Research Assistants in Economics of Populism (Berlin)

Project Management

• Assist with day-to-day administrative and organizational tasks
• Help organize seminars, workshops, and other events (both online and in-person), including managing invitations and participants

Your Profile

We seek candidates who have the following qualifications and experience:

• Enrolled in a Master’s program in economics, political science or a closely related quantitative subject in a German University. Applicants should intend to remain enrolled as a student for at least one more year.
• An excellent academic record
• Attention to detail, also when working through long documents and large numbers of cases
• Careful and critical use of AI tools: willingness to check every AI-generated claim against the original source and to document how a result was obtained
• Strong interest in political economy, including topics such as populism, democratic backsliding, autocracy and political institutions; an interest in geoeconomics, international finance or sanctions is a plus
• Fluency in English (minimum C1 level). German skills are not required.
• Previous experience as a research assistant is a plus
• Reading knowledge of further languages (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Russian) is a plus
• Programming skills in Stata or Python are a plus, as is familiarity with Overleaf (LaTeX) or Claude Code.
• Very good interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills as well as a proactive, solution-oriented mindset
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently

We are offering

• Flexible working arrangements; the primary work location is Berlin, with the possibility of remote work.
• Up to 37 hours/month
• Research assistant (with completed Bachelor’s degree): 16,20€/hour
• Fixed-term contract for one year (with the option of extension)
• Planned start: 1 December 2026.

The Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS)” examines why liberal democracies around the world face growing pressure and what strengthens their resilience. Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under the German Excellence Strategy since 2019, SCRIPTS is hosted by Freie Universität Berlin and partners with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Hertie School, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS), and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Please submit your application online using ID-No. “2026_Populism_Hiwi”.

Please include (i) a letter of interest, (ii) your CV, (iii) university transcripts, as well as (iv) proof of relevant work experience. Ideally submit just one PDF, including the ID-No. and your family name as file name.

The deadline for applications is 15th November 2026. Application photos should not be included.

For additional information, please contact Max Deter.