Research Fellow (65%)

The German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA, www.giga-hamburg.de) seeks to appoint a Research Fellow (65%).

Applications are invited for a 65% position, with a contract of 2.5 years, preferably starting on 1 May 2023.

The position is designed for further professional qualification as defined in § 2 WissZeitVG (Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act). The salary is commensurate with TV-AVH / TVöD EG 13. 

The successful candidate will work in the project Targeting: How the USA and EU Use Individual Sanctions (INSA), funded by the German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF). 

Individual sanctions have become a commonly used foreign policy instrument with which Western powers confront challenges to international peace and security. The project will systematically analyse and compare the sanctions listing decisions – in respect to individuals and entities – of the USA and the EU as the main bilateral global sanction senders. The project will apply a multimethod research design that complements rigorous quantitative analysis with an investigation of decision-makers’ considerations. The main focus of the advertised position is using computational text analysis of US and EU individual sanctions lists to construct and analyse a database of listed individuals and entities. 

Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the further development of the project and use computational text analysis as well as other advanced statistical techniques to investigate the selection/listings of individuals and entities as sanction targets by the USA and the EU.
• (Co-)author manuscripts for submission to high-ranking scholarly journals.
• Participate in fieldwork at the European Union headquarters in Brussels.
• Participate in the GIGA Research Programme “Peace and Security” and one of the GIGA’s regional institutes. 

Your qualifications:

• A very good university degree (master’s or equivalent) or advanced studies (employment can start only after degree is completed) in data science and/or social sciences (political science, international relations, economics, or related disciplines).
• Sound quantitative methodological skills, including advanced statistical skills, preferably regarding computational text analysis in handling unstructured text and “big data.”
• Knowledge of or keen interest in the topic of sanctions and individual sanctions.
• Strong command of spoken and written English; German-language skills are not a prerequisite.

The GIGA strongly encourages concurrent work on a doctoral degree. The Research Fellow would become a member of the GIGA Doctoral Programme. 

Other part-time options will be considered, if so desired by the successful candidate. We strongly welcome international applications. Diversity and the reconciliation of work and family life are of great importance to the institute. The GIGA promotes the equality of all genders. Additionally, we actively encourage applications from persons with disabilities. 

Please fill out the application form, by clicking the 'Apply' button and send it together with your full application (Ref.-No. GIGA-23-03), including relevant supporting documentation (a cover/motivation letter including methodological expertise (2 pages max.), CV including list of publications and contact details of two potential referees, copies of degree certificate(s), as one PDF file (except for the completed GIGA application form) to: 

German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)

IAA Secretariat

Neuer Jungfernstieg 21, 20354 Hamburg, Germany

E-mail: jobs-iaa@giga-hamburg.de (e-mail applications are particularly welcome). 

Screening of applications will begin on 7 March 2023.

For further information, please visit the GIGA homepage (www.giga-hamburg.de) or contact the principal investigator Dr. Christian von Soest (e-mail: christian.vonsoest@giga-hamburg.de)

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