2x Research Assistants (PhD students) (m/f/d)

We are a university with a focus on engineering and natural sciences as well as economics, human sciences and medicine. We offer excellent study and working conditions to 13,000 students from Germany and abroad as well as approx. 3,000 employees.

Two positions are available at Magdeburg University as of January 1, 2026, for the research project “Influence of Financial Elites: Trajectories, Socialization, Values, and the Repercussions of Wealth in Germany, France, and the UK" funded by a grant from the Volkswagen Stiftung.

The two positions offer the opportunity to collaborate and pursue a doctorate in an exciting research project in critical sociology. The project compares Germany, the UK, and France to examine the influence of financial elites on society, politics, and the economy, particularly with regard to the reproduction of social inequality and the concentration of wealth.

The positions are based in the German team in Magdeburg in cooperation with RWTH Aachen University and the Centre Marc Bloch in Berlin. The project will be carried out in close cooperation with international partners in France (IRRISO-Université Paris Dauphine and SAGE - Université Strasbourg) and UK (Queen Mary University, London). You will be part of a cohort of six doctoral students who will receive further training in summer schools and methodology workshops and pursue their doctoral projects in a structured manner.

For further information about the position, please contact Christian Schneickert per E-Mail: christian.schneickert@ovgu.de.

You will benefit from our structures and offerings in the fields of sustainability, diversity, family support and staff development. Our location in the center of a thriving, lively and family-friendly state capital guarantees a high quality of life and a wide range of leisure activities. For more information, please visit www.ovgu.de/en/karriere.

Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg is a signatory of the German Diversity Charter. We welcome your application, regardless of gender, cultural and social background, age or sexual orientation. Applications from severely disabled people or people with an equivalent impairment will be given priority in the case of equal suitability, ability and professional expertise. Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg strongly promotes gender equality in all professional areas.

Please note the information for storage of personal data: https://www.ovgu.de/en/data_protection.html.

Please send your complete application (max. 2-page cover/motivation letter, CV including certificates, list of publications, one writing sample (e.g. relevant publication, term paper, MA thesis, book chapter, etc.), and one academic contact for reference) by September 20th, 2025 using the online application portal.