The *University of Bremen*, U Bremen Excellence Chair Prof. Mario L. Small PhD/ Research Group “Large-Scale Data and Field Research in the Study of Social Networks” at the SOCIUM – Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy, invites applications for the following position
2 x 50% Research Associates (f/m/d) – Positions for PhD-candidates in Sociology.

*German pay-scale EG 13 TV-L (50%),* *part time (50%) and limited **until December 31, 2023*
*Start of contract: January 1, 2021. *

The time limitation is based on § 2 (1) WissZeitVG (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, i.e. temporary science employment act). Therefore, candidates may only be considered who dispose of the respective
scope of qualification periods according to § 2 (1) WissZeitVG.

The *University of Bremen*, a mid-sized university with 320 professors, 19.500 students and a full-spectrum of academic disciplines is one of Europe’s leading research universities and maintains close cooperation with international universities and non-university research institutions in the region. The promotion of young researchers is a core element of Bremen’s research strategy.

The ‘U Bremen Excellence Chairs’ program is a new initiative at University of Bremen since 2019. It enables internationally outstanding researchers to establish their own working groups at the university and to integrate them into a network of excellent research institutions worldwide in their
respective disciplines. Mario L. Small’s research group will study “*Large-Scale Data and Field Research in the Study of Social Networks*.”  One major promise of “big data” was the ability to understand how social networks emerge, operate, and shape human behavior on a much larger scale than previously possible.  However, as wide-eyed enthusiasm has given way to sober analysis, researchers and the public have become increasingly aware of the limitations of such data.  This project will examine the extent to
which field-based research (interview and survey research) can help address the limits of computationally intensive analysis of large-scale administrative data. Focusing on problems such as boundary specification, locality of interaction, algorithmic confounding, and misinterpretation of
meaning, we will examine the extent to which bringing field research to bear on the analysis of large-scale administrative data can help improve our understanding of the relationship between networks and social inequality.

*Position 1:*

*Tasks:*

– Conduct quantitative analysis of large-scale data and possibly survey
data related to social networks or inequality, broadly conceived;
– Work with a postdoctoral researcher and others to help design,
execute, and write the results of research combining field methods and
large-scale data;
– Conduct independent research and development of own PhD project within
the methodological and analytical framework of the group;
– Support the organisation of international workshops.

*Requirements:*

– Training and experience in quantitative empirical social research.
Either coursework or other forms of training in social networks are
strongly preferred but not required.
– A completed, high quality Master’s degree in sociology, a related
social science, or an applied quantitative field.
– Demonstrated evidence of initiative, independence, drive, efficiency,
productivity, the ability to work in groups, and a commitment to high
quality social science research.
– High level of proficiency in English (including demonstrated academic
writing skills); proficiency in German is welcome, but not required.
– Strong interest in developing connections with other researchers.
Experience gained at other national/international research institutions is
welcome.

*Position 2:*

*Tasks:*

– Conduct in-depth interviews or help conduct surveys with users,
non-users, designers, and others involved in online platforms related to
social networks or in other forms large-scale data related to inequality or
social networks, broadly conceived;
– Work with a postdoctoral researcher and others to help design,
execute, and write the results of research combining field methods and
large-scale data;
– Conduct independent research and development of own PhD project within
the methodological and analytical framework of the group;
– Support the organisation of international workshops.

*Requirements:*

– Training and experience in qualitative interview methods and empirical
social research.  Either coursework or other forms of training in social
networks is useful but not required.
– A completed, high quality Master’s degree in sociology or a related
social science.
– Demonstrated evidence of initiative, independence, drive, efficiency,
productivity, the ability to work in groups, and a commitment to high
quality social science research.
– High level of proficiency in English (including demonstrated academic
writing skills); proficiency in German is welcome, but not required.
– Strong interest in developing connections with other researchers.
Experience gained at other national/international research institutions is
welcome.

Salary and benefits are linked to the German employee scale TVL13 (50%).
International candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

The review process will begin on September 1, 2020. Applications and inquiries should be sent by August 31, 2020 with the *reference number A156/20 to

SOCIUM – Forschungszentrum Ungleichheit und Sozialpolitik
Verwaltung, Frau Dorit Lafferenz
Postfach 33 04 40
28334 Bremen
Germany

or electronically as pdf-attachment to socium-bewerbungen@uni-bremen.de.

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

Please note that the application should be submitted in English and that we can only accept it if it includes all required documents as a single PDF file: CV, a cover letter describing your background, interests, and motivation for applying (all in English), academic certificates and a written paper (in English or German).

