Postdoctoral Researcher (QUANT/SURVEY)

About the project

The ERC Consolidator project (DIS)EMPOWER investigates “Automation and Worker (Dis)Empowerment: Mobilization, Bargaining, and Political Competition in Times of Technological Change.” The project analyzes when automation disempowers and when it empowers workers in the workplace, through organizing and collective bargaining, and in democratic politics across advanced knowledge economies. Theoretically, the project employs game theory. Empirically, it combines the quantitative analysis of surveys and administrative data with qualitative work (e.g., interviews). The PI’s research has been published in academic journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, or Journal of Politics.

About the role

IE University's School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs (SPEGA) seeks applicants for a four-year postdoctoral position (with option to extend by one year) in the ERC-funded project (DIS)EMPOWER led by Professor Michael Becher. The postdoctoral position is 100% focused on research. It offers a competitive remuneration package, resources for conference travel, and an enriching and cosmopolitan work environment in the heart of Madrid. Successful candidates will become members of the (DIS)EMPOWER project team and join the Political Science and International Relations group within IE SPEGA, which consists of 18 tenured and tenure-track scholars studying comparative politics, international relations, political economy, and political behavior.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on the implementation of the ERC Consolidator Project (DIS)EMPOWER and contribute to the preparation and publication of scientific articles.
• Conduct empirical research activities, with a primary focus on the project's empirical work packages.
• Design original cross-national surveys targeting workers, managers, and voters.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using appropriate empirical methods.
• Present research findings at academic conferences and contribute to the dissemination of project results.
• Develop independent research projects aligned with the candidate's own research agenda.

Qualifications

• PhD in political science, political economy, industrial relations, sociology or related field, or clear evidence that the PhD will be completed by the start of the position / July 2027.
• Candidates should seek to develop their academic career, be autonomous and productive team workers.
• Strong methodological skills, including demonstrated ability to analyze observational data to address social science questions.
• Experience in the design and analysis of surveys.
• Excellent analytical and communicating skills.
• Working language is English.

Preferred assets

• Experience in programming surveys in Qualtrics or Python.
• Fluency in another language relevant for the project (French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Swedish).