The German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) / Leibniz-Institut für Globale und
Regionale Studien is an independent Social Science research institute based in Hamburg. It analyses political, social, and economic developments in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to address questions of local and global significance. It combines region-specific analysis with innovative comparative research on accountability and participation, globalisation and development, peace and security, and global order and foreign policies. The GIGA seeks to appoint a
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Applications are invited for a full-time position, with a contract of 3 years, starting as soon as possible. The position is designed for further professional qualification as defined in § 2 WissZeitVG (Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act). The salary is commensurate with EG 13TV-AVH / TVöD.
The successful candidate will work in the project Transfer for Transformation (T4T) under the lead of Prof. Amrita Narlikar. T4T is funded via a grant won in a competition of the Leibniz Association and is a generator of transfer innovation. Knowledge Exchange is a priority at the GIGA. We continuously engage with key target audiences – including the Federal Foreign Office – and have developed a range of outreach formats. Topics covered by T4T are complex global transformations that will shape future global order, including digitalisation in international relations. We work with a focus on the Global South and seek to bring perspectives from the regions to the forefront in academic and public debate. T4T is conceived of as an application lab. It will develop new transfer concepts and put them to practice. T4T will also advance the scholarship on the subject by analysing under what conditions, some forms of transfer are more impactful than others.
The T4T Postdoctoral Research Fellow will be expected to contribute to intellectual debates on communication, narratives, and exchanges between academia and policy, with an eye to bridging the gap between research in political science and economics on the one hand and policy-making in these areas on the other. The Fellow will have an established expertise in the science – policy interface. An interest in the relationship between digitalisation and impact would be welcome. A key goal of the project is to better understand why certain types of knowledge transfer activities produce greater impact than others, particularly in the areas of foreign, development, and security policy.
Tasks will include:
- collaborate with the T4T PI and team to produce research articles and policy briefs. A specialism in the field of digitalisation in the Global South will be an asset.
- develop and conduct surveys and case studies on the impact of knowledge transfer in foreign, development, and security policy
- participate in exchange with the FFO, esp. on digital diplomacy (see also DigiTraL https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/research-and-transfer/projects/digitral)
- contribute to the further development of project-related transfer activities (e.g., setting up and maintenance of a T4T blog), and
- carry out administrative activities (up to 25%), including for instance the documentation of transfer activities of theT4T project.
Mandatory qualifications:
- outstanding doctorate in Political Science / International Relations.
- excellent academic record on related research topics
- proven writing skills with range of target audiences
- proven methodological proficiency (survey methods skills will be an advantage)
- English language proficiency
- strong administrative skills
Desired qualifications:
- experience in knowledge transfer activities, including social media & blogs
- policy orientation
- German language proficiency and other research-relevant languages are a plus.
Part-time options will be considered, if so desired by the successful candidate. Diversity and the reconciliation of work and family life are of great importance to the institute. The GIGA promotes the equality of all genders.
Please fill out the GIGA application form on our job site (please click Apply).
and send it with your full application (Ref.-No. GIGA-22-09) including relevant supporting documentation (motivation letter, CV, credentials/diplomas/certificates, list of publications, two work samples) as one document (except for the completed GIGA application form) to:
Sofiia Sehin, German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA),
Neuer Jungfernstieg 21, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
Email: [email protected] (email applications are particularly welcome).
Screening of applications will begin on 15 August 2022. Short-listed candidates will be asked to provide two letters of recommendation.
For further information, please visit the GIGA homepage (www.giga-hamburg.de) or contact Julia Kramer (email: [email protected]).