Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Social Science and Text Analysis.

UK date and time: 01-September-:28

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Social Science and Text Analysis.

Department of Politics and International Relations, Manor Road, Oxford, OX1 3UQ

The Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) is one of Oxford's largest and most internationally recognised departments, home to around 90 academic staff and a thriving community of researchers and visitors. Ranked the Number One University in the UK for Politics by The Guardian in 2024, the department delivers world class teaching and research supported by experienced Professional Services teams working across Courses, Research, Finance,HRand Communications. We are strongly committed to equality,diversityand inclusion, including work towards an Athena Swan Bronze Award, and are based in the Social Sciences Building on Manor Road alongside Economics, Criminology, Socio LegalStudiesand the Social Science Library.

What We Offer

Working at the University of Oxford offers several exclusive benefits, such as:

38 days of annual leave (inclusive of public holidays) to support your wellbeing andadditionalleave after long service.

One of the most generous family leave schemes in UK higher education, offering up to 26 weeks of full-pay maternity and adoption leave, plus 12 weeks of full-pay paternity/partner leave.

A commitment to hybrid and flexible working to suit your lifestyle.

Affordable and sustainable commuting options, including a cycle loan scheme, discounted bus travel, and season ticket loans.

Access to a vibrant community through our social, cultural, and sports clubs.

About the Role

The Centre for Democratic Resilience is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Computational Social Science and Text Analysis to contribute to its Higher Education and Democratic Resilience Programme. The programme examines threats to academic freedom, institutionalautonomyand the integrity of higher education, with a primary focus on Germany and a broader comparative perspective across democratic systems.

Working closely with an interdisciplinary team of political scientists, legalscholarsand practitioners, the postholder will playa central rolein shaping the programme's computational research agenda.

About You

Youwill lead the computational analysis of legal,regulatoryand political texts, using methods from computational social science and natural language processing toidentifyandmonitoremerging risks to higher education institutions. This includes analysing legislation, policydocumentsand political discourse to track developments that may affect university governance, research independence, academicexpressionand institutional resilience. Youwill develop innovative approaches to analysing complex textual data, contribute to the interpretation and communication of findings, and support efforts to understand andanticipatevulnerabilities within higher education systems.Furthermore, you must hold or be close to completion of a doctorate in political science or a related field.

This position is full-time andfixed termfor3 yearsand available from 1October2026.Ifyou haveany questionsabout the role, please contact the DPIR HR Team .All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence and will not form part of the selection decision.

Application Process

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via the University's job pages. You willbe requiredto upload a recent CV and supporting statement as part of your online application.Only applications received before 12 noon (UK time) onFriday 25thSeptembercan be considered. Please quote reference188420in all correspondence.

Interview process likely totake placeweekcommencing5th October andwill be heldonline.

DPIR is currently working toward its submission to achieve Bronze Athena Swan status.