University Assistant postdoctoral Universität Wien

Job description:

The University of Vienna is a community of almost 11,000 individuals, including approximately 7,700 academic staff members, who passionately pursue answers to the profound questions that shape our future. Fueled by curiosity and a deep sense of duty, they contribute invaluable insights to research and teaching, enriching our society. Are you inspired and driven by the desire to make a meaningful impact? We are currently seeking a/an

University Assistant postdoctoral

There are many good reasons to want to research and teach at the University of Vienna. And one is why around 7,700 academic staff members before you have chosen this university. They see themselves as personalities who need leeway for continuous aspirations, international cutting-edge research and scientific excellence. And at the same time, they enjoy freedoms and services that are not a matter of course at other institutions. Would you like to do the same? Welcome to our team! 

Your scope of work:

The Department of Sociology, a subunit of the Faculty of Social Sciences, combines sociological research and teaching at the University of Vienna. Its history is shaped by the tradition of Viennese sociology, which is oriented towards social problems and condenses empirical studies into social diagnoses and sociological theories. 
The Department of Sociology is seeking to fill a post as a university assistant (post-doctoral position for 6 years, full-time, non-tenure track), preferably with effect from 1 November 2026. You will work in the field of general sociology and will have the opportunity to conduct research and teach within an interdisciplinary and internationally networked team, whilst further developing your own research profile.

Your future tasks:

You will be actively involved in research, teaching and administration, which means:

• You are an active member of the ‘General Sociology’ research team (led by Professor Anna Wanka).
• You will further develop your independent research profile in one of the following areas: transition research, class transitions, social inequality, theories of practice and subjectivation, chrononormativity, and care within the education system.
• You will contribute to research projects and academic studies in the field of empirical social research, combining different types of data (narrative and linguistic data, observational data and field notes, autobiographical documents and artefacts) and applying your expertise to mixed-methods projects.
• You will publish in renowned academic journals and present your research internationally.
• You will independently deliver courses (BA and MA) in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement.
• You will contribute to evaluation measures and quality assurance.
• You will undertake administrative tasks in research and teaching.

This is part of your personality:

• Completed doctoral/PhD studies in sociology, educational science or a related discipline.
• Outstanding dissertation in the field of transition research with a focus on youth / young adulthood, education system / higher education, social inequality / social mobility, educational inequality / educational mobility (esp. First-generation academics).
• Excellent professional skills and an interest in working in the field of care and caring relationships within the education system.
• Extensive expertise in the field of reconstructive methods, in particular biographical-narrative interview conducting and evaluation as well as (auto-)biographical text analysis; experience with the combination of multi-method approaches as well as with cooperation in mixed-methods projects.
• Sound theoretical knowledge of practical and subjectivation theoretical approaches (Bourdieu, Butler).
• Outstanding achievements in the form of international publications in peer-relevant media, experience in the editing of anthologies and special issues.
• Experience in / Collaboration in the Acquisition of Third-Party Funding.
• Teaching experience in the field of social inequality / social class and intersectionality, qualitative survey and evaluation methods.
• Experience in interdisciplinary and international teams.
• Experience in the conception, planning and implementation of scientific events in a national and international context.
• Experience with science communication and "third mission" (e.g. podcasts, social media).
• Excellent knowledge of German and English (C1).
• Team player with high social/communicative competence.

What we offer:

Work-life balance: You have flexible working hours and can also work remotely. 
Inspiring working atmosphere: You will be part of an international research team in a healthy and fair working environment. 
Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the centre of Vienna is easily accessible by public transport. 
Internal training and coaching: We offer you the opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. 
Fixed-term contract and fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 5,014.30 (14 x per year) for a period of 6 years increases if we can credit professional experience. 
Equal opportunities for all: We are happy about every additional personality in the team! 

It is that easy to apply:

Please submit a single PDF document labeled " Surname_ First name.pdf" with the following contents in German or English:

• Cover page and table of contents.
• Your letter of application, including a brief description of your motivation for applying for this position, your current research interests, and your research plans for the near future.
• Your academic CV, including information about: educational career, academic degrees and relevant work experience.
• Your complete list of publications with preceding and highlighting the five most important publications.
• Your list of talks at international conferences.
• List of third-party funded projects acquired as project manager (role, topic, duration, funding body, funding volume) (if available).
• List of courses held and supervised theses.
• Teaching assessments (if available).
• Notification of completed doctoral studies/PhD studies.
• Contact addresses of possible referees.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Anna Wanka  

anna.wanka@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

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​Application deadline: 09/30/2026 

Apply now