EconJobMarket®

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy seeks applications for a position as

Postdoctoral Researcher on the Political Economy of Populism (Berlin office)

The position is located in our Kiel-CEPR Research Hub in Berlin and linked to the research group of Christoph Trebesch. It is strongly research-oriented and funded through the Excellence Cluster SCRIPTS.

Your Role

There is no teaching obligation and only a very light administrative burden. Your main role is to produce high-quality research. As part of this, you will contribute as a coauthor to a novel research agenda on populism, primarily through data collection and empirical analysis. The project studies quantitatively how and when populist leaders dismantle democratic institutions such as free media, the judiciary and the electoral system. We also ask what makes democracies resilient against illiberal and authoritarian actions. Beyond the project, you will have freedom and support to pursue your own research agenda and develop independent work toward publication in leading journals.

Your Profile

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following criteria:

• PhD in economics, possibly also political science with a strong quantitative focus (completed or close to completion).
• Excellent academic record and outstanding research potential.
• Very strong quantitative and empirical skills.
• Experience with very large datasets, historical datasets and/or text-as-data.
• Experience and interest in political economy. A previous research focus on populism is an asset.
• The working language is English; excellent English skills are therefore required. Some knowledge of German would be useful, but is not essential.

We are offering

The planned contract period is three years (starting in the fall of 2026). The salary will be based on the German public sector pay scale at grade EG 13 TV L and will therefore be between 52.000 and 75.000 € gross annually (depending on work experience). The position is full-time.

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy values diversity. We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The Kiel Institute is an equal opportunity employer with a certified family-friendly policy. We promote the professional opportunities of women and strongly encourage them to apply. Women with equivalent qualifications, competence and expertise will be given preference. We are committed to employing persons with recognized disabilities and will therefore give them preference over persons without disabilities if they are equally qualified.

In order to be eligible for this position you have to hold EU citizenship or need to be able to provide a work permit that is valid throughout the time of your contract.

The Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS)” examines why liberal democracies around the world face growing pressure and what strengthens their resilience. Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under the German Excellence Strategy since 2019, SCRIPTS is hosted by Freie Universität Berlin and partners with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Hertie School, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS), and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. The selection is done according to the SCRIPTS Diversity Rules & Guidelines.

Please submit your application online. Please include (i) a letter of interest, (ii) your CV, (iii) two research papers, (iv) university transcripts, as well as (v) proofs of relevant work experience. The deadline for applications is the 19.07.2026. Application photos should not be included.

For additional information, please contact Prof. Christoph Trebesch (christoph.trebesch@kielinstitut.de).