A Research Associate (Post-Doc) - fulltime, fixed-term contract for Fairwork Project in Potsdam bei XU Exponential University of Applied Sciences GmbH

Your mission

At the intersection of its research clusters on the Digitalisation of work and Disruptive Technologies and Intelligence, the XU Exponential University (XU) is looking for:
A Research Associate (Post-Doc) – Fairwork Project (w/m/d)
Contract Duration: April 1/May 1, 2024, to March 31/April 30, 2026 (40 hours per week)
Location: Potsdam, Germany, and remote.

About Us: The XU Exponential University of Applied Sciences is privately managed, locally anchored in the Berlin/Potsdam region and with a global reach. Our programs are consistently geared towards digital transformation and the requirements of the labour and education markets. Our university is at the forefront of the Fairwork project, a global initiative committed to assessing ad promoting fair work conditions in the digital economy. As part of our dedicated team in Germany, we are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Post-Doctoral Researcherto contribute to our mission of driving positive change in the rapidly evolving landscape of digitally mediated work. The XU Exponential University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-accredited university of applied sciences in Potsdam, Brandenburg. XU’s offerings are consistently geared towards digital transformation, the entrepreneurial mindset, sustainable innovation and the new competencies and skills for the jobs of the future. XU’s goal is to enable students, entrepreneurs, employees and managers to grow in the digital age and influence positive change.

Position Overview: As a Post-Doctoral Researcher within the German team of the Fairwork project, you will play a crucial role in conducting digital research (data analytics) to evaluate job quality and working conditions among workers engaged in digital labour platforms (e.g. Lieferando, Flink, Bolt, Uber etc.). This position involves utilizing research findings to inform action strategies, collaborating on publications, and actively participating in disseminating evaluations of platforms against the principles of fair work.
The Fairwork project is jointly coordinated by the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, and the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB). The post holder will work at XU University under the guidance of Professor Dr. Maren Borkert, Vice-President Research and Professor for Digital Entrepreneurship, and in collaboration with Professor Dr. Raad Bin Tareaf, Professor for Data Science. Being part of Fairwork’s Team Germany, the post holder will closely work with both the OII (Oxford) and WZB team (Berlin) and, occasionally, across the international research project. Fairwork as a global action research project has been implemented in over 30 countries worldwide, which provides a rich basis for comparison.
The Team Germany of the Fairwork project will research the German platform economy with a particular focus on the effects of algorithmic management on working conditions and related challenges and prospects for collective bargaining and representation of workers. As part of this research, the team will be responsible for the Fairwork Germany reports for 2024 and 2025 and engage with key stakeholders to advocate for better regulation of platform labour.
Your tasks and duties: The post holder will be an experienced researcher with outstanding all-around skills to conduct high-quality, independent research. In particular, the post-holder will:

• Conduct primary research and secondary comprehensive and comparative analysis of (digital) data collected in the Fairwork project,
• prepare research publications, chapters, summaries, and reports,
• engage actively in the activities of the XU Research committee and collaborate in the preparation and management of grant applications,
• reach out and liaise with external partners and stakeholders, particularly unions, policymakers and platforms,
• disseminate findings in the scientific community and the media.

Your profile

• A relevant postgraduate degree in data science, business analytics, social sciences (e.g. sociology, geography, economics, internet research), or related fields, with a strong emphasis on social media analysis,
• strong publication record and familiarity with the existing literature and research related to the platform economy, digital economy, and algorithmic management,
• Demonstrable commitment to working towards the empowerment of workers, and to equality and inclusion,
• academic or professional experience in the development of research projects and methodologies,
• experience in conducting, analysing, and interpreting research data,
• excellent communication skills, including the ability to write for publicati