Pre‑Doctoral Researcher für Energie‑Eliten – Politikwissenschaft

About the role

The Institute for Eastern European Studies at Freie Universität Berlin is launching a four‑year, 65% part‑time pre‑doctoral position within the DFG research group “Entangled Energies: Actors, Spaces and Practices in Eastern Europe”. The role focuses on the political influence of energy elites in Russia and Kazakhstan.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative political‑science research on elite biographies and policy outcomes.
• Apply text‑as‑data methods to compare elite rhetoric across regions.
• Prepare and write a doctoral dissertation on the sub‑project’s theme.
• Co‑author academic papers with the project PI and other collaborators.
• Participate in seminars, workshops, and conferences of the research group.
• Potentially carry out qualitative fieldwork in Kazakhstan, subject to political conditions.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Political Science, Economics, or a related social‑science discipline.
• Excellent command of English (C1) and fluent Russian.
• Strong knowledge of quantitative research methods in the social sciences.
• Interest in energy politics and Eastern European contexts.
• Knowledge of Kazakh is advantageous but not mandatory.

Required skills

• Quantitative data analysis (e.g., statistical modelling, econometrics).
• Text‑as‑data tools for large‑scale content analysis.
• Proficiency in English and Russian for academic writing and data collection.

What we offer

• Fixed‑term contract (four years) with remuneration according to TV‑L FU pay grade 13.
• Integration into an interdisciplinary, internationally funded research group.
• Opportunities for fieldwork, conference participation, and publication.