Postdoctoral Positions in Demography / Sociology

Two postdoctoral appointments are offered for social scientists with excellent analytical and writing skills who have recently completed their PhD or will defend by the summer of 2021. The selected candidates will be invited to join the project “Sexual Minorities and Inequality of Opportunity”. The MINEQ project is funded by the European Research Council as a Starting Grant and will be led by Dr. Diederik Boertien at the Center for Demographic Studies (CED) in Barcelona. 

Profile of the Candidate

Aspiring candidates should have a solid background in Sociology, Demography, and/or closely related disciplines. Researchers interested in social stratification, family dynamics and sexual minority groups are particularly encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative and writing skills as well as applicants from underrepresented groups.

The candidates will be invited to collaborate with the PI and will be given ample space to develop their own research agenda within the broad scope of the project’s goals, which include:

• Documenting the opportunities for sexual minority groups to attain education, income, occupation and wealth across countries and periods of time.
• Documenting the family dynamics of individuals identifying as a sexual minority. Examples of such family dynamics are the entrance into partnerships and routes into parenthood.
• Documenting and understanding the obstacles sexual minority groups experience to achieve socioeconomic and family-related outcomes.

The project’s research will be based on an analysis of large-scale surveys from a variety of countries (e.g. Add Health, HILDA, SOEP and Understanding Society).   

Employment Conditions

The selected candidates will be invited to join the project in the first trimester of 2021 but the starting date is flexible. We offer a 3-year contract and the starting salary will be commensurate with experience (between €30.360 and €37.560 gross annually). Budget is available for the attendance of conferences, training and other research-related expenses. The candidates will be encouraged to develop their own research agenda, collaborate with the PI and other members of the center, to present their results in international conferences, and to publish in top social sciences journals. There are no teaching obligations.

Project Description 

The first aim of the MINEQ project is to answer basic questions regarding inequality of opportunity experienced by sexual minority groups. The project will study both socioeconomic outcomes and family dynamics. For instance, the project will document social mobility patterns and partnering behavior among sexual minority groups. To achieve this goal, the project will exploit information on sexual orientation that has recently been incorporated in large-scale representative surveys from a variety of countries. The second part of the project consists of studying the mechanisms that pose obstacles for sexual minority groups to attain outcomes in life. Can gender egalitarianism reduce inequality of opportunity experienced by sexual minority populations? How large is the impact of hate crimes and legislation on the family life of individuals identifying as a sexual minority? 

About the Centre for Demographic Studies (CED)

The Centre for Demographic Studies (CED), located on the Campus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), has around 70 members: scientific, technical and administrative staff, associated researchers belonging to the UAB, graduate and doctoral students and visiting fellows.

The CED ranks amongst the top European centers in demography and member of the Population Europe Network. CED’s researchers are specialized in several research areas: fertility and family dynamics; inequality and social stratification; health and mortality; international migrations; housing, internal migrations and residential mobility. Over 65% of CED’s budget comes from competitive grants, mainly from European and Spanish research agencies.

Conjointly with the UAB Department of Geography, the CED offers the Doctoral Program in Demography (https://ced.uab.cat/en/doctorat/doctorat-en-demografia/) which has granted 60 doctoral degrees since 2000 and has been awarded with the Mention of Excellence by the Spanish Ministry of Education. It is an active member of the European Doctoral School of Demography-EDSD and is currently hosting the school for the second time since its foundation. The CED also organizes the Barcelona Summer School of Demography (https://ced.uab.cat/courses/barcelona-summer-school-of-demography/).

Application Process 

The following documentation (in English) should be attached:

• Detailed curriculum vitae.
• One or two pieces of the most relevant academic work.
• One-page motivation letter.
• Names, affiliations and contact details of two or three persons who might eventually be contacted to provide information about the candidate.

Applications should be sent by email to demog@ced.uab.es with the following subject: “ERC MINEQ postdoc application (family name of the applicant)”. The deadline for application is November 1st, 2020. The final decision will be made by mid-December. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to give an online or in-person talk depending on how the covid-19 pandemic evolves.

Applications will be acknowledged by email. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt within one working day of submitting your application online, please contact Hermínia Pujol (hpujol@ced.uab.es), on the job specification immediately and prior to the closing date/time.

Applications from non-EEA citizens are welcomed. However, non-EEA applicants should note that it is the applicant’s responsibility to secure a visa to travel to Spain prior to interview. Non-EEA applicants should also be aware that even if successful at interview, an appointment to the post is contingent on the securing of an employment permit and visa.

Equal Opportunities Policy

CED is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to employment policies, procedures and practices which do not discriminate on grounds such as gender, civil status, family status, age, disability, race, religious belief, sexual orientation or membership of the travelling community. On that basis we encourage and welcome talented people from all backgrounds to join our staff community. CED also works to promote work/life balance and facilitates this through Centre policy and practices.