Julia Grauvogel

The German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg, Germany, is seeking a Doctoral Research Fellow (m/f/d) for the project “Ending External Interventions: Success, Failure and Exit Dilemmas,” with a focus on quantitative methods. GIGA is a leading independent social-science research institute, renowned for its analysis of political, social, and economic developments across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, and its contributions to global questions of accountability, participation, peace and security, globalisation, and foreign policy. This four-year, 65% position is funded by the Leibniz Competition and offers a salary commensurate with EG 13 TV-AVH / TVöD. The successful candidate will join a dynamic research team, including another Doctoral Research Fellow, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, and the Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Julia Grauvogel. The project investigates how the success or failure of external interventions—such as sanctions, peacekeeping missions, and military operations—affects their termination and the legacies that follow. The research will focus on the causes, processes, and consequences of ending such interventions, using cross-national and subnational quantitative analyses to explore exit dilemmas and post-exit legacies. The position is designed for further professional qualification and encourages concurrent work on a doctoral degree within the GIGA Doctoral Programme. The Research Fellow will benefit from mentoring, academic networking opportunities through conferences and workshops, and access to funding for methods and soft-skills training. There are no mandatory teaching obligations, but teaching opportunities at Leuphana University of Lüneburg or other partner universities are available if desired. Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Political Science, International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, or a related discipline by the time of appointment. Essential qualifications include knowledge or keen interest in external interventions in armed conflict, proficiency in quantitative methods (such as survey experiments, natural experiments, or causal inference), and strong command of spoken and written English. German-language skills are not required. Candidates should demonstrate strong team spirit, organisational skills, and the ability to work independently. Experience with policy-exchange and knowledge-transfer activities is desirable. GIGA strongly welcomes international applications and promotes diversity, gender equality, and the reconciliation of work and family life. Applications from persons with disabilities are actively encouraged. To apply, candidates should fill out the online application form and submit their full application—including cover letter, CV, credentials, a brief research plan (max. 2 pages), and a work sample—as one document to the provided email address. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide 1-2 letters of reference. Screening of applications begins on 12 June 2026, and interviews are scheduled for 30 June 2026 at GIGA in Hamburg. For further information, visit the GIGA website or contact Prof. Dr. Julia Grauvogel. This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in advancing their expertise in quantitative political science research, contributing to impactful global studies, and developing their academic careers in a supportive and diverse environment.

The German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg is seeking a Doctoral Research Fellow (m/f/d) for the project “Ending External Interventions: Success, Failure and Exit Dilemmas,” with a focus on qualitative methods. GIGA is a leading independent social-science research institute, analysing political, social, and economic developments across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, and connecting these insights to global questions. The institute is renowned for its region-specific analysis and innovative comparative research on accountability, participation, peace and security, globalisation, development, and foreign policy. This four-year, 65% position is funded by the Leibniz Competition and offers a salary commensurate with EG 13 TV-AVH / TVöD. The successful candidate will join a dynamic research team, including another Doctoral Research Fellow, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, and the Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Julia Grauvogel. The project investigates how the success or failure of external interventions—such as sanctions, peacekeeping missions, and military operations—affects their termination and post-exit legacies. While previous research has focused on the effectiveness of interventions, this project aims to fill gaps in understanding exit decisions and their consequences. The Research Fellow will contribute to qualitative analyses of exit dilemmas and post-exit legacies in one of GIGA’s study regions, employing methods such as interviews, focus groups, and archival research. Responsibilities also include organizing colloquia, workshops, and academic events. The position is designed for further professional qualification and encourages concurrent doctoral studies within the GIGA Doctoral Programme. Benefits include mentoring, academic networking opportunities, and access to funding for methods and soft-skills training. There are no mandatory teaching obligations, but teaching at Leuphana University of Lüneburg or other partner universities is possible if desired. Applicants must have a Master’s degree in Political Science, International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, or a related discipline by the time of appointment. Essential qualifications include knowledge or interest in external interventions in armed conflict, proficiency in qualitative research methods, and strong English language skills. German is not required. Desired qualifications include experience with policy-exchange and knowledge-transfer activities, and relevant language skills for GIGA’s study regions. The institute values diversity, inclusion, and work-life balance, actively encouraging applications from international candidates and persons with disabilities. To apply, complete the online application form and submit your full application (cover letter, CV, credentials, certificates) as one document. Include a brief research plan (max. 2 pages) and a work sample as a separate PDF. Email applications are welcome. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide 1-2 letters of reference. Screening begins on 12 June 2026, with interviews scheduled for 2 and 3 July 2026 at GIGA in Hamburg. For further information, visit the GIGA website or contact Prof. Dr. Julia Grauvogel.

The German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg, Germany, is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for the “Ending External Interventions: Success, Failure and Exit Dilemmas” project, funded by the Leibniz Competition. GIGA is a leading independent social-science research institute focused on political, social, and economic developments across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, with a strong emphasis on global significance and comparative research. This full-time, three-year postdoctoral position will commence on 1 September 2026 and is designed for further professional qualification under the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (§ 2 WissZeitVG). The successful candidate will join a dynamic project team, working alongside two Doctoral Research Fellows and the Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Julia Grauvogel. The project investigates how the outcomes of external interventions—such as sanctions, peacekeeping missions, and military operations—impact their termination and the legacies that follow. The research aims to fill gaps in understanding exit decisions and post-exit consequences, employing advanced quantitative methods including survey experiments and causal inference approaches. Key responsibilities include co-designing and implementing survey experiments, conducting advanced statistical analyses, supervising research assistants in dataset coding, and contributing to project coordination and event organisation. The position offers opportunities for independent research development, mentoring, academic networking through conferences and workshops, and access to funding for methods and soft-skills training. While there are no mandatory teaching obligations, the fellow may teach at Leuphana University of Lüneburg or other GIGA partner universities if desired. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree (or have submitted their dissertation by the time of appointment) in Political Science, International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, or a related discipline. Essential qualifications include a strong interest in external interventions in armed conflict, an emerging publication record in peer-reviewed journals, expertise in advanced quantitative methods, and excellent English language skills. German is not required. Desired qualifications include experience with policy-exchange and knowledge-transfer activities. The institute values diversity, work-life balance, and actively encourages applications from international candidates and persons with disabilities. Salary is commensurate with EG 13 TV-AVH / TVöD, and additional funding is available for training. To apply, candidates should complete the online application form and submit a single document containing their cover letter, CV (with publications), and credentials. A brief research plan (max. 2 pages) and a work sample (PDF) are also required. Email applications are welcome. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide 1-2 letters of reference. Screening begins on 12 June 2026, with interviews scheduled for 29 June 2026 at GIGA in Hamburg. For further information, visit the GIGA website or the project page, or contact Prof. Dr. Julia Grauvogel directly. This is an excellent opportunity for early-career researchers interested in the dynamics of external interventions and their global impact.