Alternative position: 2 project staff members pre-doc or 1 project staff member post doc

At the Institute for Organization Design (Department of Strategy & Innovation), we focus on strategic management (particularly strategic leadership and corporate governance), organizational change, and organization design. Our research is conducted in cooperation with a well-established network of international scholars (e.g., Wharton, Rice, Rotterdam, ESADE, Bocconi). We seek highly motivated, proactive, and productive researchers to contribute to our research areas and third-party-funded projects.

About the role

Starting as soon as possible, positions are available for both Pre-Doc (30 hours/week) and Post-Doc (40 hours/week) researchers, limited until August 31, 2030.

Responsibilities

Pre-Doc

• Conduct research: Independently plan and carry out high-quality, practice-relevant research in Strategic Leadership and/or Corporate Governance within third-party-funded projects.
• Write your dissertation: Dedicate one third of your working time to your doctoral dissertation, forming the basis for manuscripts submitted to international academic journals.
• Complete doctoral training: Enroll in WU’s doctoral program and complete required courses.
• Engage in international research exchange: Present and discuss research at international conferences (e.g., Academy of Management Annual Meeting) and the Institute’s PhD seminar.
• Collaborate with leading international scholars: Work with renowned academics to build your international research network.
• Gain teaching experience: Design and teach your own course, particularly capstone projects with corporate partners (listed companies and hidden champions).
• Support students: Advise students and co-supervise bachelor’s and master’s theses.
• Collaborate with companies: Work with leading national and international companies in research and teaching.
• Increase the impact of your research: Organize practitioner events and communicate findings to academic, professional, and public audiences.
• Contribute to Institute activities: Assume responsibility for administrative and organizational tasks related to research, teaching, and academic self-governance.
• Pursue professional development: Access subject-specific training to strengthen research and teaching skills.

Post-Doc

• Build your publication record: Play a central role in third-party-funded research projects and develop high-quality academic papers in collaboration with senior faculty, aiming for publication in leading international peer-reviewed journals.
• Advance your research profile: Receive active support for academic and professional development.
• Lead research projects: Take responsibility for managing third-party-funded projects, including stakeholder management and coordination.
• Expand your international research network: Connect with leading international scholars and present your work at international conferences.
• Shape a collaborative research environment: Present and discuss your work in the Institute’s research seminars, contribute to its intellectual community, and mentor doctoral candidates.
• Collaborate with industry partners: Work with leading national and international companies in research and teaching.
• Increase the impact of your research: Organize practitioner events and communicate research findings to academic, professional, and public audiences.
• Teach and supervise students: Develop and deliver courses, particularly capstone projects with corporate partners (international listed companies and hidden champions), and supervise student theses.

Requirements

Pre-Doc

• Academic degree: Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration (preferably) or a related field, qualifying you for admission to WU’s doctoral program.
• Subject expertise: Strong academic background in Strategic Management, particularly Corporate Governance (Boards of directors) and/or Strategic Leadership (Top management teams).
• Methodological skills: Experience in quantitative empirical research and statistical or econometric analysis using Stata or R, and/or natural language processing using Python or R.
• Commitment to academic research: Strong motivation to pursue a doctoral dissertation and contribute to publications in leading international journals in Strategic Management.
• Key competencies: Excellent analytical, communication, presentation, and organizational skills; highly motivated team player willing to take responsibility.
• Language skills: Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of German is an advantage.
• Interest in teaching: Motivation to develop teaching skills, potential to excel in teaching, and willingness to use multimedia and digital teaching formats.

Post-Doc

• Academic degree: Completed (or nearly completed) outstanding PhD in Business Administration (preferably) or a related field, with strong conceptual and quantitative methodological training.
• Subject expertise: Strong academic background in Strategic Management, particularly Strategic Leadership and/or Corporate Governance, demonstrated by doctoral research, working papers, or publications.
• Methodological skills: Strong expertise in quantitative empirical research and statistical or econometric analysis using Stata or R, and/or natural language processing using Python or R.
• Commitment to academic research: Strong commitment to publishing in leading international journals in Strategic Management and contributing to the Institute’s research agenda.
• Key competencies: Excellent analytical, communication, presentation, and organizational skills; highly motivated team player with strong stakeholder management skills.
• Project management skills: Experience in independently leading and developing research or collaborative projects; high degree of initiative, strategic thinking, and implementation focus.
• Impact orientation: Strong interest in collaborating with companies and conducting practice-relevant research.
• Language skills: Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of German is an advantage.
• Teaching experience: Experience teaching at the undergraduate level in English and/or German; experience with or willingness to develop skills in multimedia and digital teaching formats.

Benefits

• Six weeks of vacation/extra vacation time.
• Flexible working hours.
• Training opportunities.
• A wide range of benefits, including an in-house medical officer, athletic activities, meal allowance, and employee discounts.
• Meaningful work in an open-minded, inclusive, and family-friendly environment.
• A modern campus with spectacular architecture in the heart of Vienna.
• Inspiring campus life with over 2,400 employees and approximately 21,500 students.
• Excellent accessibility by public transportation.

Pay

The minimum monthly gross salary is €2,832.08 (for Pre-Docs) and €5,014.30 (for Post-Docs), paid 14 times per year. Salaries may be adjusted based on prior work experience. A wide range of attractive social benefits is also offered.

Application deadline: September 02, 2026.