Postdoc Position (3 Years)

SAFEDEM project: Do ordinary citizens defend democracy? Everyday acts of democratic resistance

The facts

Postdoctoral Research Associate (E 13 TV-L), full-time (100%)
Salary: roughly €5,340 gross per month, about €66,600 gross per year including the annual bonus (E 13 TV-L, pay scale from March 2027; most postdocs start at step 2 or 3, depending on prior professional experience)
Project: SAFEDEM, “Do Ordinary Citizens Defend Democracy? Everyday Acts of Democratic Resistance”
Chair of Comparative Politics, Institute of Political Science, University of Münster
Close collaboration with colleagues at the London School of Economics (LSE), in particular Mathias Poertner, including the option of a longer research stay at the LSE during the project
Start date: 1 April 2027
Duration: fixed term, three years
Application deadline: 6 November 2026, via the university’s online application platform (reference number 2026_09_22)

Your profile

University degree in political science or a related field (e.g. sociology, communication science, psychology, economics)
Completed PhD by the start of the appointment
Very good quantitative skills; R and survey or (field-)experimental designs are particularly welcome
Experience implementing survey or experimental research is a plus
Interest in democratic resilience, political behaviour, social norms, political psychology or comparative politics
Very good English. German is not required, but you should be willing to work with German-language materials for the field experiments
Independent, careful, well organised and collegial

I highly encourage you to apply even if you fear that your profile does not fit these points perfectly! Please don’t hesitate and “just” apply.

How to apply: send a cover letter (your motivation, skills and research interests), CV with list of publications, PhD diploma, contact details of two referees, and a writing sample. Apply by 6 November 2026 via the online application platform (official job advert). Questions: dan.bischof@uni-muenster.de

FAQ

How long is the contract?: Three years, fixed term, tied to the SAFEDEM project.
Do I need to hold a PhD before applying?: You need to have completed your PhD by the start date (1 April 2027). If you are still finishing, please apply anyway and say in your cover letter where you stand and when you expect to defend.
How flexible is the start date?: The planned start is 1 April 2027. If you need a different date, mention it in your application and we’ll discuss it.
What will I work on?: Two things. First, the SAFEDEM project: comparative surveys in Germany, France, the UK, the US and Poland, plus survey and field experiments on democratic norms, social norms and everyday democratic resistance. Second, your own research in comparative politics, political behaviour and democratic resilience. I care about your ideas and how they speak to the current literature.
Do I have to teach?: No. The position has no teaching obligation, so you can focus fully on research. If you would like to gain teaching experience, we can arrange that.
Do I need to speak German?: No. The project is international and we work in English. The field experiments run in Germany with German-language materials, so being willing to work with these helps, and the team will support you.
Will there be resources for my research?: Yes. The project provides generous funding for conferences, workshops, data collection and fieldwork.
I’m unsure if I perfectly match your profile description… So maybe I should not apply?: No. You definitely should apply. Nobody is perfect, nobody is “the” perfect fit for a job advert.
Münster is a very nice city but I’m more of a Cologne person… So…: I offer flexible working models, including working from home. Team-building and learning still work best in person, so you should be in Münster regularly. I myself live in Hamburg, and I’m sure we will find a way to make it work. :)
I care about mentoring. Would you be active as a mentor?: Yes. Mentoring is key to a successful career, especially as a postdoc. I’ve been active in mentoring programmes since my own postdoc in Zurich, and I enjoy engaging with colleagues’ ideas and helping them do their best work. You are welcome to contact my current postdocs and PhD students to hear what I’m like as a mentor.
What is the “writing sample”?: One of your papers or publications that represents your work and you as a scholar. In economics this is called a “job market paper”; I find that too restrictive, since many political science PhD students don’t write one.