PhD Position in Political Science
Universität BaselThe Department of Political Science at the University of Basel, Switzerland, is looking for a PhD position for the project “Electoral choice. Which role does legislators’ quality play”, which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). This project is a collaboration of the University of Basel and the University of Geneva together with a team of international experts. Project investigators are Prof. Nathalie Giger and Prof. Stefanie Bailer.
Your assignments
This project examines the quality of politicians, with a particular focus on how citizens assess it. Beyond ideology, we explore whether MPs can effectively perform and implement their ideas — something shaped by their effort and policy influence. The project develops a comprehensive index of MP quality always with a close focus on which qualities voters value most. In a second step, we analyze how these factors influence vote choice, and how the role of quality in elections can be strengthened. Empirically, the project combines surveys, survey experiments, and text-as-data methods. ((Gelöscht))
Your profile
- Master in Political Science or related field
- Strong skills in quantitative methods and a strong command of R or another statistical programme
- Motivation to conduct independent research on your PhD as well as work together with an international team of researchers
- Interest in research on legislators and voters
- Fluency in written and spoken English
We offer you
- A joint research project (University of Basel and Geneva) in which you can set your own research focus
- A position for four years
- Salary and social benefits according to the University of Basel and SNF rules
- Resources to conduct your own research and participate in international conferences and summer schools
- Membership in the Graduate School of Social Sciences (G3S)
- An international research environment
Application / Contact
Please submit the following documents:
- A cover letter describing your motivation, research interests and how you would fit into the project
- CV
- One writing sample, for example a seminar paper or master thesis
- Copies of relevant diplomas and certificates
If you have any further questions about the position, please contact us (stefanie.bailer@unibas.ch). Application deadline is 15th December 2025. Interviews are scheduled for January 2026. Start date is 1st March 2026 (or to be discussed).