Postdoctoral researcher position in Political Science in the research group led by Prof. PhD Hannah Smidt (m/f/d)
Your tasks
- Developing and implementing digital field experiments on Facebook.
- Developing and implementing research on the topic of popular opposition to international peace operations and peacebuilding interventions.
- Producing high-quality, peer-reviewed research articles independently and together with the Principal Investigator Prof. Hannah Smidt.
- Working independently as well as jointly in a multinational, dynamic, and motivated research team.
- Traveling to conferences and workshop to present the research outputs of the project.
What we offer
- Fixed term employment at the School of Economic and Political Science at University of St.Gallen for 3 years.
- A competitive gross annual salary in accordance with cantonal guidelines (starting at CHF 74'000 depending on the date of the PhD degree and post-PhD experience, for 75% employment level).
- Possibility to collaborate in scientific publications of the project.
- Possibility of teaching in the department (paid additionally and depending on departmental teaching needs).
- Support for career development and planning, targeted to early-career researchers.
- Excellent working conditions in a leading research-oriented and international department that provides a constructive and collaborative working environment.
- A travel budget for conference and short research stays in Switzerland and abroad to expand network.
Your profile
- PhD in a social science discipline (completed or close to completion), including, for example, political science, peace and conflict studies, economics, econometrics, research methods, sociology or psychology.
- Strong skills in quantitative methods and methodologies and strong skills in R. Skills in other computer languages (e.g., Python), practical and theoretical knowledge on large language models, and experience with experimental research are desirable.
- Profound interest in the causes and consequences of popular opposition to international political authority including international peace operations.
- Excellent command of English. Good working knowledge of French, Albanian and/or Serbian is an asset.
- Ambition and ability to produce high-quality research, both independently and in a team.
Project
The project aims to explain (i) why ordinary people in conflict-affected countries oppose UN peace operations and (ii) what the consequences of this opposition are for the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Existing research suggests that citizens' attitudes toward a peace mission depend on the mission's activities. Yet, in practice, citizens rarely gain first-hand experience with the activities of the mission in their country. To solve this puzzle, this project draws on global governance research, which examines elite communications' effects on public opinion toward international organizations. Empirically, the project collects a new events dataset on mass protest targeting UN peace missions globally (1998-2025), using generative large language models. Methodologically, it combines statistical cross-national analysis and digital field experiments in Kosovo and the Central African Republic (CAR)
Application Material
- A short cover letter explaining your motivation, your fit with the requirements, your independent research agenda in the next five years, your research agenda within the project (max. 2 pages)
- A writing sample (for example, a published article, an article manuscript, or a chapter of your PhD thesis)
- A CV
- BA/BSc, MA/MSc and PhD degrees and transcripts
Further instructions and timeline
All application material should be submitted as one single file. Please do not hesitate to contact Prof. PhD Hannah Smidt (Hannah.smidt@unisg.ch) for details about the position.
Hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Suitable candidate are invited for interview. The interview is either in-person at University of St.Gallen or online via MS Teams / Zoom.
The earliest start date of the PhD position is 1st January 2026. Later start dates are equally possible.
The University of St.Gallen is an international research university in Switzerland. Students and faculty at the School of Economics and Political Science produce internationally excellent and practice-relevant research, which also thrives on interdisciplinary cooperation. As one of Europe's leading places of education in economics and business administration, the University of St.Gallen is home to over 9500 students from 95 countries. St.Gallen is a medium-sized town with a vibrant and diverse cultural scene. It is located about one hour from Zurich and about half an hour from Lake Constance by public transportation.
Inspirational Work Environment
Executive Education
Network
Family & Career
Equal Opportunities
Fit and Healthy
Inspirational Work Environment
At the HSG, as Europe's leading business university, we operate in an entrepreneurial environment where you will meet highly qualified, ambitious experts - both regionally and internationally. For example, you benefit from a modern IT infrastructure and, in our library via HSGswisscovery, from nationwide access to the wealth of scientific information available.
Executive Education
We support internal and external executive education opportunities. Our internal executive education programme offers you a practical, dedicated and didactically mature transfer of knowledge in the form of seminars, e-learning, coaching and collegial advice. We support task-specific external training and executive education financially as well as with regard to the time required.
Network
We promote our culture of cross-functional collaboration and create space for forging valuable relationships - also with external partners. Regular exchanges and internal events help to strengthen these relationships and make them long-lasting.
Family & Career
We provide our employees with flexible work time models with a variable number of hours per week. As a family-friendly employer, we offer part-time positions, 16 weeks of maternity leave and a subsidised crèche, as well as support with childcare during the vacations.
Equal Opportunities
The University enables equal opportunities for all employees and students. This applies to degree courses and work, as well as academic careers, university management positions and the reconciliation of studies, work and private commitments. We are committed to this with various measures in the areas of teaching, research, administration and the Presidency.
Fit and Healthy
We help you stay fit and healthy. In addition to our diverse range of sports activities at the university, most of which are free of charge, and campaign weeks for corporate health management, we also offer you fruit in the workplace. In our canteen you will find a wide selection of freshly prepared meals - from vegetarian to fish dishes - at discounted prices.
Further information on working at the HSG can be found here.
For job-related questions
Assistant Professor in Political Science - International Organisation and Governance
We are looking forward to *receiving* your application.
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Your place of work
University of St.Gallen
«A place where knowledge is created» - As one of Europe's leading universities of economics and business administration, the University of St.Gallen (HSG), Switzerland, is committed to the education of over 9800 students. The HSG is one of the largest employers in the region and provides an attractive and innovative environment for more than 3300 researchers, educators and professional staff.
