Postdoctoral researcher position in Political Science in the research group led by Prof. PhD Hannah Smidt (m/f/d)

The School of Economics and Political Science at the University of St.Gallen invites applicants for a postdoctoral researcher position in the research group of Prof. Hannah Smidt. The postdoc will work in the team of the project entitled “(UN-)Popular: The Causes and Consequences Of Citizens' Opposition To UN Peace Missions” which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Project
The project aims to explain (i) why ordinary people in conflict-affected countries oppose UN peace operations and (ii) what the consequences of this opposition are for the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Existing research suggests that citizens' attitudes toward a peace mission depend on the mission's activities. Yet, in practice, citizens rarely gain first-hand experience with the activities of the mission in their country. To solve this puzzle, this project draws on global governance research, which examines elite communications' effects on public opinion toward international organizations. Empirically, the project collects a new events dataset on mass protest targeting UN peace missions globally (1998-2025), using generative large language models. Methodologically, it combines statistical cross-national analysis and digital field experiments in Kosovo and the Central African Republic (CAR)
 
Application Material

• A short cover letter explaining your motivation, your fit with the requirements, your independent research agenda in the next five years, your research agenda within the project (max. 2 pages)
• A writing sample (for example, a published article, an article manuscript, or a chapter of your PhD thesis)
• A CV
• BA/BSc, MA/MSc and PhD degrees and transcripts

Further instructions and timeline
All application material should be submitted as one single file. Please do not hesitate to contact Prof. PhD Hannah Smidt (E-Mail schreiben) for details about the position.
Hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Suitable candidate are invited for interview. The interview is either in-person at University of St.Gallen or online via MS Teams / Zoom.
The earliest start date of the PhD position is 1st January 2026. Later start dates are equally possible.

The University of St.Gallen is an international research university in Switzerland. Students and faculty at the School of Economics and Political Science produce internationally excellent and practice-relevant research, which also thrives on interdisciplinary cooperation. As one of Europe's leading places of education in economics and business administration, the University of St.Gallen is home to over 9500 students from 95 countries. St.Gallen is a medium-sized town with a vibrant and diverse cultural scene. It is located about one hour from Zurich and about half an hour from Lake Constance by public transportation.

• Developing and implementing digital field experiments on Facebook.
• Developing and implementing research on the topic of popular opposition to international peace operations and peacebuilding interventions.
• Producing high-quality, peer-reviewed research articles independently and together with the Principal Investigator Prof. Hannah Smidt.
• Working independently as well as jointly in a multinational, dynamic, and motivated research team.
• Traveling to conferences and workshop to present the research outputs of the project. 

 
What we offer

• Fixed term employment at the School of Economic and Political Science at University of St.Gallen for 3 years.
• A competitive gross annual salary in accordance with cantonal guidelines (starting at CHF 74'000 depending on the date of the PhD degree and post-PhD experience, for 75% employment level).
• Possibility to collaborate in scientific publications of the project.
• Possibility of teaching in the department (paid additionally and depending on departmental teaching needs).
• Support for career development and planning, targeted to early-career researchers.
• Excellent working conditions in a leading research-oriented and international department that provides a constructive and collaborative working environment.
• A travel budget for conference and short research stays in Switzerland and abroad to expand network.

• PhD in a social science discipline (completed or close to completion), including, for example, political science, peace and conflict studies, economics, econometrics, research methods, sociology or psychology.
• Strong skills in quantitative methods and methodologies and strong skills in R. Skills in other computer languages (e.g., Python), practical and theoretical knowledge on large language models, and experience with experimental research are desirable.
• Profound interest in the causes and consequences of popular opposition to international political authority including international peace operations.
• Excellent command of English. Good working knowledge of French, Albanian and/or Serbian is an asset.
• Ambition and ability to produce high-quality research, both independently and in a team.

 

"A place where knowledge is created" - As one of Europe's leading universities of economics and business administration, the University of St.Gallen (HSG), Switzerland, is committed to the education of over 9800 students. The HSG is one of the largest employers in the region and provides an attractive and innovative environment for more than 3300 researchers, educators and professional staff.