Student Research Assistants

Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH (WZB)

About us

For its Research Area ‘Markets and Choice’, the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) is looking for several 

Student Research Assistants (ID 350)

on a temporary basis, potentially from November 2025 for 10-20 hours per week, for a year with an option of extension.

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.

Two projects in behavioral experimental economics are looking for student assistants: Leibniz-Project LAB2 (lead by Dr. Levent Neyse) and DFG-Project ‘Mental Models and Discrimination’ (lead by Kai Barron, PhD).

Your tasks

Please note: The list of tasks and duties below reflects the range of activities involved in the positions we are looking to fill, pooled together. Your specific responsibilities will depend on your skillset and experience. For example, if you are a computer scientist with programming experience, but no background in science communication - or vice versa - we still encourage you to apply.

Your tasks and duties will be a subset of the following

• Collection, cleaning, and handling of various datasets for research purposes
• Performing statistical analysis, e.g., in Stata, R, Python, or similar programming languages
• Basic standard coding of survey experiments, e.g., using Qualtrics, Otree
• Data visualization
• Literature and dataset search
• Supporting administrative and project management activities, e.g., support in organizing and conducting workshops and conferences
• Supporting science communication activities, e.g., through websites, social media, and newsletters

Your qualifications profile

• You study Economics, Computer Science, Business Administration, or other Social Sciences with a strong quantitative focus at an advanced Bachelors or early Masters level at a Berlin university.
• You are interested in scientific research, especially in the field of behavioral and experimental economics, especially using econometric methods.
• You have very good English language proficiency.
• You have knowledge and experience in working with (large) datasets using statistical software like Stata, R, Python, and/or with coding in other standard languages (JavaScript, HTML, etc.) or are eager to learn it. 
• You have a good understanding of statistical analysis and concepts.
• It would be an extra, if you had experience or interest in learning to use AI-Assistants and LLMs for research purposes, e.g., Deep Research,
• As well as having experience or interest in learning to use AI-Assistants and LLMs for achieving productivity gains in general day-to-day work.

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.

If you have any questions regarding the job opening, please contact Babette Hagemann, the research manager for both projects (babette.hagemann[at]wzb.eu.)

For more information about the hiring research projects, see labsquare.net and https://sites.google.com/site/kaibarron/

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 via our online application tool by September 1, 2025.

Job interviews will likely take place between mid-September and mid-October (please indicate in your application if you are unavailable during a particular period in this interval).