The University of Bremen has received a number of awards for its gender and diversity policies and is particularly aiming to increase the number of female researchers. Applications from female candidates, international applications and applications of academics with a migration background are
explicitly welcome. Disabled persons with the same professional and personal qualifications will be given preference.

For further information please contact Prof. Mario L. Small, PhD (mario_small@harvard.edu) or Prof. Dr. Betina Hollstein (betina.hollstein@uni-bremen.de).

The Sociology Dept. at the  Hebrew University in Jerusalem is recruiting a junior or senior faculty member who does primarily quantitative research in areas such as stratification, migration, health, education, labor markets, ethnicity and related topics. The Department seeks a promising graduate
student or postdoc or a junior or even senior faculty member who might be interested in making the move to Israel and joining our department. Appointment to begin in Fall 2021.

The Population Health Initiative has launched its third call for rapid response COVID 19 pilot grants  due to PHI by July 31. These pilot grants are targeted towards health equity research and partnerships with communities of color.  CSDE is happy to support these initiatives with in-kind resources for research consultations and time, logistics, lab help, survey development, or access to computing resources.  We can provide a letter of support that values that support for you, as part of a match.  In some cases, we may be able to provide dollar support, up to $5,000, if the grant also aligns with our center grant mission. Several of the PHI goals also coincide with our research mission, including expanding reporting of racial and demographic data, improving understanding of the variation in infection by race and ethnicity, improving understanding in death and excess mortality by race and ethnicity, understanding the impact of the pandemic’s impact on housing, improving our understanding of the pandemic’s economic impact, etc. Please submit your requests to our seed grant portal.  You may also contact Sara Curran or Steve Goodreau with your requests.

The Population Health Initiative has launched its third call for rapid response COVID 19 pilot grants  due to PHI by July 31. These pilot grants are targeted towards health equity research and partnerships with communities of color.  CSDE is happy to support these initiatives with in-kind resources for research consultations and time, logistics, lab help, survey development, or access to computing resources.  We can provide a letter of support that values that support for you, as part of a match.  In some cases, we may be able to provide dollar support, up to $5,000, if the grant also aligns with our center grant mission. Several of the PHI goals also coincide with our research mission, including expanding reporting of racial and demographic data, improving understanding of the variation in infection by race and ethnicity, improving understanding in death and excess mortality by race and ethnicity, understanding the impact of the pandemic’s impact on housing, improving our understanding of the pandemic’s economic impact, etc. Please submit your requests to our seed grant portal.  You may also contact Sara Curran or Steve Goodreau with your requests.

The purpose of this funding call is to rapidly accelerate, or jumpstart, novel research designed to better understand, mitigate, or reverse the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color to improve population health equity. The call is broad in scope, and applications can propose research projects and interventions in areas including, some of the areas identified by PHI also align with CSDE’s research mission to advance population science, which we list below:

• Expanding reporting of racial demographic data for morbidity, mortality, and other areas of disparity
• Improving understanding of the variation in infection by race and ethnicity
• Improving the understanding of the variation in death and excess mortality by race and ethnicity
• Bolstering access to, and communication of, culturally appropriate, evidence-based information
• Understanding the pandemic’s impact on housing and rental markets
• Improving the accessibility of testing for communities of color
• Improving the understanding of the variation in economic impact – such as unemployment, earnings, and so forth – by race and ethnicity
• Understanding the impact of the pandemic on youth employment

Project ideas can be proposed that will either (1) quickly bring to bear new knowledge, or (2) that will allow work on a larger, longer-term project to begin immediately as the project team continues to seek the necessary external funding for the bigger component. Applicants are required to propose projects that (1) address community-identified needs and (2) that were developed in partnership with a domestic or international community-based organization as the initiative views such partnerships as being critical to improving health and well-being. Specifically, we are seeking projects that work WITH a community partner to identify needs and design the project rather than projects that are developed by researchers and then “pitched” to potential partners.

The Census Bureau (BOC) posted a call for proposals due July 29, 2020 ($150,000 award ceiling) from institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations to measure perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes toward the Census Bureau. There are three program priorities: (1) secure research and development of formal privacy methods, including but not limited to differential privacy, for sample surveys; (2) explore the feasibility of open source data, and particularly those created through social media platforms such as Twitter, to complement or substitute opinion data from surveys and censuses. In particular, research should develop appropriate analytic strategies that facilitate the use of these data to meaningfully track attitudinal trends; and, (3) collaborate with an external body to design, build, and maintain an online research panel that would be available for robust public opinion and methodological research by statistical agencies and non profit organizations for the common good. For more information see: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=327791

The International Inequalities Institute (III) has been established by LSE in response both to the growing international concern about inequality and its consequences and to the high level of interest across all of the School’s departments and disciplines in inequality.  The Atlantic Fellows in Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme based in III is committed to building a community of people who are “committed to using collective leadership to work towards social and economic justice for all”.

