This is an open call for post-doc position within a multi-year research project on the “Origins and development of peripheral academic capitalism in Poland (1990-2021)” led by dr hab. Krystian Szadkowski. The work package the selected candidate will contribute to focuses on the role of international organisations—such as the OECD, World Bank, IMF, and European Commission—in shaping the capitalist transformation of Poland’s higher education and science systems. Polish language skills are not mandatory.

Requirements and qualifications:

The call is open to individuals who meet the requirements specified in Article 113 of the Act of July 20, 2018, Law on Higher Education and Science (Dz.U. z 2023 r. poz. 742 t.j.), and who also meet the following requirements:
1. A PhD in the humanities or social sciences (sociology or anthropology preferred) obtained no earlier than 7 years from the date of planned employment.
2. A significant interest in higher education and the capitalist transformations of Central and Eastern European societies.
3. State-of-the-art knowledge of science and higher education research.
4. Experience in conducting qualitative research, including the use of qualitative analysis software (e.g. MaxQDA)
5. Experience in critical discourse analysis.
6. Demonstrated expertise in the above qualifications (preferrably, documented in academic publications but a defended and unpublished PhD thesis might be considered a piece of evidence).
7. Excellent command (written and oral) of English.
8. Excellent management and work organisation skills (self- and others).
9. Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary research team.

Required languages:

English (fluent – C1/C2)
Polish language would be an asset, but it is not mandatory requirement.

Job Offer description:

Post-doc position in the research project The origins and development of the peripheral form of academic capitalism in Poland (1990-2021).

The scope of work will include: (a) producing literature reviews; (b) analysis of policies and discourse of international organisations (OECD, European Commission, World Bank, International Monetary Fund) regarding the development of science and higher education in Poland (1990-2021); (c) conducting interviews; (d) conducting mixed case studies and preparing case study reports (mainly of commercial publishers and ranking organisations); (e) coding qualitative data; (f) conducting critical discourse analysis of selected materials; g) participating in comparative analyses of collected data and developing partial results of the study; (h) participating in the preparation of research articles; (i) presenting findings at national and international conferences; (j) supervising and mentoring students.

Competition type (NCN): SONATA BIS
Application deadline: 30 June 2025 r., 23:59
Application form: e-mail

Conditions of employment:

Full-time employment (40 hours per week) for a period of 24 months, planned from 1 October 2025 (exact date to be agreed with the successful candidate).

Salary: 8980,00 PLN brutto/monthly

Benefits:

 atmosphere of respect and cooperation
 support for employees with disabilities
 flexible working hours
 language learning subsidies
 funding for training and courses
 additional days off for education
 life insurance
 retirement plan
 savings-investment fund
 preferential loans
 additional social benefits
 recreation subsidies
 children’s vacation subsidies
 “13th” salary

How to Apply:

Those interested are requested to send the documents to the PI, Dr Krystian Szadkowski (krysszad@amu.edu.pl), by 30 June 2025, 23:59.

• Application of the candidate;
• A cover letter containing a detailed explanation of your motivation for applying for a post-doctoral position in this specific project;
• Curriculum Vitae;
• Overview (up to 2,000 words) of how the candidate’s previous experience, research and competences may be helpful in studying peripheral academic capitalism (in particular, analysis of policies and discourse of international organisations [OECD, European Commission, World Bank, International Monetary Fund] regarding the development of science and higher education in Poland [1990-2021]).
• Diplomas or certificates issued by universities confirming education
  and degrees or academic title held (in the case of degrees obtained abroad – the documents must meet the equivalence criteria set out in Article 328 of the Law on Higher Education and Science of 20 July 2018 (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 742, i.e.).
• Up to three most important peer-reviewed publications confirming knowledge of methods and analyses, as well as previous research in the field of science and higher education studies, and/or policy studies in these two areas.
• Information on research, teaching and organisational achievements,
• Consent to the processing of personal data of the following content : In accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016. (OJ EU L 119/1 of 4 May 2016) I consent to the processing of personal data other than: first name, (first names) and surname; parents’ first names; date of birth; place of residence (mailing address); education; previous employment history, contained in my job offer for the purpose of the current recruitment.”;

The selection board reserves the right to organise an interview with the selected candidates within 14 days of the closing date for the receipt of applications.

STAGE I

In the first stage, on the basis of the documents provided, the committee will assess the candidate’s fulfilment of the following criteria:

Criterion I: Doctorate in humanities or social sciences (preferably sociology) (0-5 points).
Criterion II: Interest in critical analysis of issues in higher education and science and/or transformations in these sectors in Central and Eastern European countries, confirmed by publications in academic peer-reviewed journals (0–20 points).
Criterion III: Experience in the application of qualitative methods and data analysis and very good knowledge of tools for qualitative data analysis (0–10 points).
Criterion IV: Ability to independently prepare high-quality peer-reviewed publications (0–5 points).
Criterion V: Ability to prepare high-quality peer-reviewed publications as part of a team (0–5 points).
Criterion VI: Very good command of English (0–5 points).

