Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 15,500 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV, and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition, and responsibility. The University of Lausanne is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Qualified women and candidates with a migration history are encouraged to apply.

Presentation

Are you passionate about bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and policy in education, development, and learning? Do you have expertise in quantitative research methods, such as survey analysis, and a talent for synthesizing complex findings into clear, impactful insights? If so, we invite you to apply for the Postdoctoral researcher position in our team. In this role, you will contribute to transformative research, play a key role in disseminating evidence to diverse audiences, and collaborate with interdisciplinary experts, all while developing your career in a supportive and innovative environment. Proficiency in English is required, and knowledge of German and/or French is an asset.
The Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) wishes to expand its team by recruting a :
Postdoctoral researcher position (80%)

The Postdoctoral researcher will become a member of the LEARN consortium and will work with Prof. Laura Bernardi in collaboration with her partner team, Prof. Moritz Daum and Dr. Doris Hanappi at the Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development at the University of Zurich.

Job information

Expected start date: November 1st, 2024.
Contract length: 2 years
Salary: Yearly gross salary: Depending on experience, minimum starting salary is CHF 82'952.- (100%) in the 1st year
Activity Rate: 80%
Workplace: Quartier de la Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Your responsibilities

The Postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for the following:

• Collaboration in the development of the deliverables of the Policy and Impact on Education Work Package of the project
• Producing white papers and policy briefs synthesizing the results of education research coming out of the LEARN project
• Reporting results at impact events and dissemination activities
• Contribute to the redaction of the periodical reports regarding the University of Lausanne and assisting with other administrative tasks and project management related to the EU LEARN project
• Contribute to administrative and project work of the research international consortium

Your qualifications

We are looking for candidates with a doctoral degree in the social sciences (sociology, demography, psychology or related disciplines). Exceptional candidates expected to obtain their doctoral degree by September 2023 will be considered, but preference will be given to candidates who have already completed their doctorate.

• Ph D in Sociology or a related discipline, with demonstrated relevant expertise in the area of the project.
• Theoretical and methodological expertise and genuine interest in research on educational inequalities.
• Proven knowledge of the Swiss education policy landscape.
• A track record appropriate to the stage of their career.
• Excellent skills in synthesizing scientific outputs and products.
• Independent thinking, initiative, and a hands-on mentality.
• A professional attitude and conduct that includes organizational sensitivity, research integrity, pragmatism, as well as excellent communication and organizational skills.
• A collaborative attitude and teamwork orientation (in presence and remote);
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken (C2 level), is required. Proficiency in French and German is an asset.

What the position offers you

A pleasant, multicultural, and diversified academic working environment, competitive remuneration and good international travel opportunities. We provide opportunities for continuing education, as well as many activities and other benefits to discover.

Contact for further information

Further information may be obtained from laura.bernardi@unil.ch.

Your application

Applications should include the following materials:

1) a motivation letter stating your qualifications, fit to the project and reasons for interest in the position;
2) Curriculum Vitae including copies of certificates (all in one PDF file);
3) one writing sample (Ph D thesis and/or peer-reviewed publications),
4) the names and contact details of two referees.

Applications should be submitted by October 1st, 2024.

Job description

The LEARN project is a 3-year Horizon Europe project. It investigates educational inequalities. It collates existing evidence and generates new knowledge based on high-quality longitudinal data, and it formulates practical, evidence-based guidance to allow policymakers across Europe to address them. To this end, LEARN will use an innovative educational transition perspective, which can be applied comparatively to different national education systems and is also sensitive to the main arenas of inequality production in these systems, to examine the emergence and development of inequalities throughout educational careers in each of the nine case study countries: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The LEARN project brings together a broad range of social sciences (e.g., sociology, demography, psychology, education sciences, economics, social policy) and scholars in several leading international institutions: Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), University College Dublin (UCD) Ireland, Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (NEPS), University of Helsinki (UH), University of Turku (UTU) Finland, University College London (UCL) UK, University of Trento (UTR), European University Institute (EUI), Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB), University of Tallinn (TLU), University of Maastricht (UMA), University of Zurich (UZH) and University of Lausanne (UNIL)

See full job description (in French)

Additional information

UNIL is committed to equal opportunities and diversity.
www.unil.ch/egalite
UNIL supports early career researchers.
www.unil.ch/graduatecampus