Post-doctoral researcher – KOMEX director

Reference No.: 2025/216. The start date is January 1st,, 2026, or by agreement. The position is initially available for one year with the possibility of extension for up to four more years (until December 31, 2030).

Since January 2019, the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" brings together researchers from political science, economics, sociology and related disciplines to study the political causes and consequences of inequality. Starting in January 2026, the Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX) will be one of three cross-cutting infrastructure projects of the Cluster of Excellence. KOMEX, taking place annually since 2022, provides excellent, inclusive, and sustainable training in a pluralistic range of empirical research methods to early career researchers in the Social Sciences from around the globe. Within the Cluster of Excellence, the KOMEX project has three pillars: the annual method school (pillar 1), the KOMEX fellowships for scholars from the Global South starting in 2027 (pillar 2), and diverse Methods and Data (MAD) activities within the interdisciplinary Cluster community (pillar 3). The advertised postdoctoral position is affiliated with the Cluster of Excellence, and will entail a close collaboration with the KOMEX academic convenor and Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Eva Thomann (Chair of Public Administration of the Department of Politics and Public Administration). Collaborations with the Co-Principal Investigator (Department of Economics) are possible and desirable.

The KOMEX director will perform lead executive, community-oriented, coordinative, networking and representative functions at the intersection of KOMEX, the Cluster of Excellence, and the international community of social science methodologists. Next so some moderate involvement in pillar 1 upon mutual agreement (including, if desired, the possibility to teach a course in KOMEX), the KOMEX director will take the operational lead on pillars 2 and 3 in collaboration with the two PIs. Moreover, the postdoctoral researcher contributes their own original cluster-relevant research agenda, independently and in collaboration with the academic convenor, regarding the use and advancement of innovate methods to study inequality. Possible specializations include but are not limited to aspects such as intersectionality, discrimination, qualitative, quantitative, configurational, or computational methods. At least fifty per cent of the position will be available for these research activities. The position is ideal for individuals with a keen interest and talent in social science research methodology, who seek to establish themselves as methodologists and/or methods-versed inequality researchers, and who embrace the values, mission, and activities of KOMEX in the global production of knowledge.

Your Responsibilities

• Operational lead on KOMEX pillars 2 (KOMEX fellowships) and 3 (MAD activites), including managing application and mentoring processes, organizing conferences or workshops, networking and community activities at (international) conferences
• Methodological advice, and other diverse tasks
• Some involvement in pillar 1 (method school) upon mutual agreement
• Pursue research on the use and advancement of innovate methods to study inequality, independently and in collaboration with the academic covenor, including publications in high-ranking international peer-reviewed journals
• Active involvement as KOMEX representative in the Cluster community

Your Competencies

• Excellent PhD in Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, or related fields (or close to completion)
• Outstanding profile and interest in an area of social science methodology including relevant publication(s)
• Original and innovative research proposal on the use and advancement of methods to study inequality, with a clear potential for high-profile, joint and independent publications related to the research priorities of the cluster and the academic convenor
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English
• Excellent social, interpersonal, and communication skills and motivation to engage with the pluralistic and interdisciplinary communities of the cluster, KOMEX, and international methods experts
• The ability to work in a structured and organized way, independently and in teams, and problem-solve

We Offer

• All departments involved in the Cluster belong to the premier departments of their kind in Germany and enjoy an outstanding reputation in teaching and research
• Stimulating, diverse, and internationally excellent, interdisciplinary research environment
• Opportunities for further professional
• Development and the option to develop a cluster project application together with one of the PIs Research support and career counseling, including a range of funding and support options particularly for early career researchers
• A family-friendly diversity-conscious university and work environment
• Employer subsidy for the JobTicket BW / Deutschlandticket (free public local and regional transportation within all of Germany)
• Constance is one of Germany's choice destinations. Its unique setting on the shores of Lake Constance and the River Rhine, as well as its proximity to the Alps, Switzerland, Austria, and France, make it the ideal location for study and leisure

To apply for the position, applicants should submit:

• A short letter of motivation
• A CV specifying their experience and methodological expertise
• A research proposal (2-5 pages) that outlines their cluster-relevant research agenda regarding the use and advancement of innovate methods to study inequality, including the synergies and potential for collaboration and publication with the academic convenor (either at level of methods or substantive research interests).

Contact for questions about this position:

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We look forward to receiving your application documents via our

Online Application Portal

by October 31, 2025. The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity, as well as a good balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in research and teaching. We also support working couples through our

dual career programme

. Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They will be given preference if appropriately qualified (contact -

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