The Blavatnik School of Government is seeking to appoint an exceptional Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a new project funded by the Netherlands Court of Audit and led by Dr Thomas Elston (University of Oxford) and Dr Yuxi Zhang (University College London).

You will join an international and multidisciplinary team using advanced quantitative methods to examine the effect of the Court’s activities on the ministries and agencies of the Dutch Government, extending earlier similar work in the UK context.

The contract is offered for 12 months, with possibility of extension depending on funding.

We expect the successful candidate to start in September 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter.

You will have first-rate skills in econometrics, and graduate training in political science, sociology, public policy and/or management. You will be based in Oxford, but occasional travel to London, The Hague, and elsewhere will also be necessary.

The role would suit an early-career researcher with an outstanding training in quantitative social science and an interest in applying these techniques to novel research problems in the field of government and public policy. In particular, a track record of using advanced quantitative methods (e.g. in a PhD thesis), and either knowledge of or interest in survival analysis and multi-level modelling, are essential.

You must also have advanced proficiency in Dutch, and be comfortable working with administrative data written in Dutch and conversing with other members of the research team in both English and Dutch. Finally, you should have a keen eye for detail, be proactive about identifying and solving problems, be a clear and effective writer, and have an interest in applied/policy-relevant research.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year, with the possibility of extension.

What we offer

The School is a collaborative, friendly, and dynamic department based in an award-winning building in Oxford. We host regular events and talks with well-known guest speakers – all of which are open to staff. On the social side, we have regular coffee/cake mornings for staff, a family-friendly Halloween event, and Christmas and summer parties.

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days’ annual leave
• Family leave schemes and a comprehensive range of childcare services
• Cycle loan scheme and discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
• Opportunities for remote working.

More information about working at the School can be found on our jobs page.