Two full-time postdoctoral positions are to be filled within the CLOSER project, funded by the European Research Consortium (ERC). This interdisciplinary project aims to explore social cleavages and party politics in the post-Ottoman space of the Middle East and North Africa.
The position is to be filled at the Institute of Sociology in a team of political scientists. CLOSER also encompasses two other teams: historians working at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and geographers at Brussels Free University (ULB). Based at the Institute of Sociology, successful candidates will do their research in the framework of the project.
You can find an overview of the CLOSER project here: https://guest-y4t9o1p.owlstown.net/
Description of the position
Successful candidates will be part of the ERC CLOSER team at the IS CAS. During the first year in Prague, they will benefit from a specific interdisciplinary training, together with the PhD students and senior researchers from the three teams of the project. During the second year, they are expected to do field research in the studied country, within an interdisciplinary team of researchers belonging to the project. During the third year in Prague, they will participate into a series of workshop to discuss their findings in relation with the project.
Thematic of the research projects
The candidates’ research project should cover contemporary phenomena, including their historical and spatial dimensions, and fit one of the following themes:
- Women activists and candidates (preference would be given to research projects about Kuwait)
- Former elites in politics after 2011 (in Egypt and/or Tunisia)
What we offer
Gross salary: 60,000 Czech crowns / month (app. 2,500 euros)
Start Date: October 1, 2026
Duration: 36 months full-time employment
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Application Deadline: June 15, 2026
Benefits:
- Funds for field research of approximately one year.
- Acquirement of new skills (interviews, surveys, data management, maps creation, archival research).
- Research of a timely topic with a high level of social relevance under a prestigious ERC label. Intellectually stimulating, fully internationalized research environment.
- Good work / life balance (flexible working hours and home office).
- Motivational bonuses based on the researcher’s publications.
- Six weeks of vacation per year.
Conditions of eligibility
- Completed PhD degree in political science, sociology, area studies, international relations, public law, or a related field before December 31, 2026 (if the PhD is not defended yet, the defense should be planed before this date).
- Fluency in English (both written and spoken).
- Ability to do fieldwork and read documents in Arabic.
- Capacity to work in a team.
How to apply:
Candidates are kindly requested to send the following materials by email to
- CV;
- Research proposal, fitting within the CLOSER theoretical framework. 2 pages (+ list of references), including the theoretical framework, a review of literature, the methodology and a data collection plan;
- Writing sample (PhD dissertation chapter or published article);
- Proofs of language proficiency (in English and Arabic);
- PhD diploma
Recruitment process
The deadline for sending the applications is June 15, 2026. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed online by the end of June.
The Institute of Sociology is a fair opportunity employer.
