Research Fellow (PhD Student) (m/f/d)

About

The University for Continuing Education Krems specializes in part-time academic continuing education. As a public university for continuing education, it works with its expertise in teaching and research to overcome societal challenges and tailors its study programs to address them. With 8,000 students coming from 85 countries, the University for Continuing Education Krems combines its many years of experience in university-based continuing education with innovation to provide outstanding quality in research and teaching at an international level. Situated 60 km from Vienna in the alluring world heritage region Wachau, Campus Krems is a highly attractive location.

The advertised position is part of the new four-years FWO/FWF funded project “Development implications of involuntary immobility”, which is collaboratively implemented with researchers at the University of Ghent, Belgium. This project will investigate conceptually and empirically the extent to which involuntary immobility affects human development focusing on three dimensions: individuals’ subjective well-being and mental health, their life aspirations, and behavioural responses and alternatives for migration. Large numbers of young people around the world, particularly in developing countries, wish to migrate but lack the capacity to do so. This phenomenon has been called “involuntary immobility” and may pose important challenges for human development. Focusing on those who perceive themselves to be immobile against their wish, we seek to understand why some ‘feel stuck’ and disillusioned, while others cognitively and behaviorally adapt their aspirations in favour of alternatives to migration, or alternative migration options and destinations. The PhD candidate is expected to work and conduct research on the dynamic nexus between aspirations and behaviour triggered by involuntary immobility. The PhD candidate will further contribute to the UWK tasks of the project and conduct a PhD project that relates to and uses the data of the project.

Your tasks

• Interdisciplinary research in the "Development implications of involuntary immobility" project
• Conducting qualitative fieldwork in Senegal
• Contributing to the collection of qualitative and quantitative (survey) data, particularly survey instrument design and sampling methodology
• Analyzing qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) data collected through the project
• Publishing research findings in international, peer-reviewed scientific journals
• Engaging in international research collaboration
• Pursuing and submitting a cumulative PhD dissertation in Migration Studies within three years
• Contributing to the internal and external tasks and activities of the department

Your profile

We require the following qualifications for the application:

• Completed university studies (Master/Diploma, ideally with good grades) in the fields of economics, sociology, politics, geography, population studies, psychology, health or a related discipline
• Willingness for conducting field work in Senegal
• Interest and sound skills in using qualitative research methods
• English (min. C1) and French skills (min. B2) required
   

In addition, the following criteria are desirable:

• Knowledge and experience in cognitive/social psychology or behavioral sciences
  Good knowledge and skills in writing scientific papers
• Experience in migration-related research
• Experience in collecting qualitative data in the field
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team of social scientists with previous experience in trans- and interdisciplinary setting
• Familiarity and experience with quantitative research methods (e.g., knowledge of a statistical software such as R, Stata, SPSS or SAS)

Your perspective

• Part-time position (30 hours/week) initially limited to 3 years with a minimum salary of EUR 3.277,30 gross per month on a full-time basis (classification as a scientific project staff member according to collective agreement of universities §49, VwGr. B1)
• Your appointment will start on 1 September 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter
• Innovative and modern working environment at the Campus Krems
• Possibility of homeoffice and mobile working (max. 42% of working hours)
• Very good opportunities for further education within the framework of our own study programs, extensive offer of workplace health promotion as well as the University Sports Institute (USI)

Persons with disabilities who meet the required profile criteria are expressly invited to apply for this position. The University of Continuing Education Krems sees high innovation potential in the diversity of its employees and is committed to diversity as a guiding principle.

Your application

Interested? 

We look forward to receiving your online application by 27 June 2023 via our online tool: Vacancies - University for Continuing Education Krems (donau-uni.ac.at)

Your application should include:

• Cover letter (min. two pages)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Degrees and transcripts
• Two writing samples (e.g., Master thesis, scientific articles, etc.)

Candidates who are also interested in a similar but more quantitatively oriented PhD position at Ghent University are encouraged to apply there as well through PhD Student — Ghent University (ugent.be).

After careful consideration of the applications, selected candidates will be invited for an interview with a small committee (Prof. Mathias Czaika, Prof. Ilse Ruyssen, Prof. Sorana Toma) in the week of 3 July 2023 (tentative date).

More information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Dr. Mathias Czaika (mathias.czaika@donau-uni.ac.at). More information about the Department for Migration and Globalization can be found on the website https://www.donau-uni.ac.at/en/university/faculties/business-globalization/departments/migration-globalization.html

Notice: 

We would like to inform you that we currently also have another PhD position in Migration Studies (FAiR Project) available at the University for Continuing Education Krems. You can find it under the following link: https://bit.ly/3oNyXNX

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