The Department of Government Studies is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Uppsala University and has approximately 100 teachers, researchers, doctoral students, and administrative staff. The department's activities consist mainly of teaching at undergraduate and advanced levels as well as doctoral education. Additionally, the department conducts extensive research at the national and international level.
Read more about the department's activities on our website: www.statsvet.uu.se
Job Responsibilities
The work will be performed within the VR-funded research project "Political Change and Local Governance in Growing Cities". The project's overarching goal is to investigate inclusive governance, political participation, and equitable development in small urban centers worldwide, particularly in cities in Brazil, Ghana, and Tunisia. More specifically, interviews, focus groups, and original household surveys are combined to illuminate government responsiveness, political accountability, and service delivery.
The assistant is expected, in collaboration with researcher Jeffrey Paller, to implement analysis plans to support various academic articles. Main tasks include data cleaning, data summarization, visualization, as well as statistical modeling and inference. Other administrative tasks may be added.
Requirements
Currently enrolled in or completed master's degree in political science or equivalent social science degree. The work requires documented knowledge of programming in the statistical software R, specifically for data cleaning, visualization, modeling, and statistical inference. Accuracy, reliability, independence, strong analytical ability, and very good ability to understand and express yourself in English are all prerequisites for the position.
Meritorious qualifications:
Previous experience providing data support to research projects
Previous experience collaborating with international research teams
Previous experience writing data summary reports for research teams
Documented ability to work independently in QGIS to create maps
Previous research experience in the three study contexts (Brazil, Ghana, Tunisia)
Familiarity with the data landscape in the three study contexts (what data is available, how to access it, etc.)
Previous experience with the following collaboration tools: Microsoft Teams, SharePoint
Application
The application should contain the following:
Cover letter (max 2 pages), in English: describe your motivation for applying, why you are suited for the position, and your possible available start date and time. If you have an example of written work (e.g., a thesis or empirical analysis), you are welcome to attach a copy.
CV, in English
Transcripts of grades (unofficial grades are sufficient)
Deadline for applications: 2026-09-25.
About the Employment
The position is a fixed-term appointment as a research assistant on a part-time basis (50%) for 4 months. Start date as soon as possible, October 1, 2026 or by agreement.
For further information about the position, please contact Jeffrey Paller: [email protected]
Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international standing. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all 7,500 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of the country's most exciting workplaces.
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