University assistant (predoctoral) at the Department of Political Science Universität Wien

Job description:

At the University of Vienna almost 11,000 personalities work together towards answering the big questions of the future. Around 7,700  of them do research and teaching, around 3,000 work in administration and organisation. We are looking for a

University assistant (predoctoral) at the Department of Political Science

The announcement is made for four years, whereby the employment relationship is initially limited to 1.5 years and is automatically extended to a total of four years, unless the employer submits a declaration of non-renewal after a maximum of 12 months.

Your future workplace:

Your future place is at the Department of Political Science, in the research areas Comparative Politics and Migration.

The Department of Political Science, a subunit of the Faculty of Social Sciences, addresses all major fields of political science. It is dedicated to innovative and problem-oriented research and provides students with a wide range of specialisations. Members of the Department study the transformation of governance, statehood and democracy across different policy areas, geographical regions and political areas.

As a predoctoral university assistant, you will work at the intersection of Comparative Political Science (Univ. Prof. Bohle) and International Migration and Mobility (Ass. Prof. Hadj Abdou). We are particularly interested in questions of political economy as they relate to international migration and mobility. Thus, your work may focus on policy regimes, policies, instruments, mechanisms, and practices, as well as different actors in the realm of labor migration and the labor market integration of immigrant groups. The (ethical) recruitment, retention, and inclusion of so-called international talent fall within the scope of possible topics, as do various aspects of exclusion and marginalization. The regional focus of the research is not limited to any particular region or level; it can cover different countries and regions of origin as well as destination regions/countries (including Austria) as well as various levels (global, regional, national, subnational).

Your future tasks:

You will actively participate in research, teaching, and administration in the research areas Comparative Politics and Migration, which means:

• You will work on your political science dissertation in the field of labor migration
• We expect you to finalize your dissertation agreement within 12–18 months
• Participation in research projects and scholarly studies
• Contribution to publications and presentations
• Participation in project proposals and the acquisition of external funding
• Supervision of students
• You will independently teach courses in accordance with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement
• Participation in the organisation of meetings, conferences, symposia
• Participation in the department administration as well as in teaching and research administration

Requirements:

• A completed master’s or diploma degree in political science or a related field, ideally with a specialization in migration, political economy, or labor
• Expertise in the field of international migration
• Proven experience in academic writing and qualitative research methods, proficiency in quantitative methods is a plus
• Applied computer skills
• Excellent English skills (C1) / knowledge of another foreign language (C1) if relevant to the dissertation topic
• You are a team player with strong social and communication skills
• The following criteria are desirable:
  • Teaching experience / experience with e-learning
  • Experience of living abroad
  • Knowledge of university processes and structures
  • Command of German

What we offer:

Work-life balance: You have flexible working hours and can partially work remotely. 

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team with excellent research infrastructure.

Good public transport connections: Your new workplace is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & Coaching: We continually offer you the opportunity to expand and deepen your skills. Choose from a selection of over 600 free workshops each year.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 3.836,10 (on a full-time basis) increases if we can credit professional experience.

Get off to a great start in your new job: the Welcome Compass helps you settle into your new role at the University of Vienna and life in Vienna.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every new personality to the team!

Requested application material:

• Letter of motivation, explaining how you would contribute to the Department of Political Science and strengthen research on migration and labor at the department
• Resume, including a list of publications (if applicable)
• Dissertation proposal (max. 4 pages, plus a maximum of one separate page for the bibliography), including a 1,000-character abstract at the beginning. The proposal must clearly articulate the connection to the topics of migration and labor, the relevance of the specific topic, and the expected contribution to political science, as well as the analytical methodology and approach, including research-guiding assumptions or hypotheses
• Proof of completion of a master’s or diploma degree
• Contact information for a reference
• Via our job portal / Apply now-button

If you have any content questions, please contact:

Univ. Prof. Dorothee Bohle

dorothee.bohle@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.

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Application deadline: 11/30/2026 

Apply now