Overview

The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) is seeking to appoint a full-time post-doctoral researcher or statistical analyst to join the Department of Social Demography and the associated Research Group on Labor Demography, headed by Director Mikko Myrskylä.

The Department of Social Demography focuses on understanding how social, political, and biological processes jointly produce the modern demographic landscape; it charts possible demographic futures and their consequences; and explores the feasibility of adaptation for the future scenarios that are challenging in terms of economic, social, and other dimensions of sustainability. The interdisciplinary Research Group on Labor Demography analyzes how demographic change, the labor market, and economic and social factors interact in shaping the workforce of today and of the future.

We welcome applications from researchers and analysts with a PhD in demography, statistics, sociology, economics, epidemiology, or a similar field. The successful candidate will work on a project on multistate modeling in demography. The tasks will consist of programming statistical software, potentially extending multistate approaches, and applying existing and new multistate methods. The focus and share of tasks will depend on the profile of the successful candidate. We are seeking creative, self-driven, and collaborative scholars. Strong quantitative analysis skills and knowledge of R are required. Knowledge of Stata is an advantage, as is experience with longitudinal data analysis, survival analysis, or labor market research.

We provide a stimulating research-oriented community, an excellent infrastructure, and opportunities to work with exciting datasets. The successful applicant will be offered a contract for up to 4 years with remuneration commensurate to experience (starting from approx. 63,500 EUR gross per year for researchers who have just completed their PhD, up to approx. 72,500 EUR gross per year for more senior scientists), based on the salary structure of the German public sector (Öffentlicher Dienst, TVöD Bund). An extension of the contract beyond the initial 4 years is possible. It is expected that successful applicants will be in residence at the MPIDR. Support for relocation costs is available.

Please apply online via this survey (survey.demogr.mpg.de/index.php/227841?lang=en) and include in a single PDF file:

1) Letter of interest (max. 1 page)
2) Curriculum Vitae (max. 3 pages, focusing on your most relevant achievements)
3) A writing example (e.g., one of your publications)
4) Contact information for up to 2 academic referees

In order to receive full consideration, please apply by November 11, 2024. Interviews are planned to take place between December 9 and 13, 2024. The exact starting date is flexible but no later than summer 2025. Applicants should have completed their doctoral degree; however, PhD students who expect to obtain their degree in early 2025 are welcome to apply.

For inquiries about the position, please contact Christian Dudel at dudel@demogr.mpg.de.

The MPIDR is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It is part of the Max Planck Society, a network of 86 institutes that form Germany’s premier basic-research organization. Max Planck Institutes have an established record of world-class, foundational research in the sciences, technology, social sciences and the humanities. They offer a unique environment that combines the best aspects of an academic setting and a research laboratory.

The MPIDR is an equal opportunities employer. Our work atmosphere includes respectful treatment of each other, with gender, nationality, religion, disability, age, cultural origin, and sexual identity playing no role. We aim to have an institutional culture that enables everyone to develop their individual skills and competencies.

The Max Planck Society offers a broad range of measures to support the reconciliation of work and family. These are complemented by the MPIDR’s own initiatives. The Society has been awarded the certificate “Work and Family” which is granted to institutions committed to establishing a family-friendly corporate culture by binding target agreements. The MPIDR collaborates with a network of local day-care centers that provides childcare places for the children of Institute staff. The Max Planck Society pays for additional costs due to childcare needs of parents who attend conferences. The MPIDR also practices flexible working-time models, which include at least one home office day per week, and scheduling meetings only within core working hours. For more information, see: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/go/work-family

We value diversity and are keen to employ individuals from minorities and under-represented groups. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. There are a range of central initiatives and measures primarily geared towards helping young female researchers and mothers to advance their career. See the link below for some examples: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/go/career-development.

About Max Planck Society (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research)

The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. The Institute’s scientists advance fundamental research in areas related to fertility, mortality and migration, as well as study issues of policy relevance, such as demographic change, aging, health, the redistribution of work and transfers over the life course, as well as the digitization of life and the use of novel data sources for understanding demographic dynamics. The MPIDR is part of the Max Planck Society, a network of 86 institutes that form Germany’s premier basic-research organization. Max Planck Institutes have an established record of world-class, foundational research in the sciences, technology, social sciences and the humanities. They offer a unique environment that combines the best aspects of an academic setting and a research laboratory.