country-comparative dataset on institutionally enshrined disparities. More information on the project´s objectives is provided on our website.

The successful candidate will contribute to the group’s research and will work in collaboration with the PI primarily on the data collection and systematization. The specific tasks include:

• contributing to the development of new analytical tools for the empirical assessment and comparison of welfare state institutions
• leading and coordinating the collection of legal information from policy experts
• assisting in the coding and creation of a cross-country comparative quantitative dataset
• working independently on publications and reports closely aligned with the project´s research
• engaging actively in all of the project´s scientific and public activities

Starting date

The preferred starting date is 1 April 2026.

Your profile

The ideal candidate has excellent knowledge in the field of comparative social policy and comparative research methods. The applicant is expected to hold a PhD in Political Science, Sociology, Economics or a related discipline. Knowledge and experience in data collection, quantitative data analysis, as well as in project coordination and collaboration is highly desirable. The ability to work independently, responsibly, and to collaborate within a research team is essential. Fluency in written and spoken English is expected; command of additional languages is an advantage.

What we offer

The position is based on a 18-months fixed-term contract with the option for an extension under certain conditions. It is a fully funded research position with no teaching obligations. The position can be part-time or full-time (currently 39 hours/week). Remuneration and social benefits are based on the Collective Wage Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD Bund), group 13 (entry level depending on prior experience). We offer attractive working conditions in a modern, well-equipped institute with a global network. Our institute holds the world’s largest social law library and is located in the heart of Munich.

The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

Your application

Qualifications

Your application should include a letter of motivation, a curriculum vitae (incl. names and contact details of two academic referees), copies of your certificates and qualifications and a writing sample of 10-20 pages (seminar paper, journal article or book chapter). Please apply through our online recruiting tool till 19 February 2026 to:

Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy
Marstallstr. 11
80539 Munich
Germany