The Arnold Bergstraesser Institute, Freiburg, Germany is seeking to fill the position of Post-Doc Researcher (Salary Level TVL 13/75%)
Thematic field: Conflict or Governance or Migration ; Regional specialisation: South Asia/ South-East Asia
The successful candidate will be appointed for a period of two years and is expected to start 1st April 2026.
Candidate profile
• Completed PhD in political sciences or in a related social science
• Established publication record
• Thematic focus in one of the ABI’s areas of research (conflict, governance, migration)
• Regional focus on South Asia/South-East Asia
• Very good English language skills, regional language skills are an asset, German communication skills are advantageous but can also be acquired after job commencement
• Fieldwork experience and willingness to conduct fieldwork in research locations
• Experience in the acquisition of third-party funded research projects is advantageous
• Experience in consultation work is advantageous
In addition to participating in the ongoing work of the research institute (incl. International Quarterly for Asian Studies (IQAS) journal), the successful candidate is expected to conduct their own scientific work (research, publications). In particular, the successful candidate is expected to apply for third-party-funded research projects in their field of research. The position can be increased to full-time and extended beyond the two years through successful grant applications. There are no teaching or administrative obligations.
Applications including motivation letter, CV, list of publications, and a 2-3 page sketch of a proposed postdoc project/research interest should be sent by the 08th February 2026 in electronic format (one PDF, max. 8 MB) to sekretariat.abi [at] abi.uni-freiburg.de.
The ABI orientates themselves on the principles of equality and diversity in their hiring practices. Applications from the Global South and BIPOC-scholars are especially welcome. The successful candidate is expected to work from Freiburg.
For more information please contact Dr Martin Adelmann, via telephone (+49(0)761/ 88878-15) or e-mail (martin.adelmann [at] abi.uni-freiburg.de).
Linkedin Job Posting: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4353271212/
The full job description as PDF: https://www.arnold-bergstraesser.de/sites/default/files/2026-01/ABI%20Job%20Vacancy_Asia2026.pdf