research assistants positions

«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 8500 students and is one of the largest employers in the region, providing around 3100 employees with an attractive and innovative environment for research.

In the context of the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS) project "Navigating Institutional Complexity: Actors and Strategies in Densely Populated Global Governance Spaces", the Department of Political Science at the University of St. Gallen invites applications for up to two

research assistants positions

in the research group of Professor Oliver Westerwinter. Focusing on the governance of climate change, global health, and the internet, the SNIS project examines how different types of international institutions overlap in institutional complexes and how patterns of overlap evolve over time. It also analyzes the strategies that states and other actors use to navigate institutional complexes. The project uses a multi-method research design combining quantitative analysis and case studies.
 
Responsibilities

• Assistance with the collection of quantitative and qualitative data and other research support
• Optional: Development of own project in the framework of the overall SNIS project

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in political/economic sciences, business administration, or a related discipline 
• Interest in international organizations and global governance
• Interest in theory-driven empirical research 
• Fluent in English
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods and experience with the creation of large-n datasets would be a plus
• Knowledge of quantitative text analysis and machine learning would be a plus
• Good working knowledge of French and/or Spanish would be a plus 

The starting date for the position(s) is September 1, 2020 (or upon agreement). Funding is available for up to 24 months. The position(s) can range between twenty and thirty percent upon agreement.

The research assistant(s) will be integrated in an international and inter-disciplinary research team encompassing researchers located at the University of St. Gallen, the Graduate Institute Geneva, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Arizona State University, and others. International organizations are also part of the research team. 

Applicants should send their full application in English, including cover letter, CV, one writing sample, copies of relevant certificates, and the contact details of two academic references, to Oliver Westerwinter (oliver.westerwinter@unisg.ch) no later than July 24, 2020.  For further inquiry, please send an email to Oliver Westerwinter.