Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sociology with a focus on comparative social research

Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

The postdoc position is based at the Center for Research on Life Course and Inequality (LIVES), a research unit within the  Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (SSP). It brings together researchers with a shared interest in life course dynamics, social inequalities, and the research methods used to study these issues. 

The Faculty has established a joint research program Developments in Research and Methods of the Social Sciences (DReMSS) in collaboration with the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS). FORS plays a key role in advancing empirical and methodological research in the social sciences by conducting major longitudinal and comparative surveys, as well as producing substantive research based on the resulting data. 

Presentation

The Institute of Social Sciences of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, in collaboration with the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS) 

opens a position of

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sociology with a focus on comparative social research

Job information

The postdoctoral position will be formally based at LIVES (University of Lausanne), with the appointed researcher expected to collaborate closely with colleagues at FORS and actively contribute to the activities of the joint research program DReMSS.

Expected start date: 1st December, 2025

Contract length: 2 years, with a possible extension by 1 year

Salary: In accordance with the regulations of the University of Lausanne

Activity Rate: 100%

Yearly gross salary: Depending on experience, minimum starting salary CHF 83'450.- in the 1st year

Workplace: Quartier de la Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Your responsibilities

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Support the Principal Investigator (PI) in coordinating the GenFam project and overseeing associated data collection efforts;


• Contribute to research activities within the GenFam project, with a focus on examining (un)changing gender relations;


• Support the ISSP Secretariat by managing day-to-day operations, organizing meetings and events, and preparing reports;


• Participate in activities related to the DReMSS programme, including delivering presentations at internal meetings;

See job description here

Your qualifications

a PhD in sociology, demography, economics, or another relevant social science discipline;

• strong research experience quantitative social research (focus on topics related to social stratification/social inequality with regard to gender) and knowledge on current challenges in survey methodology;


• advanced skills and experience of data management and statistical analysis of (large-scale) survey data using Stata and/or ;


• a good research and publication record relative to the career stage;


• professional attitude and conduct including organizational sensitivity, research integrity, pragmatism as well as excellent communication and organizational skills;


• collaborative attitude and teamwork orientation;


• fluency in English, spoken and written (C2 level); knowledge of French and/or German is an asset.

What the position offers you

A pleasant, multicultural, and diversified academic working environment, competitive remuneration and good international travel opportunities. We provide opportunities for continuing education, as well as a multitude of activities and other benefits to discover.

Contact for further information

In case of any questions regarding the position, please contact Prof. Stephanie Steinmetz (UNIL, E-Mail schreiben) or the Head of the FORS survey unit, Prof. Boris Wernli (E-Mail schreiben).

Your application

Please submit your application (in English) including

(1) Motivation letter;

(2) CV, listing the names of two referees;

(3) One journal article or manuscript that is relevant to the position

Job description

The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to two ongoing data collection projects. The primary focus will be on research and coordination tasks with the newly funded project ‘(Un)changing gender relations, family dynamics, and fertility in Switzerland from a comparative perspective (GenFam)’. This project will collect, for the first time in Switzerland, the Generation and Gender Survey. Its main objective is to examine key societal challenges related to increasing family diversity, unchanging gender relations, and declining fertility. In addition to the work on GenFam, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to support the secretariat of the International Social Survey programme (ISSP) in its daily operations. The ISSP ( https://issp.org/) collects annual surveys across over 40 countries worldwide on various social sciences topics. The postdoc is also expected to actively engage in the broader activities of ISSP, LIVES and FORS.

Additional information

Niveaux 1 à 12 :

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance.

unil.ch/equality
unil.ch/families

Niveaux 13 et + :

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance.

In order to increase the number of women in management positions, applications from women are particularly encouraged.

unil.ch/equality
unil.ch/families