Applications are invited from outstanding researchers for a twenty-four month Research Fellow post to work with the Research Theme Convenor of a new AFSEE/III research theme on ‘Politics of Inequality’ and support an interdisciplinary team based in economics, law, social policy, and sociology.  The post holder will be expected to conduct original academic research on substantive research topics which will lead to high quality academic publications, and play a full part in the research culture of the III and in developing research initiatives. The post will start on 1^st October 2020, or as soon as practicable afterwards.

Candidates should have:

·       A completed PhD in Social Policy, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Law, Media and Communications, Gender, Anthropology, Geography or another related social science discipline or subject area

·       In-depth knowledge of research methods, with demonstratable experience of qualitative and/or quantitative data management and analysis relevant for the successful conduct of research on the Politics of Inequality theme

·       Ability to analyse and research complex ideas, concepts or theories

·       Ability to conduct research on a comparative and international basis

·       Willingness to collaborate on mixed method research

·       Excellent written and verbal communication skills

·       Evidence of publications of high academic standard

·       Demonstrated ability to manage time, prioritise workload and work to deadlines

·       Commitment to collaborative working with the Atlantic Fellows programme

·       Ability to take responsibility for and work independently on specific project tasks as agreed with project Directors

We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave and excellent training and development opportunities.

For further information about the post, please see the how to apply document, further particulars, job description and the person specification.

To apply for this post, please go to www.lse.ac.uk/LSEJobs. If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email E.Ryan@lse.ac.uk.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 13^th August 2020 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications. 

Interviews are likely to be held virtually in w/c 24^th August 2020.

The International Inequalities Institute (III) has been established by LSE in response both to the growing international concern about inequality and its consequences and to the high level of interest across all of the School’s departments and disciplines in inequality.  The Atlantic Fellows in Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme based in III is committed to building a community of people who are “committed to using collective leadership to work towards social and economic justice for all”.

Research Officer in Inequalities: Politics of Inequality

Applications are invited from outstanding researchers for a twenty-four month Research Officer post to work with the Research Theme Convenor of a new III research theme on ‘Politics of Inequality’. The post holder will support an interdisciplinary team and candidates should:

· Have a completed PhD in Social Policy, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Law, Media and Communications, Gender, Anthropology, Geography or another related social science discipline or subject area relevant for the successful conduct of research on inequalities

·  Be able to conduct original academic research on substantive research topics that relate to this research programme

·  Have proven methodological skills (quantitative or qualitative) which demonstrate the capacity to conduct original and rigorous research

·  Demonstrable ability to collate and analyse data from a range of quantitative sources

·  Willingness to collaborate on mixed method research

·  Have ability to conduct research on a comparative and international basis

·  Be able to play a full part in the research culture of the III

·  Be able to organise workshops, webinars, or seminars related to this research programme

·  Excellent written and verbal communication skills

·   Ability to present research findings to a variety of academic and non-academic audiences

·   Ability to work as part of a collaborative research team

·   Commitment to collaborative working and active engagement with the AFSEE programme

·   Ability to take responsibility for and work independently on specific project tasks as agreed with project Directors

·   Evidence of time management skills, setting priorities and meeting deadlines

The post will start on 1^st October 2020, or as soon as practicable afterwards.We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave and excellent training and development opportunities.

For further information about the post, please see the how to apply document, further particulars document, job description and the person specification.

To apply for this post, please go to www.lse.ac.uk/LSEJobs. If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email E.Ryan@lse.ac.uk.

 The closing date for receipt of applications is 9th August 2020 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications. 

Interviews are likely to be held virtually in w/c 24^th August 2020.

https://jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/2610/0/272444/15539/research-fellow-politics-of-inequality/

The NIA-funded Reversibility Network (PIs: Eric Loucks, Margaret Sheridan, Keith Godfrey) is designed to foster research to reverse/remediate the effects of early life adversity (e.g. abuse, neglect, poverty, racial discrimination, etc.) in mid- and later-life, and welcomes scientists to apply for pilot funding through the Reversibility Network program shown below.

