Three-year postdoctoral position, to the DFF-funded research project Sexual Transgressions in Aid: Humanitarian Perceptions and Responses (STAid), at DIIS

DIIS invites applications for a three-year postdoctoral position connected to the DFF-funded research project Sexual Transgressions in Aid: Humanitarian Perceptions and Responses (STAid), starting 01-03-2025. STAid explores how humanitarian actors perceive and respond to sexual transgressions. #AidToo pushed for complaint mechanisms, which are increasingly being digitalized, but low levels of reporting persist. Working with two humanitarian organizations, STAid focuses on the plurality of perspectives about what ‘counts’ as transgressive behavior. With interdisciplinary perspectives from philosophy, organizational theory, and anthropology, the project focuses on organizational concepts of responsibility; accounts of unsafe spaces by international aid workers who returned from postings; and local perceptions of transgressions and digital response in the field. STAid is hosted by DIIS, in the research unit Peace and Violence, and is conducted in collaboration with the Copenhagen Business School (CBS), Department of Organization. 

The postdoctoral position is aimed at experienced anthropologists with a track record of long-term ethnographic fieldwork and peer-reviewed publications on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), sexual and reproductive health (SRH), as well as digital humanitarianism focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

The postdoc will be leading one of STAid’ three work packages that investigates how sexual transgressions within humanitarian aid are perceived and technologically mediated in the field. The postdoc will conduct approximately 7 months of fieldwork across three different field sites in SSA. We expect familiarity with literature on transgression, gendered and sexualised violence, and emerging tech-innovation within the humanitarian context.

Candidates must demonstrate in-depth experience with responsible and ethical research conduct and empirical fieldwork on sensitive issues, such as sexual violence. Strong organisational skills and experience with facilitating research projects are a prerequisite. An interest in visual and collaborative participatory research methods as well as practical experience within the humanitarian sector are an advantage.

DIIS as a workplace

You will become part of an inclusive and inspiring knowledge environment at an institution that aims to be at the forefront of multidisciplinary research, policy analysis, and dissemination on global affairs. It is essential that you are ready to engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration and that you value input from colleagues with different approaches, as mixing different disciplinary backgrounds and theoretical approaches is a large part of DIIS’ DNA. The project will be anchored in the research unit Peace and Violence. You will have plenty of time to focus on your research on the project, as you do not have teaching obligations. We expect you to publish academically and communicate your research on relevant media platforms, at public seminars, or through lectures. We also expect you to participate actively in the common efforts of the institute.

We prioritize a high degree of presence but want our employees to have a good work-life balance. Therefore, we offer flexible working hours and some possibility of working from home. We are located in Copenhagen’s new waterfront district, Nordhavn, approximately 3 km from the city center with excellent public transportation.

We expect you to:

• hold a master’s as well as a PhD degree or its equivalent within the field of anthropology.
• have peer-reviewed publications on SGBV, SRH, and digital humanitarianism.
• have experience with policy work and research communication to different outlets (the media, the public, and other external target groups like NGOs).
• be a skilled communicator in both written and oral English. Knowledge of Danish and French is an advantage.

Contract and renumeration

The postdoc position is a 3-year fulltime position, in which you may expect some travel activity. 

Renumeration and other job conditions follow the general agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and the Danish Ministry of Finance as well as local collective agreements at DIIS. As such, the normal starting salary for a postdoc at DIIS is between 356,357 - 450,096 DKK excl. pensions. In addition, it is possible to negotiate a personal supplement depending on your qualifications. A pension contribution of 17.1 % is added to the above-mentioned salary.

Candidates from abroad may under certain conditions be eligible for a special researcher tax scheme. The scheme offers a gross tax rate at 27 % plus labour market contributions, totalling 32.84 %, for a period of seven years. Read more about the tax scheme here.

The application

The deadline for applying is 6th of January 2025 at 23:59 CET. Please note that we only accept applications through DIIS’ electronic recruitment system (Emly)

Your application must contain all the following documents:

• A short motivation letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Master’s and PhD diplomas 
• Documentation of academic qualifications, including a complete list of publications
• Documentation of any policy work and scientific dissemination (media participation, etc.)
• A one-page reflection on how you see yourself contributing to the larger project. The reflection may include methodological, empirical as well as theoretical aspects.
• A maximum of 3 relevant research publications that you want included in the assessment. If any of the publications that you want included in the assessment are the result of a joint effort, the extent, and the nature of your contribution to each individual work must then be clarified in a co-author statement.

Applications go through a shortlisting process before being sent for external assessment. The shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit up to three scholarly works of which only one may be a monograph or thesis (only works in English will be assessed). The assessment process may take up to several months depending on the number of applications.

DIIS is a diverse workplace, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position regardless of age, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or political beliefs.

Do you want to know more?

Questions about salary and employment conditions as well as the application process itself can be addressed to HR at [email protected]. If you have further questions about the content of the position, you can contact Senior Researcher and Project leader Robin May Schott at [email protected].

DIIS is an independent public research institution for international studies. We conduct and communicate multidisciplinary research on globalisation, security, development and foreign policy and within these areas we aim to be agenda-setting in research, policy and public debate.

DIIS participates in academic networks and publish in high-ranking academic journals, always striving to excel in academic scholarship.

We continuously assess Denmark's foreign and political situation and inform the Danish media, politicians and the public about our work