The result of the first stage will be based on the total number of points obtained for meeting the individual criteria. The committee may decide not to proceed to the second stage of the evaluation if none of the candidates exceeds the minimum threshold in the first stage.

II STAGE 

As part of the second stage, interviews will be held with up to three candidates who obtained the highest number of points in the first stage. The competencies required to perform the tasks in the project will be assessed on the basis of the criteria: 

Criterion II: Interest in critical analysis of issues in higher education and science and/or transformations in these sectors in Central and Eastern European countries, confirmed by publications in journals (0–15 points).
Criterion III: Experience in applying qualitative methods and data analysis and very good knowledge of tools for qualitative data analysis (0–10 points).
Criterion VI: Very good command of English (0–5 points).
Criterion VII: Ability to cooperate with other team members and to integrate their existing skills and research interests into the issues developed in the project (0–20 points).

Prospects for professional development:

The Scholarly Communication Research Group is a dynamic place for advanced research in the fields of scientometrics, evaluation research and higher education research. Ongoing national and international projects provide an opportunity to develop and learn various research skills and to learn about the current state of the art research in the field of science and higher education. Regular research seminars (international and internal), provide a great opportunity for real, intensive and truly collaborative research practice. The multidisciplinary and theoretically advanced team is a constant source of inspiration. The atmosphere of equality and comradeship in a friendly and stable workplace is also an advantage.

Additional Benefits for Post-Doctoral Researchers

• Integration into a Recognized Research Centre
  Appointment within the Scholarly Communication Research Group—an interdisciplinary and international team addressing research problems from transdisciplinary perspectives, drawing on sociology of science, higher education research, and bibliometrics.

• Participation in a Flagship Research University Program
  AMU is among Poland’s ten Initiative of Excellence – Research Universities, receiving a 10% increase in funding between 2020 and 2026 to enhance research quality, boost teaching, and increase international cooperation. The employed candidate will have access to the excellence funding streams supporting publications, international conference participation, proofreading.

• Opportunities for Mentoring and Co-supervision
  SCRG’s projects actively involve junior researchers, doctoral students and students, enabling the postdoc to gain hands-on experience in mentoring and collaborative academic leadership. Moreover, affiliation with the AMU School of Humanities and the Faculty of Philosophy allows for the possibility of offering individual teaching courses or delivering guest lectures.

• Access to Competitive Research Infrastructure
  Full access to university research infrastructure, including institutional library services, dedicated workspace, IT support for online conferences, and access to leading bibliometric and qualitative research tools.

• Individual Career Development Support
  Possibility to apply for individual grants and university-level career development resources, including:

  • Participation in training workshops and visiting fellowships abroad.

  • Research funding from internal university competitions.

  • Application support for national and European postdoctoral funding schemes (e.g. National Science Centre).

• Engagement in International Academic Networks
  Involvement in internationally collaborative projects and established networks of partner institutions in Europe, Asia, Latin and North America, enabling active participation in co-authored publications, conferences, and comparative research activities.

• Collegial and Egalitarian Research Environment
  A non-hierarchical, politically engaged, and collaborative research culture that values critical scholarship, mutual support, and collective knowledge production.

• Cost of Living and Relocation
  Poznań offers a high quality of life at a moderate cost, including access to cultural life, public services, and accommodation. Technical support with onboarding and relocation may be provided depending on the candidate’s needs and circumstances.

All the questions could be addressed to the project’s PI, dr hab. Krystian Szadowski (krysszad@amu.edu.pl).

GDPR Information Clause:

Pursuant to Article 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016. (Official Journal of the EU L 119 of 04.05.2016) we inform that:

1. The controller of your personal data is Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań with the official seat: ul. Henryka Wieniawskiego 1, 61 – 712 Poznań.
2. The personal data controller has appointed a Data Protection Officer overseeing the correctness of the processing of personal data, who can be contacted via e-mail: iod@amu.edu.pl.
3. The purpose of processing your personal data is to carry out the recruitment process for the indicated job position.
4. The legal basis for the processing of your personal data is Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016 and the Labour Code of 26 June 1974. (Journal of Laws of 1998 N21, item 94 as amended).
5. Your personal data will be stored for a period of 6 months from the end of the recruitment process.
6. Your personal data will not be made available to other entities, with the exception of entities authorized by law. Access to your data will be given to persons authorized by the Controller to process them in the performance of their duties.
7. You have the right to access your data and, subject to the law, the right to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, the right to data portability, the right to object to processing, the right to withdraw consent at any time.
8. You have the right to lodge a complaint to the supervisory authority – the Chairman of the Office for Personal Data Protection, ul.Stawki 2, 00 – 193 Warsaw.
9. Providing personal data is mandatory under the law, otherwise it is voluntary.
10. Your personal data will not be processed by automated means and will not be subject to profiling.