Offer Description
Job position
1 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER (R1)
The project ‘Who Counts? Incorporating a ‘missing minority’ to re-examine the profile, drivers and depth of poverty across Europe’ is a 5-year project funded by the European Research Council. WHOCOUNTS aims to improve understanding of the nature and prevalence of poverty across Europe. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with the PI (Dr Daniel Edmiston) and the postdoctoral research team to collect and analyse data on those currently ‘missing’ from income surveys used to construct official statistics on poverty and disadvantage. Specifically, the research assistant will:
* Contribute towards the development of new datasets on the living standards of the non-private-household population across selected European countries.
* Undertake data imputation to improve the accuracy of poverty estimates and better understand the changing extent, profile and depth of poverty.
* Contribute towards data imputation activities to improve the accuracy of poverty estimates.
* Draw on adjusted and unadjusted datasets to conduct fuzzy (set) qualitative comparative analysis and modelling to examine poverty determinants.
* Identify conceptual, methodological and policy lessons emerging from empirical analysis.
* Collaborate with the rest of the project team on research and dissemination activities.
* Co-author research outputs and present at academic events (domestic and international).
* Carry out any additional academic or administrative duties associated with the project, including liaison with the international advisory board.
The project will be carried out at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) – the top University in Spain according to the QS World Rankings 2023 – which offers excellent facilities and opportunities for career development. You will be based in the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology and affiliated to the Institute of Government and Public Policy (IGOP).
The successful candidate will preferably start between December 2025 and January 2026 depending on their availability and residency status. The post is available for 1 year with the option of extension. The successful post-holder will benefit from an excellent research environment. A dedicated training budget is also available to support the professional development of post-holder.
Job position requirements (skills/languages/required experience)
* Hold a PhD in a relevant field (such as Social Policy, Demography, Sociology, Political Science or a related discipline within the Social Sciences) by the start date of the post. (E)
* Knowledge and experience of applying (advanced) quantitative methods in social science research, drawing on statistical programmes such as STATA, R and SPSS. (E)
* Demonstratable research autonomy and leadership through high-quality, independent academic research. (E)
* Track record of contributing towards live debates within poverty analysis, housing studies and/or comparative social policy. (E)
* Familiarity and experience with cross-national datasets such as EU-SILC and LIS. (D)
* Familiarity with live debates surrounding the measurement of poverty and living standards. (D)
* Strong track record of producing academic articles for publication in high-impact journals. (D)
* Ability to work independently, use your initiative and collaborate effectively as part of a larger project team. (E)
* Excellent organisation and time-management skills to be able to complete tasks in a timely manner. (E)
* Excellent written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills. (E)
Gross salary €38.000 and social security.
Eligibility criteria
Out of 100 points
* Academic record – 30 points
Doctorate in Social Policy, Demography, Sociology, Political Science or a related discipline within the Social Sciences. (30)
* Relevant research experience – 25 points
Demonstratable research autonomy and leadership through high-quality, independent academic research. And familiarity and experience with cross-national datasets such as EU-SILC and LIS. (25)
* Languages – 10 points
English B2 (5), English C1 or higher (10)
* IT Skills – 10 points
Advanced knowledge of applying quantitative methods in social sciences, based on statistical programs such as STATA, R and SPSS (10)
Selection process
* 1st phase – Assessment of applications
* 2nd phase - Interview (Only candidates who exceed 65 points in the 1st Phase)
Programme
ERC-2022-STG-101077363-WHOCOUNTS
Note Any application that is not submitted in this way will not be included in the selection process.
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