Lausanne
PhD Candidate in Political Science, specialising in Public Policy and Administration
- 15 November 2026
- 100%
- Lausanne
About the job
Introduction
A leading international teaching and research institution, UNIL has nearly 5,000 staff members and 17,000 students, distributed between the Dorigny campus and the CHUV and Epalinges sites. As an employer, it promotes excellence, recognition of individuals, and responsibility.
Presentation
To complement the Laboratory for the Analysis of Governance and Public Action in Europe (LAGAPE) of the Institute of Political Studies (IEP), the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences is seeking a PhD candidate in political science, specialising in public policy and/or public administration.
The successful candidate will join the team of the international research project "The Missing Link: How Public Administration Mediates the Impact of Citizen Participation and Integrated Policy Design on Trust in the Twin Transitions", funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) under the Weave programme and conducted in collaboration with Kozminski University (Warsaw) and the University of Antwerp (Belgium).
Position Information
Start date: 01.03.2027 (or to be agreed)
Contract duration: 1 year, renewable 3 times for 1 year each, maximum 4 years depending on funding
Work rate: 100%
Workplace: Lausanne-Dorigny, UNIL-Mouline
Salary: Salary scale
Your Activities
In your role, you will notably be expected to:
- Devote 80% of your work rate to completing a doctoral thesis under the supervision of Professor Martino Maggetti, within the framework of the project "The Missing Link: How Public Administration Mediates the Impact of Citizen Participation and Integrated Policy Design on Trust in the Twin Transitions", as well as to shared research activities within the project team (case studies of local initiatives in the fields of ecological and digital transition, surveys of administrative officials and citizens, vignette experiments, joint publications).
- Devote up to 20% of your work rate to supporting teaching (leading and supervising seminars, assisting with courses, invigilation, oral exams, and marking exams for other courses in the programme, etc.). Other minor institutional tasks may also be assigned.
- Job description: Terms of reference
Your Profile
We wish to recruit, to complete our team, a person with the following profile:
- University Master’s degree in political science, public administration, public policy, or an equivalent qualification;
- Proficiency in French and English; knowledge of German or other languages is an asset;
- Excellent command of social science research methods and processes (qualitative and/or quantitative); experience with case studies, questionnaire surveys, or experimental methods is an asset;
- Excellent knowledge of the field of public policy analysis and/or public administration; an interest in issues of trust, citizen participation, integrated policy design, or ecological and digital transition is an asset;
- Strong motivation to complete a doctoral thesis in the field of public policy and public administration;
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team, within an international project, and to manage research activities while meeting deadlines.
- Interest in a long-term academic career is an asset.
Your Benefits
A pleasant working environment in a multicultural and diverse academic setting.
Opportunities for continuing education, a multitude of activities, and other benefits to discover.
More information at unil.ch/travailler
For Further Information
Prof. Martino Maggetti (martino.maggetti@unil.ch)
Your Application
Application deadline: 18 December 2026
Please send us your complete application in PDF format. This file should include the following elements:
1) Cover letter;
2) Detailed CV with list of publications;
3) Official transcript and copies of university diplomas;
4) A copy of the master’s thesis and/or a research paper (seminar paper, conference paper, or other scientific publication);
5) A brief presentation of a thesis project (1 page) related to the project described below:
The Missing Link: How Public Administration Mediates the Impact of Citizen Participation and Integrated Policy Design on Trust in the Twin Transitions
Citizen participation and integrated public policy design are often presented as means to strengthen trust in ecological and digital transition policies (the "twin transitions"). In practice, their effects are uncertain and sometimes counterproductive. The project explores the "missing link" in this relationship: what happens within public administration. How do administrative officials use citizens’ contributions? Do administrative units collaborate or compete? How do trust and mistrust shape relationships between political-administrative actors and with citizens?
The project studies 24 local initiatives in the fields of ecological and digital transition in Switzerland, Belgium, and Poland, combining case studies, surveys of administrative officials and citizens, and vignette experiments. Lasting four years, it is funded by the SNSF, the NCN (Poland), and the FWO (Flanders) under the Weave programme, and led by Martino Maggetti (University of Lausanne), Dominika Latusek-Jurczak (Kozminski University), and Koen Verhoest (University of Antwerp). The thesis will focus on the Swiss part of the project, from a comparative perspective.
Only applications submitted via this site will be considered. We thank you for your understanding.
Interviews will take place in January 2027.
Remarks
UNIL is committed to:
• Equality, diversity, and inclusion within its community;
• Ensuring an open, respectful, and supportive environment;
• Offering working conditions favourable to balancing different spheres of life;
• Supporting the next generation of researchers.
