Postdoctoral researcher position working on two survey projects on welfare and the future of work

The Employment Relations Research Centre (FAOS) at the Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen, invites applications for a fixed-term postdoctoral researcher position (2 years) starting on 1 September 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

This is a unique opportunity to join a research group that studies work and welfare in the digital age. Working alongside Associate Professor Anna Ilsøe, the post-doctoral researcher will be generating and analyzing survey data on non-standard work, social protection and social dialogue across several European countries. The surveys form part of two large international research projects conducted in collaboration with research groups in other European countries; TransEuroWorkS and Integrate-Dialogue.

Both research projects are led by Associate Professor Anna Ilsøe.

Job Description
TransEuroWorkS (Transforming European Work and Social Protection – A New Proactive Welfare State Fit for The Future World of Work) will provide novel, integrative understandings of how fundamental changes to the labour market and in a European context can be managed proactively through national and European Union (EU) level social protection policies. At the centre of this research are three structural labour market transformations, i.e., green transition and decarbonisation, technological change (automation and digitalization), and the internationalisation of the workforce (through intra-European mobility and immigration). The appointed post-doctoral researcher will have the opportunity to work on these key transformations and their socio-political and economic consequences with a special focus on non-standard workers and their access to social protection.

The TransEuroWorkS consortium consists of Leiden University, University of Geneva, University of Barcelona, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), University of Kent, University College Dublin, University of Copenhagen, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI), TU Delft, and Zabala Innovation.

Integrate-Dialogue (Integrating Diversity in Social Dialogue). The project aims to enhance the inclusiveness of social dialogue in the EU, United Kingdom and Norway, focusing on nonstandard workers (NSWs). It addresses the need for their effective representation in the evolving labour market, marked by digital and green transitions, to prevent an increase in inequality, in-work poverty, and social exclusion. The project proposes a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and comparative approach encompassing multiple countries, business models, various forms of NSWs, and social dialogue at different levels. The novelty of the initiative is to place NSWs needs, interests and motivations for representation and voice in the spotlight (bottom-up perspective). These findings will be matched by strategies, willingness, and distributional costs among social partners to include NSWs in social dialogue processes, and how this is played out in different Industrial Relations and employment regimes (top-down approach). To investigate barriers and facilitators for integrating NSWs into social dialogue, we combine a social science and legal approach.

The Integrate-Dialogue consortium consists of Fafo, University of Limerick, Universiteit van Amsterdam, University of Warwick, KU Leuven, Universitetet Oslo, Aarhus University, Tilburg University, University College London, University of Copenhagen, Bologna University, Milano University.

The post-doctoral researcher should undertake literature reviews, design surveys, collect survey data and analyze survey data, draft manuscripts for working papers and journal articles as well as organize and participate in seminars and conferences.

The post-doctoral researcher position is a full-time research position and does not involve any teaching obligations.

For further information, including more details on the TransEuroWorkS and Integrate-Dialogue projects, please contact Associate Professor Anna Ilsøe (ai@faos.dk).

Qualifications
Applicants should hold a PhD degree, or be close to defending it, within a social science discipline. Applicants should have obtained their PhD degree in 2017 or later. Applicants must (i) possess strong quantitative methods skills (ii) have experience with data collection via surveys and (iii) have excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Experience from international collaborative research projects is an advantage but not a requirement.
Experience with research in work and welfare studies is an advantage but not a requirement. Danish language skills are not required.

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences
The Department of Sociology is part of the Faculty of the Social Sciences. The faculty is a successful academic community that strives to put knowledge into action by:

• Engaging partners in the co-creation of knowledge, learning and social change.
• Empowering our students to become reflective and responsible citizens who have the vision, the knowledge, and the competences to change society for the better.
• Energizing global, European, and Danish communities of knowledge by innovating research methodologies and through research findings with impact.

For more on the Faculty strategy, see samf.ku.dk/fakultetet/strategi. You can read the Department’s strategy here: www.sociology.ku.dk/research/

Terms of Employment

• Further information on qualification requirements as postdoc can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities 2019 here: employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/dokumenter/Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf
• Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• The salary range starts at DKK 38.700 per month (approx. 5.100 EURO) + a 17.1 % contribution to the occupational pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here: employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: ism.ku.dk/

Contact information
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR South and City Campuses, e-mail: hr-soendre@adm.ku.dk , please refer to ID number: 211-2155/25-2I #2.

Additional information about the position can be obtained from Associate Professor Anna Ilsøe (ai@faos.dk).

Application
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word. 

Your application must be written in English and include the following documents:

• Appendix 1: Cover letter detailing (i) how the scientific qualifications of the applicant meet the requirements for this position and (ii) how the applicant considers contributing to the empirical studies of TransEuroWorkS and Integrate-Dialogue (max 2 pages in total).
• Appendix 2: A short proposal for a project plan for one of the two projects (no more than 2 pages). The preliminary project descriptions can be requested from ai@faos.dk.
• Appendix 3: Curriculum vitae.
• Appendix 4: A complete list of publications (including those accepted for publication).
• Appendix 5: Your one best publication in English (or chapter from your PhD dissertation) (max 30 PDF pages)
• Appendix 6: A copy of the doctoral certificate or letter signed by the promotor that a doctoral certificate is expected in due time.

The closing date for applications is 3 April 2025 at 23:59 [CEST)

Applications or enclosures received thereafter will not be considered.