Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Quantitative Political Science (Voter ID Project)

About Us

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, HR and Communications. We are committed to equality of opportunity and an inclusive working environment and are proud to hold an Athena Swan Bronze Award. DPIR is based in the Social Sciences Building on Manor Road, alongside Economics, Criminology, Socio-Legal Studies and the Social Science Library.

What We Offer

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

• 38 days of annual leave (pro rata if part time and inclusive of public holidays) to support your wellbeing and additional leave 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.

• An excellent contributory pension scheme.

• 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 Postdoctoral Research Fellow will work with Prof Petra Schleiter (Principal Investigator) to conduct research for an ESRC funded research project on the effects of voter ID in the UK. The appointee will be part of a research team including co-Is Prof Margit Tavits and Prof Jonathan Homola.

The project examines the effects on voters' behaviour and attitudes of the introduction of mandatory photo ID in the UK, where citizens have no national ID cards. It combines (i) original surveys with embedded experiments with the analysis of historical data on the introduction of voter ID in (ii) Northern Ireland in the early 2000s, and (iii) in the English voter ID trials of 2018 and 2019.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will work on all strands of the project, with a particular focus on a new strand of work that focuses on young voters. This strand examines the effects of voter ID requirements on the political participation, attitudes, and experiences of the youngest cohort of voters, including potential future voters in the 16 to 17 year old age bracket. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will work closely with other members of the team, including the PI and Co-Is.

About You

You will contribute to designing a survey experiment, code and test survey instruments, monitor data collection with the survey firm, and carry out data‑quality checks. Additionally, you will adapt existing and develop new research methods suited to the data, while managing your own research activities and workload with appropriate initiative and judgement.

Furthermore, you must hold or be close to completion of a doctorate in political science or a related field and have experience of survey experiments, survey design and survey data analysis as well expertise in advanced quantitative methods, research design, and experience of working in R.

This position is a full time, fixed term position until 31 August 2027.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact the DPIR HR Team at vacancies@politics.ox.ac.uk. 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 will be required to upload a recent CV and supporting statement which demonstrates how your skills and experience meet the selection criteria as part of your online application.

Only applications received before 12 noon (UK time) on Monday 30th November can be considered. Please quote reference 189820 in all correspondence. Further information on the application process can be found here: How to apply | Oxford University

DPIR is proud to hold an Athena Swan Bronze Award, recognising our commitment to advancing gender equality.