The Department for Migration and Globalisation at the Faculty of Business and Globalisation is looking for a PhD candidate.
Project Description
This position is part of the ERC-funded project Ethics in Action: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas of Migrant Solidarity, led by Professor Julia Mourão Permoser. The project focuses on policies and practices of solidarity with irregular and precarious migrants, developing an actor‑centred framework to understand how policymakers and civil society actors navigate ethical dilemmas in real‑world contexts. It combines political theory and empirical research, conducting in‑depth qualitative fieldwork across multiple world regions and comparing cases across Global North and Global South to identify patterns and develop a new theory of decision‑making under value conflict.
Your Role in the Project
You will contribute to Work Package 2, which examines the ethical dilemmas faced by national policymakers implementing solidarity‑oriented migration policies in Brazil and Spain.
Position Offers a Distinctive Opportunity To
* Develop an ambitious, original doctoral project within a high‑profile ERC research environment;
* Receive close supervision and structured mentoring from the PI and postdoctoral members of the team;
* Gain advanced training in migration studies within an interdisciplinary and thematically focused PhD program;
* Gain training and hands‑on experience in comparative qualitative methods and theory‑driven research;
* Conduct research on a highly topical and globally relevant issue;
* Build an international academic profile through publications and conference participation.
Your Tasks
* Design and implement a comparative PhD research project on national migration policies in Brazil and Spain;
* Conduct qualitative empirical research (e.g., document analysis, interviews, fieldwork);
* Develop and submit a cumulative PhD dissertation within the project timeframe;
* Participate in PhD courses according to the Migration Studies curriculum;
* Contribute to high‑quality academic publications and project outputs;
* Participate in international academic exchange (conferences, workshops, research stays);
* Contribute to the collaborative research environment of the ERC team;
* Support project‑related activities, including dissemination and event organisation.
Required Qualifications
* Completed master’s degree in political science, sociology, public policy, migration studies, or a related field (completion certificate must be available by 15 September 2026);
* Excellent academic performance (e.g., transcripts, references);
* Proven interest in migration politics, governance, and policymaking;
* Familiarity with debates and literature on migration governance;
* Solid training in qualitative methods of research;
* Ability to develop and pursue an independent research agenda;
* Excellent command of English (min. C1);
* Excellent command of Spanish and/or Portuguese (min. C1);
* Excellent writing skills, proven by 2 writing samples;
* Excellent and innovative research outline;
* Willingness to relocate to Krems, Vienna or surrounding areas.
Desirable Criteria
* Solid knowledge of the region (Brazil and/or Spain);
* Prior research experience in migration studies or related fields;
* Previous academic publications;
* Experience working in collaborative research projects;
* Experience with comparative research designs;
* Knowledge of normative theory literature on migration and interest in connecting empirical research with normative theoretical debates.
Position Details
* Fully funded PhD position (30 hours/week) initially limited to 3 years (to be filled by 1 October 2026);
* Salary of EUR 3,776.10 gross per month (14x) on a full‑time basis (40 hours);
* Classification as a scientific project staff member according to 49 VwGr. B1, Kollektivvertrag der Universitäten;
* Position within a prestigious ERC‑funded project with strong international visibility;
* Close supervision and career mentoring tailored to early‑stage researchers;
* Vibrant, interdisciplinary research environment;
* Opportunities for international networking, conferences, and publications;
* Strong platform for academic career development;
* Innovative working environment at the Campus Krems;
* Flexible working hours and the option to work from home (max. two days a week);
* Comprehensive internal training and coaching opportunities;
* Wide range of support services to help balance work and family life;
* Various workplace health promotion programmes and offerings from the University Sports Institute (USI).
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University for Continuing Education Krems sees high innovation potential in the diversity of its employees and is committed to diversity as a guiding principle. We therefore explicitly invite people with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses who meet the required profile criteria to apply for the position.
Application Deadline
We look forward to receiving your online application by 29 June 2026.
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