Your responsibilities
Duties include academic services in the project named above. Research associates may also pursue independent research and further academic qualifications.
The advertised position is part of a research project on “Reclaiming the State’s Security Promise from the Perspective of Statelessness” in the collaborative and interdisciplinary DFG Research Unit 5870 “The Promise of Security in Catastrophic Times”. PROMISE investigates how democratic governments and societies struggle over priorities and limits of protection amid multiplying crises. PROMISE assesses and compares changes in democratic states’ practices of protection and theorizes the transformation of promises of security in what we conceptualize as “catastrophic times.” More details on the project can be found here.
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join “RP7 Reclaiming the State’s Security Promise from the Perspective of Statelessness”. Led by Prof. Dr. Eray Çaylı, the project examines politically engaged technical experts in Northern Kurdistan and their environmental practices of protection. It asks what these practices—emerging from among the world’s largest politically stateless nation—do to and with the promise of inclusive protection traditionally associated with the state. This research question is guided not by regional exceptionalism but by a critical reconsideration of sweeping narratives both within and outside of relevant scholarship regarding the current decline of democracy, of liberalism, and of the state form of sovereignty. It seeks to refocus the ways security discourses and practices are transforming in times of polycrisis and catastrophe on the experiences of politically stateless nations who have long experienced statelessness itself as a crisis and a catastrophe.
The successful candidate will
- conduct qualitative empirical research through in situ ethnographic work (involving collaborative action-research, thick description, participant observation, and interviews) with and among communities relevant to the focus described above, as well as document and discourse analysis.
- play a crucial role in contributing to and implementing project activities, including workshops, colloquia, and joint publications.
- work on disseminating research findings together with the supervisor through formats such as presentations at specialist conferences, peer-reviewed journal publications, cultural production (e.g., podcasts and small-scale exhibitions), as well as in relevant policy formats, where appropriate.
Your profile
A university degree in a relevant field.
- You have completed or are about to complete an excellent doctorate in a relevant field.
- You are able to demonstrate your academic expertise in and knowledge of the broader research fields associated with this project (e.g., critical security studies, environmental politics, and political statelessness) through high-quality, peer-reviewed publications.
- You have familiarity with and experience of qualitative research methods, including interviews, ethnographic, and participatory research.
- You have excellent written and spoken English language skills. Good Kurdish and Turkish language skills are a significant advantage but not a requirement.
- You are an excellent team player, possessing the necessary communication skills, cooperative orientation, and proactiveness.
- Experience with international, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research environments is a significant advantage.
We offer
- Reliable remuneration based on wage agreements
- Continuing education opportunities
- University pensions
- Attractive location
- Flexible working hours
- Work-life balance opportunities
- Health management, EGYM Wellpass
- Educational leave
- 30 days of vacation per annum
Instructions for applying
Contact
Prof. Dr. Eray Çaylı
eray.cayliuni-hamburgde
+49 40 42838-5217
Anna Wagner
anna.wagneruni-hamburgde
+49 40 42838-5662
Reference number: 287
Application deadline: 14.11.2025
Use only the online application form to submit your application. Your application should consist of
- a cover letter detailing your research interests in the advertised field (in addition to describing your research skills and experiences to date, the letter should dedicate at least one full page to your understanding of and response to the research field/topic described above)
- an academic CV,
- copies of degree certificate(s) and any awards received,
- and one writing sample.
The interviews will take place in the first three weeks of December 2025.
-> Apply
