You will:

• be affiliated with the AISSR and participate in its organized PhD training. The academic work is to result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at the Faculty of Social Sciences with the goal of obtaining the degree of PhD.
• conduct PhD research on militarization, public support for militarized security, and democratic erosion in Latin America, including survey experiments, cross-national quantitative analysis, and qualitative fieldwork;

• co-author publications with other project members;

• take active part in DIViNE training network activities including network training modules, PhD colloquia, research workshops, secondments, and training workshops;
• take active part in the research environment at the AISSR, including PII research seminars and AISSR center activities, among others;
• during your time in Milan, take active part in the research environment at MiCoRes, including research seminars and workshops, among others;
• teach Bachelor-level courses, depending upon availability and as suitable for the PhD schedule (for a max. of 10%).
• assist with administrative responsibilities related to the project, such as the organization of workshops, conferences, or other project events.
• make Amsterdam (or a location within commuting distance) your primary residence for the duration of the PhD project, with research and training stays in Milan and fieldwork in Latin America. We will assist with finding adequate housing and with applying for visa and residence permits.

You have the following credentials:

Essential:

• a Master’s degree or equivalent in political science or closely related discipline. The degree must have been obtained by the start of your employment;
• excellent command of social science research methods, including quantitative (e.g., regression analysis of survey and cross-national data, causal inference design, statistical programming) and qualitative methodology (process tracing; interviewing, focus groups)
• an interest to conduct fieldwork in Latin America;
• excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• Spanish and/or Portuguese language skills
• independent thinking and critical analytical skills;
• the ability to work independently and in a team.

Desirable:

• knowledge of Latin American politics;

• experience with survey experiments;

• experience with fieldwork;

• expertise in research on political violence, organized crime, public security, and/or democratic backsliding.

The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours per week for a maximum term of three and a half years (42 months) at the University of Amsterdam, under the MSCA Doctoral Network employment conditions.

The initial employment is for one year with an intended starting date of February 2027. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of two and a half years. A possible 6 months extension is envisioned but not yet guaranteed.
The employment should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events. You will also be tasked with teaching Bachelor's students.