Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB Berlin Social Science Center)

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

The Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung is one of the world’s leading social science research institutions. It conducts problem-oriented basic research, connects research with society, and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across sociology, political science, economics, and law. Current research focuses include climate, democracy, digitalization, education, gender, health, international orders, migration, and work. The WZB is a publicly funded, non-university research institute and a member of the Leibniz Association.

The WZB invites applications for a permanent full-time position as Director (f/m/x) for the study of international relations. The successful candidate will establish and lead a research department examining transformations of the international order and global power relations through theory-driven empirical research. Relevant topics include conflict and security, international institutions, transnational politics, political economy, and global governance.

Applicants should have an outstanding international research profile, extensive publication record, experience supervising doctoral researchers, and an interest in public engagement. They are expected to present a long-term interdisciplinary research agenda aligned with the WZB’s research environment. A Joint Professorship (W3) at a German university is desirable.

Applications (cover letter, publication list, and research statement) must be submitted in English by 20 September 2026. The WZB welcomes applications from all backgrounds; German language skills are not required.