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Call for research assistant(s): Immigration policy in times of autocratization

Do autocratizing regimes always enact restrictive immigration reforms – or is the story more complex? Are you interested in comparing immigration policy trends across countries and do you enjoy working systematically? If so, then this research assistant position might be for you!

What you will do
Why do some autocratizing regimes liberalize their immigration policies? Against theoretical expectations and common sense, autocratizing leaders – known for their nationalist agendas and human rights violations – do not always restrict immigration. To understand this puzzling phenomenon, Katharina Natter’s project at Leiden University tracks and analyses immigration reforms in autocratizing countries worldwide.

As research assistant on her team, you will be responsible for:

• Collecting data on immigration reforms in 20+ countries since the 1990s/2000s, based on primary and secondary sources (e.g. laws, regulations, reports, academic literature)
• Coding the immigration reforms for content and change in restrictiveness using the methodology of the DEMIG POLICY dataset
• Liaising with country experts for quality controls of data collected
• Supporting the organization of project events
• Contributing to data analysis, drafting and dissemination of findings
• Attending weekly meetings to share progress

Note: The starting date for this position is October 2024 and the appointment is for 9 months (until end of June 2025). Depending on the candidates’ profiles and preferences, either one research assistant will be recruited for 3 days a week (0.6fte) or two for 1,5 days a week (0.3fte). Please indicate in your application whether you are interested in working for 1,5 or 3 days a week.

Where you will work
The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences consists of five institutes: Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Political Science, and Psychology. The faculty has approximately 7000 students and 1000 staff members. Within the institutes, not only education is provided but also groundbreaking research is conducted that pushes the boundaries of our understanding of human behaviour and societal structures. What makes our faculty unique is the diversity of research topics, the various styles of teaching, and the way professional support is organized; this provides you with the opportunity to explore and develop your interests and expertise. Visit our website for an impression: Welcome to the Leiden Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences - Leiden University.

Institute of Political Science
The Institute of Political Science has a strong research tradition in various areas of comparative, Dutch and international politics, as well as political theory. The Institute has around 85 academic staff, including many non-Dutch scholars, and houses a number of editorships of international refereed journals and book series. Members of the institute are also involved in a number of the university’s multi-disciplinary research centres, including the Europe Hub, Central and East European Studies, International Relations, Parties and Representation, Political Philosophy, Centrum voor Nederlandse Politiek en Bestuur and ReCNTR. The Institute is based in Leiden and in The Hague, where a large part of the teaching is done.

The Institute offers a range of programmes at the Bachelor and Master levels and also trains PhD students in political science. The BSc programmes include general Political Science (in Dutch & English, in Leiden), International Politics (in Dutch & English, in Leiden), and International Relations and Organisations (in English, in The Hague). The one-year MSc programme (taught mostly in English) includes five specialisations in Leiden and one in The Hague.
This research is part of the NWO-funded VENI project led by Katharina Natter at the University of Leiden between February 2024 and January 2027. If selected, you will be part of a small group of enthusiastic and like-minded researchers/research assistants and gain research experience working on a highly policy-relevant issue.

What you bring
We are looking for one or two enthusiastic, independent research assistant(s) who will be responsible for collecting and coding information on immigration reforms in 20+ autocratizing countries, starting in October 2024, as well as supporting other project activities such as organizing small events or drafting and disseminating key findings.

Required qualifications

• Curiosity for and ideally experience in researching migration policies
• Completed MA degree related to migration, public administration or political science
• Fluency in English and ideally other languages (e.g. French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian)
• Familiarity with handling large amounts of policy documents in various languages
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• High attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, but also interest to work in a team
• Registered/living in the Netherlands
• If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if do you not quite meet all the requirements, but you believe that this is the right job for you, we look forward to your application!

What we offer

• A temporary employment contract. Based on your qualifications, the salary ranges between a minimum of €3072 and a maximum of €4103 gross per month, for a full-time contract of 38 hours.
• Benefits: A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP
• Annual leave: As a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours.
• Flexible working conditions: The position can be for 1,5 or 3 days a week and thus combined with studies or other personal/professional commitments. Weekly team meetings will be held in Leiden, but working from home is possible within the Netherlands.
• At Leiden, we value diversity and welcome all applications – regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, social origin, religion/belief, disability, age and sexual orientation and identity. Applicants with a migration background are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/werken-bij/sollicitatieprocedure-en-arbeidsvoorwaarden

What we find important
Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

Want to apply or find out more?
If you want to apply straight away, click the application button.

Please submit the following information:

• Your CV, including your Dutch registration address
• A motivation letter (2 pages max.) explaining why you are applying and how you can contribute to the project, especially highlighting your experience and motivation for collecting and coding immigration reforms in autocratizing countries
• A clear indication of your availability and preferred working conditions (earliest starting date, number of days/week)

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact Katharina Natter at k.natter@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.

You can apply until 8 September 2024; applications will be processed immediately.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on 16 and 17 September, ideally to start working 1st of October.

To help us get to know each other better, we follow a number of steps in the application procedure. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/werken-bij/sollicitatieprocedure-en-arbeidsvoorwaarden

• We believe mobility is very important. That is why we are also publishing this vacancy internally. In case of equal suitability, we will give priority to the internal candidate.
• A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid

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