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Project staff member (pre-doc)

  • Vienna University of Economics and Business
  • Research, development, teaching
  • Part time
  • published till: 09.09.2026

You want to understand how things are connected and make a fundamental impact? We offer an environment where you can realize your full potential. At one of Europe’s largest and most modern business and economics universities. On a campus where quality of work is also quality of life. We are looking for support at the

Institute for Spatial and Social-Ecological Transformation (ISSET)
Part-time, 20 hours/week
Starting October 01, 2026, and ending after 18 months
 
Are you interested in uncovering the drivers of school and residential segregation using large-scale administrative data? Join our project to pursue a research-focused PhD, investigating the interplay between residential choices, school enrollment, and socio-spatial inequalities in an active interdisciplinary research group, with no teaching obligations.

What to expect

The Institute for Spatial and Social-Ecological Transformations (ISSET) at WU Vienna is seeking a PhD Researcher to join the ÖAW-funded project led by Linda Li: "School and Residential Segregation: Trends, Mechanisms, Consequences." The project examines how residential mobility, school choice, and neighborhood characteristics interact to shape patterns of educational inequality and socio-spatial stratification.

The successful candidate will work extensively with high-quality Austrian administrative data accessed through the Austrian Micro Data Centre (AMDC), using linked population, education, and residential registers to study patterns of school and residential segregation across Austria. The researcher is expected to collaborate closely with the project leaders on the empirical research by developing and implementing quantitative analyses.

Tasks

  • Engaging with the relevant literature on segregation and developing empirical research designs leveraging Austrian administrative data.
  • Drafting and co-authoring academic research papers targeted at peer-reviewed journals.
  • Presenting research findings at internal seminars, academic workshops, and conferences.

What you have to offer

  • Academic degree: You have a master’s degree in Economics, Sociology, or a closely related quantitative empirical research discipline. 
  • Strong foundation in applied statistics or econometrics and empirical research methods. 
  • Advanced proficiency in R for data management and econometric analysis, coupled with a commitment to writing clean, well-documented, and reproducible code. 
  • Strong, demonstrated interest in topics related to education, housing, and inequality. 
  • A rigorous, detail-oriented approach to empirical work and the capacity to conduct research tasks independently.
  • Excellent English skills, German skills are a plus.

What we offer you

  • Six weeks of vacation/Extra vacation time
  • Flexible working hours
  • Training opportunities
  • A wide range of benefits, from an in-house medical officer to athletic activities and a meal allowance to a variety of employee discounts
  • Meaningful work in an open-minded, inclusive, and family-friendly environment
  • A modern campus with spectacular architecture in the heart of Vienna
  • Inspiring campus life with over 2,400 employees in research, teaching, and administration and approximately 21,500 students
  • Excellent accessibility by public transportation
  • A one and a half year fixed-term contract (20 hours/week) starting October 01, 2026. 
  • A fully equipped workspace and integration into the active research community at the Institute for Spatial and Social-Ecological Transformations (ISSET). 
  • Dedicated mentorship and academic guidance for pursuing a PhD and advancing a research career.

Curious? Visit our website and find out more at www.wu.ac.at/benefits

The minimum monthly gross salary amounts to €1,888.05 (14 times per year). This salary may be adjusted based on job-related prior work experience. In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive social benefits.

Do you want to join the WU team?
Then please submit your application by September 09, 2026 (ID 2886).
We are looking forward to hearing from you!

WU is committed to diversity and inclusion and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from women. Not sure if your profile fully matches our requirements? Apply anyway! In case of equal qualification, female candidates will be given preference. Applicants with disabilities will be supported throughout each stage of the recruitment process. Candidates' qualifications will be assessed in the context of their academic age.