About us
For its research department “Transformations of Democracy” and the research group “Waves of Regime Transformation” the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) is looking for
One or two Student Assistant(s) (ID 388)
on a temporary basis, from May 1, 2026 (date negotiable) until October 14, with a working load of 19 hours per week. The position can be divided into two positions (10 hours per week each).
The WZB Berlin Social Science Center is a publicly financed research institution that conducts leading edge theory-based and problem-oriented social science research (http://www.wzb.eu/en). WZB researchers come from across the globe and work across social science disciplines including sociology, political science, economics, law, and psychology. A member of the Leibniz Association, WZB’s research is directed at the science community, policy makers, the media and the general public.
The research unit “Transformations of Democracy” (Director: Prof. Daniel Ziblatt) analyses trends in democratization, the emergence of new challenges to democracy, as well as the changing understanding of democracies for citizens and political elites. We come up with novel and innovative means that help to cope with new pressures on democracy around the world.
The research group “Waves of Regime Transformation” (Head: Dr. Vanessa Boese-Schlosser) studies how and why democratic and authoritarian practices spread globally in wave-like patterns. We develop a multi-level framework to analyze regime transformations at the individual, national, regional, and global levels. Our interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach combines insights from evolutionary biology, political science, and computational social science.
Your tasks and duties
- Supporting researchers with tasks such as literature reviews, empirical data collection, statistical analysis, and editorial work (manuscripts, social media, and the department’s website)
- Communication with collaboration partners within and outside the WZB
- Proactively engage with the vibrant research environment of the unit and the WZB in general
We expect student assistants to work onsite in line with WZB regulations.
Your profile
Required qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s student in Social Sciences (f.e. Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology)
- Knowledge of R, Python or Stata (and willingness to work with R)
- Experience in quantitative text analysis
- Very good command of English and German
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with multiple team members on site
- A substantive interest in democratization and autocratization, as well as democratic institutions in Germany and beyond (either historically or contemporary)
Desired, but not necessary qualifications
- Ability and interest in doing historical case studies
- Successful participation in courses on quantitative research or applied statistics (or prior experiences in these fields)
- Experience in survey research, processing, and cleaning of large datasets
- Knowledge of Latex
Our offer
- Remuneration according to the TdL guidelines (currently €13.98 per hour without a Bachelor's degree and €14.59 per hour with a Bachelor's degree)
- A well-equipped workplace in the center of Berlin
- International, cooperative, and diversified working environment
- In-depth integration into the scientific community in the form of colloquiums and conferences
- Thorough instruction and guidance
- Flexible working hours and the possibility of mobile working (at least 20% of the weekly working hours agreed in the contract)
- We promote a good work-life balance
- Cafeteria with modern recreation rooms
- Discounted leisure and recreation opportunities with a membership in Sozialwerk.Bund
- Counselling and support services for WZB employees in difficult life situations
Your application
We value diversity and welcome all applications – irrespective of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation. WZB expressly encourages women or persons with migration backgrounds to apply. Equally qualified applicants with disabilities will be given preference.
Job interviews will likely take place in the week starting on March 23, 2026.
If you have any questions regarding the job opening, please contact Iryna Mazynska or Lina Hayek: application-dps[at]wzb.eu.
For more information about the research unit “Transformations of Democracy,” follow this link: wzb.eu/en/research/dynamics-of-political-systems/transformations-of-democracy.
For more information about research group “Waves of Regime Transformation”, follow this link: https://www.wzb.eu/en/research/dynamics-of-political-systems/waves-of-regime-transformation.
For more information about WZB, see www.wzb.eu.
Have we caught your interest? In that case, we are looking forward to receiving your application (consisting of a letter of motivation, curriculum vitae, transcript of records, copies of relevant certificates, and certificate of enrolment) via our online application tool by March 4, 2026.
