Postdoc in Value studies
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Postdoc in Value studies
The Department of Social Sciences and Business (ISE), Roskilde University, invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher as part of the Tryg Foundation project “Insecurity Transforming Society [InSoc]: The Danish Values Study 2026”, led by Professor (MSO) Anders Ejrnæs (principal investigator).
The position as postdoc is limited to a period of 3 years, starting from September 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The Department of Social Sciences and Business
ISE conducts excellent, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research based on anthropology, business studies, development studies, economics, legal studies, political science, and sociology. We offer an innovative and interdisciplinary university environment characterized by academic and methodological diversity in research and education. Our faculty put a strong emphasis on research methodologies and are dedicated to gaining insights into businesses and society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. We produce research at the highest international level that feeds into our educational programmes, while simultaneously leveraging our research to impact social, economic, and political change. Research in the department is organized in research groups. The selected candidate will join the research group Social Dynamics and Change (SODYC) within the Social Section. Read more about the department here.
The position
The postdoc will be part of the project “Insecurity Transforming Society [InSoc]: The Danish Values Study 2026”, funded by the Tryg Foundation and led by Principal Investigator Anders Ejrnæs. The InSoc project collects representative national survey data for the 2026 wave of the Danish Values Study which is part of the comparative European Values Study (EVS) project. As a postdoc, you will work closely with the principal investigator and participate in the Scientific Committee of the EVS. The aim of InSoc is to advance our understanding of how, and to what extent, increasing insecurity influences Danish values and civic engagement, and how these developments compare to trends across Europe. The project is driven by the following research questions:
The ideal candidate has solid experience with quantitative research and is familiar with cross-country comparative data analysis using software such as STATA or R. Equally important, the candidate should have a strong interest in researching European values and be able to demonstrate relevant research skills and methodological competencies that will enable them to make an independent contribution to the project.
Responsibilities and tasks
A postdoc at ISE is expected to;
The ideal candidate possesses good communication skills and will be visible and involved in the department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the department.
Qualifications
Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent within a relevant field (e.g., social science). Qualifications within the following areas are required:
It is advantageous if the candidate has prior experience with working with comparative survey data and Proficiency in English and Danish is required.
Assessment
In the assessment of the candidate, consideration will be given to:
Questions
For further information about the postdoc positions, please contact Anders Ejrnæs at: ejrneas@ruc.dk.
Terms of employment
The employment is full-time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to the Head of Department of Social Sciences and Business.
The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee including the chairperson of the assessment committee.
Shortly after the application deadline all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.
The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and - later on - their assessment.
Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.
Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/
Only applications in English are accepted.
Applications must include:
1. Cover letter
2. CV
3. Documentation of education
4. If duties include teaching: Min. two pages reflecting on the applicant’s approach and experience with teaching or alternatively a full teaching portfolio (read more about teaching portfolio at Roskilde University here)
5. A complete list of publications
6. A maximum of 5 relevant scientific works that you want included in the assessment
If any of the publications that you want included in the assessment are the result of a joint effort, the extent and the nature of your contribution to each individual work must then be clarified in a co-author statement (find template here)
Please submit your application no later than March 18, 2026.
Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
The position as postdoc is limited to a period of 3 years, starting from September 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The Department of Social Sciences and Business
ISE conducts excellent, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research based on anthropology, business studies, development studies, economics, legal studies, political science, and sociology. We offer an innovative and interdisciplinary university environment characterized by academic and methodological diversity in research and education. Our faculty put a strong emphasis on research methodologies and are dedicated to gaining insights into businesses and society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. We produce research at the highest international level that feeds into our educational programmes, while simultaneously leveraging our research to impact social, economic, and political change. Research in the department is organized in research groups. The selected candidate will join the research group Social Dynamics and Change (SODYC) within the Social Section. Read more about the department here.
The position
The postdoc will be part of the project “Insecurity Transforming Society [InSoc]: The Danish Values Study 2026”, funded by the Tryg Foundation and led by Principal Investigator Anders Ejrnæs. The InSoc project collects representative national survey data for the 2026 wave of the Danish Values Study which is part of the comparative European Values Study (EVS) project. As a postdoc, you will work closely with the principal investigator and participate in the Scientific Committee of the EVS. The aim of InSoc is to advance our understanding of how, and to what extent, increasing insecurity influences Danish values and civic engagement, and how these developments compare to trends across Europe. The project is driven by the following research questions:
- How have different levels of economic, social, and existential insecurity affected values and civic engagement in the Danish population—regarding civil society, social networks, trust, and democracy—over the past half century (1981–2026)?
- Which specific types of social, existential, and economic life-course events that increase insecurity affect individual-level values, and what social, cultural, and economic resources foster resilience in response to such events?
- How do Danish values and patterns of engagement differ from those observed across Europe in relation to civil society, social networks, trust, and democracy, and what roles do institutions, demographics, and socio-economic structures play in shaping any distinct Danish developments?
The ideal candidate has solid experience with quantitative research and is familiar with cross-country comparative data analysis using software such as STATA or R. Equally important, the candidate should have a strong interest in researching European values and be able to demonstrate relevant research skills and methodological competencies that will enable them to make an independent contribution to the project.
Responsibilities and tasks
A postdoc at ISE is expected to;
- conduct and publish research at the highest international level
- participate in research groups, seminars and other relevant activities
- contribute to both the academic and social life of the research group and the department
- show good academic citizenship
- teach and supervise on relevant programmes at the department
- The ideal candidate for this position is expected to;
- collaborate with the PI and researchers from the European Values Scientific Committee on designing, preparing, and cleaning European Values Studies data.
- be responsible for cleaning, processing, and documenting data for inclusion in the EVS 2026 integrated data file.
- present findings at international conferences in the fields of sociology and political science.
- organize and participate in activities related to the European Values Studies project, including group meetings and workshops with academics.
- analyze EVS data for publication in high-quality journals.
The ideal candidate possesses good communication skills and will be visible and involved in the department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the department.
Qualifications
Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent within a relevant field (e.g., social science). Qualifications within the following areas are required:
- Strong academic writing skills in English
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a research team
- Experience with quantitative research methods and statistical analysis
- Experience with – and willingness to work with – comparative survey data
- Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SPSS)
It is advantageous if the candidate has prior experience with working with comparative survey data and Proficiency in English and Danish is required.
Assessment
In the assessment of the candidate, consideration will be given to:
- Relevant research experience that enables the candidate to work independently on the topic
- Ability to demonstrate research skills that are valuable to the topic and project deliverables
- Scientific production and research prospective
- Ability to promote and utilize research results
- Ability to contribute to the development of the department’s internal and external cooperation
Questions
For further information about the postdoc positions, please contact Anders Ejrnæs at: ejrneas@ruc.dk.
Terms of employment
The employment is full-time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to the Head of Department of Social Sciences and Business.
The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee including the chairperson of the assessment committee.
Shortly after the application deadline all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.
The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and - later on - their assessment.
Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.
Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/
Only applications in English are accepted.
Applications must include:
1. Cover letter
2. CV
3. Documentation of education
4. If duties include teaching: Min. two pages reflecting on the applicant’s approach and experience with teaching or alternatively a full teaching portfolio (read more about teaching portfolio at Roskilde University here)
5. A complete list of publications
6. A maximum of 5 relevant scientific works that you want included in the assessment
If any of the publications that you want included in the assessment are the result of a joint effort, the extent and the nature of your contribution to each individual work must then be clarified in a co-author statement (find template here)
Please submit your application no later than March 18, 2026.
Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.