Application Deadline: 15 April 2026.
LOCATION: Germany
The Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” at the University of Konstanz brings together researchers who study the political causes and consequences of inequality, focusing on how people perceive inequalities, how these perceptions influence collective mobilisation, and how political actors react.
ELIGIBILITY:
The Cluster offers doctoral positions to highly motivated graduates with an outstanding Master’s degree or equivalent, obtained in a field that is relevant to the Cluster’s research agenda. PhD candidates will pursue their doctoral research projects independently or as part of a project team in one of the Cluster’ interdisciplinary research projects.
The deadline for application is 15 April 2026. Candidates interested in applying for the advertised positions should indicate the PhD project they are applying for in both the statement of purpose and on the electronic application form. Accepted applicants will be enrolled in the Graduate School of the Social and Behavioural Sciences according to their main discipline and will specialise in “Inequality Research”.
All applications should be submitted through the online application portal of the University and include a motivation letter, a CV, a letter of reference, certificates, and/or a transcript of records.
Please apply exclusively via the University of Konstanz’s application portal.
Pre-selected applicants for the advertised positions may be asked to submit a 3-4 page research proposal and are invited to an interview in the first half of May.
Information about the different PhD positions can be found here:
PhD position at the Working Group Comparative Political Economy / Prof. Dr. Marius R. Busemeyer
PhD position in the Cluster project: Inequalities in Climate Finance (ClimFin)
PhD position in the Cluster project: Students‘ Perceptions of Inequality and Fairness
BENEFIT:
Successful applicants will benefit from:
Fully funded 4-year employment contract under Germany’s TV-L E13 pay scale (75%)
Access to a high-level international and interdisciplinary research environment
Enrollment in the Graduate School of the Social and Behavioural Sciences
Structured doctoral training, mentorship, and academic development
Opportunities for conference participation, publication, and research collaboration
State-of-the-art research infrastructure
In addition to academic excellence, the University of Konstanz offers an exceptional living and working environment
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