Academic Postdoctoral Researcher for Computational Social Sciences (m/f/x)
Academic Postdoctoral Researcher for Computational Social Sciences (m/f/x)
Saarland University is a campus university that is internationally recognized for its strong research programmes. Fostering young academic talent and creating ideal conditions for teaching and research are a core part of the university’s mission. As part of the University of the Greater Region, Saarland University enables students and staff to share and exchange knowledge and ideas between disciplines, between universities and across borders. With over 17,000 national and international students, studying more than a hundred different academic disciplines, Saarland University is a diverse and dynamic learning environment. [Saarland University is officially recognized as one of Germany’s family-friendly higher-education institutions and with a combined workforce of more than 4,000 it is one of the largest employers in the region.
The political and social science research program of the Chair of European Integration and International Relations within the SOUNDS transformation programme is inviting applications for the following position commencing at the earliest opportunity.
Academic Postdoctoral Researcher for Computational Social Sciences (m/f/x)
Reference number W2833, salary in accordance with the German TV-L salary scale1, pay grade: E13 TV- L, duration of employment: 3 years with the option of extension (upon successful acquisition of third-party funding), volume of employment: 100 % of standard working time.
Workplace/Department:
Professor Dr. Daniela Braun holds the Chair of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations. Together with Professor Dr. Ingmar Weber (Computer Science), she leads the transformation project Societal Observatory Using Novel Data Sources (SOUNDS), a pioneering interdisciplinary initiative that uses innovative data sources to systematically study societal change. As a Postdoctoral Researcher, you will be part of the SOUNDS project at Professor Braun’s chair and conduct research at the intersection of Political Science and Computational Social Sciences (CSS).
Job requirements and responsibilities:
50% independent research at the intersection of the two research areas of Computational Social Sciences (CSS) and Political Science, with a focus on the chair’s research area
•You will publish both independently and in collaboration with researchers from the chair’s team in relevant national and international journals and conference formats
1 TV-L = collective agreement on remuneration of public sector employees in the German Länder
The pay grade assigned to an employee depends on their professional qualifications and the number of years of service. Each pay grade is further subdivided into levels. Entry-level employees with no previous experience will initially be assigned a level 1 rating. After one year at level 1 of the E10 pay grade, an employee will move up to level 2. After a further two years, the employee will move to level 3, etc.
•You will design, conduct, and evaluate your own research questions at the intersection of CSS and political science
•You will undertake further research tasks arising within the scope of the SOUNDS project at the chair
•You will plan, apply for, and conduct your own research projects, including the acquisition of third-party funding
50% support for the chair in research, acquisition of third-party funding and teaching in the field of Computational Social Sciences
•You will support the chair’s team in implementing scientific research questions using CSS data and methods
•You will write academic publications in cooperation with the chair’s team
•You will exchange regularly with Prof. Dr. Weber’s team on innovative data sources
•You will teach individual courses related to CSS; optionally you may plan and conduct your own CSS courses
•You will assist with administrative and organizational tasks, as well as the organization of conferences and workshops
Your academic qualifications:
Doctoral degree / PhD in Political Science or a related social science discipline and wish to further develop your academic career as a postdoctoral researcher at the intersection of Political Science and Computational Social Sciences — ideally in one or more of the following areas:
•European Politics
•International Relations
•Party Politics
•Political Attitudes
•Political Behaviour
•Political Communication
•Public Opinion
•Gender Research
The successful candidate will also be expected to:
•Excellent knowledge of quantitative methods and relevant software packages (e.g., Stata, R)
•Good knowledge of CSS data and methods or willingness to quickly and deeply familiarize yourself with them
•Initial experience in teaching political science
•Independent and structured approach to work, and the ability to contribute profitably to a new team
•Good communication, moderation, and presentation skills
•Language skills (according to GER): Excellent English skills and good German skills, or willingness to learn German.
What we can offer you:
•A flexible work schedule allowing you to balance work and family, among other things the possibility of teleworking
•Secure and future-oriented employment with attractive conditions
•A broad range of further education and professional development programmes (for example language courses)
•An occupational health management model with numerous attractive options, such as our university sports programme
•Supplementary pension scheme (RZVK)
•Discounted tickets on local public transport services (‘Job-Ticket Plus‘ of the saarVV)
We look forward to receiving your meaningful online application (in a PDF file) by 24.04.2026 to d.braun@uni-saarland.de. Please include the reference number W2833 in the subject line of the e-mail.
The interviews are expected to take place on May 4.
If you have any questions, please contact us for assistance. Your contact:
Frau Vinciane Pilz
vinciane.pilz@uni-saarland.de
Pay grade classification is based on the particular details of the position held and the extent to which the applicant meets the requirements of the pay grade within the TV-L salary scale. Part-time employment is generally possible. If you have obtained a foreign university degree, a proof of the equivalence of this degree with a German degree by the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB) is needed before hiring. If necessary, please apply for this in time. You can find more information at https://www.kmk.org/zeugnisbewertung. Unfortunately, neither costs for attending an interview at Saarland University nor costs for any certificate evaluation by the ZAB can be reimbursed in principle. We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation and identity. In accordance with its policy of increasing the proportion of women, the University actively encourages applications from women. Applications from severely disabled persons will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability. When you submit a job application to Saarland University you will be transmitting personal data. Please refer to our privacy notice for information on how we collect and process personal data in accordance with Art. 13 of the Datenschutz-Grundverordnung. By submitting your application you confirm that you have taken note of the information in the Saarland University privacy notice.