Department for Migration and Globalisation at the Faculty of Business and Globalisation invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher (Post-Doc). The position is part-time for three years and will start on
1 November 2026
or shortly thereafter.
We are looking for a Post-Doc with a top academic profile, strong publication record and previous project management experience. The position is divided 50%-50% between the ERC project “Ethics in Action” and other tasks within the Department of Migration and Globalisation.
Advertisement No. SB26-0080
Postdoctoral Researcher in Migration Studies (m/f/d) ERC Consolidator Grant (US & Latin America)
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.
Focusing on policies and practices of solidarity with irregular and precarious migrants, Ethics in Action develops a novel, actor-centred framework to understand how policymakers and civil society actors navigate ethical dilemmas in real-world contexts. Rather than treating ethics as abstract theory, the project investigates ethics in action—that is, the everyday processes of decision‑making, justification, and compromise through which political actors respond to morally conflicting situations.
The project brings together political theory and empirical research in an innovative way. Through in-depth qualitative fieldwork across multiple world regions, it examines how five different types of actors—national policymakers, local policymakers, labour unions, faith‑based organizations and facilitators of movement—experience, interpret, and respond to ethical dilemmas in practice. These cases are systematically compared across Global North and Global South contexts to identify patterns and develop a new theory of decision‑making under conditions of value conflict.
By focusing on political agency under constraint, Ethics in Action opens up a new research agenda that goes beyond existing approaches to polarization and value conflict. It shows how actors continue to act—even under conditions of deep moral tension—and how their decisions reshape their political identities and the meaning of solidarity itself.
The project team includes the PI, a coordinating postdoctoral researcher, and five researchers (postdoctoral fellows and PhD candidates), each leading a complementary empirical work package. Together, the team will generate comparative insights that feed into a shared theoretical framework.
Your Role in the Project You will lead
Work Package 3
conducting a comparative study of the ethical dilemmas faced by local policymakers in sanctuary/solidarity cities in the
United States and Latin America .
Unique Opportunity To
Design and carry out your own comparative research within a major ERC project
Conduct fieldwork in diverse and politically relevant urban contexts
Contribute to theory‑building at the intersection of empirical research and political theory
Collaborate within an ambitious, international, and interdisciplinary research team
Your Tasks
Lead Work Package 3 of the ERC Project
Select cities to investigate as case studies within the project’s comparative framework
Conduct qualitative fieldwork (e.g. interviews, participant observation, policy analysis)
Publish high‑quality research in leading international journals
Contribute to collaborative outputs, including an edited volume and a practitioner‑oriented handbook
Engage with academic and non‑academic stakeholders in the fieldwork regions
Mentor junior researchers and contribute to a dynamic team environment
Participate in conferences, workshops, and public engagement activities
Contribute and engage in other departmental affairs and activities
Profile We require evidence of the following qualifications for the application:
Completed PhD in political science, sociology, public policy, urban studies, migration studies, or a related field (completion certificate must be available by 15 October 2026).
Excellent track record of academic publications in the migration field
Expertise in urban governance and the multi‑level governance of migration
Experience with comparative research designs
Strong command of qualitative research methods
Excellent knowledge of the region (United States of America and Latin America)
Excellent analytical and writing skills, proven by 2 writing samples (see list of application documents below)
Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research
Excellent command of English (min. C1)
Excellent command of Spanish and/or Portuguese (min. C1)
Willingness to relocate to Krems, Vienna or surrounding areas
Desirable Criteria
Previous research on sanctuary cities or local solidarity policies in the United States and/or Latin America
Experience working with sensitive data and ethical research standards
Familiarity with debates on the ethics of migration policy and proven ability to link empirical research with political theory debates
Previous experience working in collaborative research projects
Your Perspective
Part‑time position (30 hours/week) initially limited to three years
Minimum salary of EUR 5,014.30 gross per month (14x) on a full‑time basis
Classification as a scientific project staff member according to 49 VwGr. B1, Kollektivvertrag der Universitäten (collective agreement of universities)
Opportunity to shape your own research agenda within a high‑profile ERC project
A vibrant and collaborative research environment at an internationally connected institution
Support for fieldwork, publications, and international networking
Close collaboration with leading scholars in migration politics and political theory
A strong platform for career development and future academic opportunities
Innovative working environment at the Campus Krems
Flexible working hours and the option to work from home (max. two days)
Comprehensive internal training and coaching opportunities
A wide range of support services to help balance work and family life
Various workplace health promotion programs as well as offerings from the University Sports Institute (USI)
We look forward to receiving your online application by
24 August 2026 .
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.
Your Application Should Include
Cover letter (max. 2 pages)
Curriculum Vitae
Research outline (2–3 pages) describing how you would design and implement Work Package 3
and transcripts
Two writing samples (preferably single‑authored academic articles or chapters)
3 contact details for references
The Research Outline Should Address
The ethical dilemmas likely to arise in the context of sanctuary/solidarity cities in the United States and Latin America
The proposed research design and methodology
Relevant theoretical and empirical literature, including additional sources beyond the project proposal
For further details, please consult the project proposal.
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