PostDoc Researcher

The Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) analyses the causes of international and intrastate conflicts. As one of the leading peace research institutes in Europe, we combine interdisciplinary basic research with science transfer to the public, the media and policymakers. Since 2009, the PRIF has been a member of the Leibniz Association, a national umbrella organization of outstanding non-university research institutes in Germany. PRIF is headquartered in Frankfurt and has a branch office in Berlin. More than 100 employees from research, administration and science communication contribute to PRIF's success.

Your responsibilities include:

• Collaborative and independent research with a focus on global right-wing mobilization, political practices and narratives, blurring of traditional political divides, populist strategies, and polarizing effects. This might include research on attempts at normalizing regressive politics, essentialist notions of identities, populist myths-making, analysis of changing discourses and their axioms, revisionist interpretations of history, and political mobilization to build alliances and relations between diverse movements and political camps.
• Publication work with a focus on the previously mentioned research in highly ranked international academic journals or academic presses.
• Development of grant applications and implementation of research projects in the research field as well as further development of the institute's national and international research networks in this area.
• Participation in the interdisciplinary work of Research Department V “Glocal Junctions”, which focuses on the study of global politics from bottom-up, while engaging with PRIF’s cross-departmental research fields.

As applicant, you should fulfill the following requirements:

• A very good doctoral degree (“sehr gut” or “magna cum laude” acc. to the German grading system) in sociology, social anthropology, human geography, political science or another relevant discipline.
• A proven scientific focus on the political right as well as strong command of the current debates in the research field. Experience in comparative research illuminating the global influences and interconnections of far-right movements is particularly welcome.
• Experience in collaborative research work attained through field research, research stays, and/or presentations at international conferences.
• Proven experience in qualitative social-science methods.
• Willingness and ability to further PRIF’s research agenda.
• Ability to work interdisciplinarily.
• Willingness to present research to the political and general public.
• Willingness to participate in PRIF’s self-governance. The language spoken in PRIF’s central committees is English.
• Good spoken and written command of English.

You can expect:

• A motivated, multi-cultural team of international researchers.
• Multi-faceted research work that includes fundamental scientific research, science communication, and political consultancy.
• Flexible hours that allow for the balance of work time and family life with the possibility to work remotely according to an internal guideline.
• A discounted Deutschlandticket.***
• A company pension scheme provided by the VBL.****

PRIF is a recipient of the Total E-Quality award and seeks to promote equal representation in the workforce at all levels and aims to strengthen work/life balance. Therefore, this position can be filled part- or full-time. In the case of equal qualification, applicants with severe disabilities will be treated preferentially.

Please send your application documents

• (cover letter, complete CV (without a photo),
• 5-page outline of your research project,
• education and work certificates)

as a single PDF to application[ at ]prif.org with a subject line that consists of your name and the code “RWP_25.1” (e.g. “Mustermann,Max_RWP_25_1”). The application deadline is the 2^nd of November 2025, at 23:59:59 o’clock UTC +1. Unfortunately, application expenses cannot be reimbursed.

* TV-H = Tarifvertrag für den Öffentlichen Dienst des Landes Hessen: Current Tariff Agreement for the German State of Hesse.

** WissZeitVG = Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz: Act on Fixed-Term Employment Contracts in Academia.

*** Deutschlandticket = A ticket that allows for the use of local public transport, such as busses and trains.

**** VBL = Versorgungsanstalt des Bundes und der Länder: Pension Institution of the Federal and State Governments.