The Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen invites applications for a three-year fixed-term postdoc position starting on 1 February 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a new research team that will conduct a large-scale study of the social class mobility of siblings born over most over the 20th century in more than 10 countries. The research project "Social Class Mobility in Comparative Perspective: Bringing Siblings In" (SIBMOB) is hiring a postdoc who will play a crucial role in developing the project’s methodological innovations. These innovations revolve around developing statistical models for examining the class mobility experiences of siblings from different families. The team is located in a family-friendly work environment at the Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen.
Qualifications
Applicants should hold a PhD degree within the social sciences (e.g., sociology or economics), applied statistics, bio-statistics, epidemiology, or related fields. Applicants should have obtained their PhD degree in 2014 or later. Applicants must possess advanced skills within quantitative methods, applied statistics, or econometrics. Expertise in mixed generalized linear models, latent class regression models, random effects models, and/or finite mixture modeling is an advantage but not a requirement.
Job Description
SIBMOB, which is funded by the European Research Council, has two objectives: (a) to develop a new methodological approach to characterize the social class mobility of siblings, and (b) to apply this approach in an empirical study of more than 10 countries. The main role of the postdoc is to contribute to the development of the new methodological approach. This part of the project extends the highly influential approach to intergenerational class mobility in sociology by developing new statistical models that rely on the mobility experiences of siblings rather than individuals. Along with the PI, the postdoc will work on extending the mainstream approach based on loglinear models for contingency tables to accommodate unmeasured family heterogeneity. Developing models for single countries and for cross-country comparisons is a major aim of the methodological work package, and the postdoc will play a crucial role in meeting this aim.
SIBMOB is a collaborative project, and the postdoc will be part of a research team which, in addition to the PI in charge of the SIBMOB project (Associate Professor Kristian Bernt Karlson), includes two other postdocs (to be hired in 2022 and 2023) and a research assistant. The candidate is expected to work both independently and in collaboration with the research team to break new ground in the study of social class mobility, with the overall ambition of advancing our understanding of why some countries are more socially mobile than other countries. The project runs from 2021 through 2025 and is located at the Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen. The candidate is also expected take part in the academic life of the department and will be part of the research group Welfare, Inequality, and Mobility.
The postdoc position is a full-time research position and does not involve any teaching obligations.
For further information, including more details on the SIBMOB project, please contact project PI Associate Professor Kristian Bernt Karlson (kbk@soc.ku.dk).
Salary and Terms of Employment
Salary and conditions of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The annual salary for postdoctoral researchers is within the range DKK 405.203,16 – 426.625,2 (EUR 54,000 – 57,000 app.). In addition to the salary paid directly to you, the University will also pay a monthly contribution to your pension fund corresponding to 17.1 % of your salary. Negotiation for additional supplements will be possible. A special tax scheme is offered for researchers recruited abroad, see http://ism.ku.dk/onarrival/taxes/
Application
The application must be submitted in English through the online application form by clicking "Apply online" below and accompanied by the following appendices:
Appendix 1: Cover letter detailing (a) how the scientific qualifications of the applicant meet the requirements for this position and (b) how the applicant considers contributing to the methodological innovations in SIBMOB (max 4 pages in total).
Appendix 2: Curriculum vitae.
Appendix 3: A complete list of publications (including those accepted for publication).
Appendix 4: Your best publication (or chapter from your PhD dissertation) (max 30 PDF pages)
Appendix 5: A copy of the doctoral certificate or letter signed by the promotor that a doctoral certificate is expected in due time.
These documents can be submitted only electronically through the link provided below. Press “Apply now” and fill in the application form.
Please note that it is only possible to upload one document per attachment category. If more than one document, please make sure the documents are scanned and collected in one file. All other written communication with you will be via e-mail.
Please note that applications will be assessed based on these mandatory enclosures. Applicants cannot expect any additional documentation to be taken into account in the assessment.
The University of Copenhagen wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and the world and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal or national background.
Application procedure
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, applicants are selected for assessment on the advice of the Appointment Committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether an expert assessment committee has passed their application for assessment. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk Application deadline: 30 October 2020, 23:59 CET. Applications received after deadline will not be taken into account.
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