Call for Proposals – Summer 2020

Who we are. The Reversibility Network is a National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded network of researchers whose mission is to advance research around remediating the effects of early life adversities (ELA) in mid- and later life. This growing network of interdisciplinary ELA experts seeks to foster research that will fundamentally develop and prepare the field for greater scientific discoveries, with a particular focus on the interaction between ELA and interventions for population and patient benefits. Furthermore, we aim to raise awareness in the field about the importance of ELA, ELA measurement, ELA mechanisms, and effective interventions. Specific aims for this call for research proposal are in two themes: (1) ELA mechanisms and (2) ELA interventions. See below for additional detail.

RFA Guidelines and Terms of the Award: 2020 Grant Cycle

Funding Amount: $50,000 available; to be issued in sub-awards of $10,000-$20,000

Research Proposal Deadline: 4:30 p.m., Friday, August 14, 2020

A growing body of evidence, both animal and human, highlights the long-term liability that early life adversities (ELAs) – such as low socioeconomic status, adverse early experiences (e.g. abuse and neglect), and malnutrition – confer on mental and physical health outcomes in late life. In addition, novel behavioral interventions aimed at increasing health and wellbeing during adulthood are being developed, which may be effective when provided in mid- and later life for people who experienced ELA. However, midlife interventions which directly test whether interventions can modify the processes that account for the long-term impact of ELAs on later life health remain minimally researched, representing strong potential for discovery. Finally, newer methodologies (e.g., neuroimaging, gene expression, epigenetics, ecological momentary assessment) offer significantly greater opportunities to illuminate mechanisms linking ELA to adult outcomes. Increased understanding of mechanisms will improve our ability to develop more informed and effective interventions. In sum, this is a particularly ‘ripe’ time for deepening and extending an interdisciplinary research network on reversibility/remediation for early life adversity (ELA), an opportunity the Reversibility Network aims to foster.

The Reversibility Network will foster research that will fundamentally develop and prepare the field for greater scientific discoveries, with a particular focus on the interaction between ELA and interventions for population and patient benefits. Furthermore, we aim to raise awareness in the field about the importance of ELA, ELA measurement, and effective interventions.This is a call for research proposals on two themes:

ELA Mechanisms: Catalyze research on key mechanisms through which ELA influences health and aging outcomes (e.g. biological, behavioral, socioemotional) in midlife. Target mechanisms should be evaluated as to whether they are both malleable to interventions and influence aging outcomes, and projects should be designed to contribute to our understanding of causal pathways.

ELA Interventions: Foster research on: (a) Midlife effects of early life interventions (e.g. preconception through adolescence) for those exposed to ELA; (b) Midlife interventions for those who recall ELA and/or were objectively exposed to ELA. Intervention studies should be designed to test mechanistic hypotheses about malleable targets, utilizing the Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) mechanisms-focused approach.

Examples of possible research projects include: (1) collection of new data (e.g.  performing midlife interventions, or contacting completed intervention study participants to ask about ELA or adult outcomes), (2) analyses of archival data, or (3) systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The approach to achieve these aims will be to extend an interdisciplinary, international Research Network on Interventions to Reverse Effects of Early Life Adversity (aka “Reversibility Network”) that was developed over the past five years. During the coming year, the Reversibility Network will focus on ELA research capacity and community building, which will cut across the two themes outline above.

One of the major initiatives is a call for Pilot Research Proposals ($10,000-$20,000 grants, from a pool of $50,000), with an emphasis on mid to later life interventions which take into account, and measure, the impact of ELA. These projects should advance the stated goals of this network, and have the potential to lay the foundation for a larger research grant application. Projects should support researchers with expertise in aging, intervention, or ELA, addressing the goal of increasing research into mid-later life reversibility of the impact of ELA on aging.

Proposals should be two pages long, with an NIH-formatted Specific Aims page, and a second page providing further detail on the Methods. In the Methods section, please give careful consideration to rigorous measurement of ELA measures, ELA mechanisms, design of the intervention, as well as statistical analysis and power considerations where appropriate. Successful applicants will participate in a virtual grantees meeting and be welcomed to join additional activities of the Reversibility Network. Applications with fundable scores will be required demonstrate human subjects research compliance to NIH standards prior to receiving funding.

Please submit research proposals by Friday, August 14, 2020 by email to: Senior Project Coordinator, Frances_Saadeh@brown.edu.

Subject line should read: “Reversibility Network – 2020 Proposal submission – {PI Last Name}”