Junior Researcher Project on State Violence and Contemporary Gender-Based Social Movements in Iran

Are you capable to conduct high-quality literature reviews independently, underlining a solid grasp of qualitative methods, particularly in the domains of digital/online and media research? Do you have a keen interest and familiarity with the political context of Iran? Are you comfortable working both independently and as part of a team, demonstrating flexibility and collaborative spirit?

The Department of Sociology has a job opening for a dedicated and highly motivated junior researcher who will work on a project on gender-based activism in Iran, under the guidance of Dr Ladan Rahbari. Excellent English skills (communication and writing) are essential for this position, and proficiency in Farsi is considered a plus. The project is embedded in programme group Political Sociology, known for conducting exceptional research across a diverse range of topics and geographical areas.

What are you going to do?
Your tasks will include working with Dr Ladan Rahbari in a project on gender-based social movements in Iran. You will be conducting high-quality literature reviews to set the stage for empirical inquiries. In addition, you will collect (online) data relevant to our study's objectives and will employ your skills in qualitative research for analyzing the data. You will have regular meetings with the supervisor and attend potential conferences, meetings, and other academic events. The position also entails generating texts and reports that articulate the research findings.

The ideal candidate:

• has a master’s degree in sociology or a related field;
• has experience with high quality literature review and can conduct it independently;
• has affinity with social science research and the employment of qualitative methods of data collection and analysis;
• has some experience and is familiar with academic writing;
• has excellent writing and communication skills in English;
• is able to read and translate Farsi (writing skills are not required);
• is capable of working both independently and as part of a team.

The following credential will be considered as a plus:

• interest in and familiarity with Iran and its socio-political history;
• familiarity with digital/online and media research;
• familiarity with R programming language.

The position concerns temporary employment of 7,6 hours per week (0.2 fte). Preferred starting date is 1 November 2023. The initial contract will be for one year, with possibility of renewal following a positive assessment. For this position the Universtiy Job Classification "Onderzoeker 4 applies.

Depending on your experience, the minimum salary is €3.226 and the maximum salary is €5.090 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, in keeping with salary scale 10, as per the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events.

What else do we offer

• A small but motivated research team with an eye for social impact;
• An inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam;
• A dynamic workspace with access to university’s research facilities;
• Academic mentorship and room for self-development by taking research training and learning about research ethics.

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds. A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioral sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.