Postdoctoral Research Position

(fulltime, E 13 TV-L)

Reference no.: 2025/239.

Applications are invited for a 3-year postdoctoral research position as part of the project “Re-Just – Rectification for International Historical Injustice” led by Aurélia Bardon, Urs Fischbacher, and Dirk Leuffen. The project is part of the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” (https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/en/inequality/).

The position is available as of April 1st, 2026. Re-Just is an interdisciplinary research project. It is divided into 4 work packages (WPs): (1) normative analysis, (2) lab experiments, (3) survey experiments, and (4) case studies. The successful candidate will be primarily involved in WP3: they will conduct survey experiments in different countries to analyze public opinion about rectificatory justice. The objective of WP3 is to understand when people feel a responsibility to rectify historical injustice committed in the past by their own group, and which rectificatory policies they might support. The survey experiments will examine the effects of temporal distance to wrongdoing, the type of injustice, and the respondent’s relationship to the perpetrator of injustice. The successful candidate is also expected to engage with the other WPs. This holds in particular with respect to WP4, but there is also an opportunity to contribute to WP1 if the successful candidate has experience in normative political theory.

Your Responsibilities

    • Conduct survey experiments
    • Contribute to the case study research
    • Engage in activities of Re-Just and of the Cluster of Excellence
    • Publication of project results

Your Experience

    • PhD in political science or related field
    • Excellent skills in empirical methods
    • Strong interests in interdisciplinary research and background in normative political theory are an advantage

We Offer

    • An international and interdisciplinary research community
    • A family-friendly and diversity-conscious university and work environment
    • A wide network of international and national partners, providing opportunities for research stays and conference participation
    • Research support and career counselling
    • Unique setting on the shores of Lake Constance and the River Rhine, as well as proximity to the Alps, Switzerland, Austria, and France, make it the ideal location for study and leisure
All Benefits

Contacts for questions about this position: aurelia.bardon@uni-konstanz.de and dirk.leuffen@uni-konstanz.de.

We look forward to receiving your application documents (including a CV, a cover letter and one writing sample) via our Online Application Portal by 15.12.2025.

The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity, as well as a good balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in research and teaching. We also support working couples through our dual career programme. Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They will be given preference if appropriately qualified (contact sbv@uni-konstanz.de, + 49 7531 88-4016).