Research assistant

At the School II of Computing Science, Business Administration, Economics, and Law of the University of Oldenburg, the Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, the Sustainability and Supply Chain Management research group (headed by Prof. Dr. Christian Busse) offers at the earliest possible date a position for a

Research assistant (m/f/d)
Pay group 13 TV-L (75%)

to be filled for 39 months. There is the possibility of qualification (doctorate).

The position is offered through a third-party funded project called “Nachhaltigkeitsgovernance globaler Wertschöpfungsketten” (sustainability-oriented governance of global supply chains), with collaborators from the University of Oldenburg, Leuphana University in Lüneburg, University of Osnabrück, and German Institute of Global and Area Studies (Hamburg). The inter-disciplinary project aims to investigate the actual and potential impacts of supply chain laws and related governance initiatives in promoting the transformation of global supply chains towards sustainability. The goal is to understand the impacts, potentials, and limitations of public and private governance schemes. This involves examining the effects of mandatory regulations in conjunction with private-sector initiatives, considering key actors such as the state, businesses (including auditing organizations), and civil society. The interdisciplinary consortium leverages perspectives from political science, law, economics, geography, and development cooperation. Specifically, you will work on the sub-topic of “Effectiveness of Sustainability Governance Schemes in Global Supply Chains.” This includes critically assessing the sustainability outcomes of supply chain governance schemes, such as standards and certifications. Your research will examine the development and design processes of sustainability governance schemes, focusing on how they can address diverse contextual needs, avoid unintended consequences, and foster innovation in global supply chain settings. You will be based at the University of Oldenburg.

Your tasks:

• Participation in the project and taking responsibility for the project deliverables
• Conducting research in the area of sustainability governance in global supply chains, including data collection in the Global South and rigorous data analysis
• Writing scientific publications targeted at leading supply chain and management journals
• Presenting the results internally among the project partners as well externally on various scientific platforms

Recruitment requirements:

• Completed academic degree (Diploma (Uni)/Master) in an economic, social or management science discipline
• A passion for research in the area of sustainable supply chain management
• Experience with qualitative or quantitative research methods and strong willingness for personal methodological development
• Ability and willingness to conduct field work (e.g., for data collection) in Global South countries
• Excellent English and solid German language skills, both written and spoken; knowledge of additional languages (e.g., Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, or Portuguese) is a plus but not mandatory
• Independent working style, analytical thinking, and high-performance orientation
• Teamwork skills and openness to new topics and projects

We offer:

• The possibility of professional and personal development within the framework of a doctoral thesis through close supervision and personal mentoring
• Additional expert supervision opportunity from a post-doc at the chair and from the cross-university collaborators in the project
• A dynamic and stimulating research environment at a renowned and internationally well-connected chair
• Flexible work hours aiming to ensure a positive work-life balance
• The opportunity to contribute to important societal debates and to the solution of pressing social and/or ecological problems

Application documents:

• Motivation letter (written in English)
• Detailed CV (written in English)
• Complete academic transcripts
• A sample of scientific writing (e.g., a PDF copy of master’s thesis or an available publication)
• Proof of proficiency in English (IELTS or equivalent)

The University of Oldenburg is an equal opportunities employer. According to § 21 para. 3 of the Legislation Governing Higher Education in Lower Saxony (NHG) preference shall be given to female candidates in cases of equal qualification. The same applies to persons with disabilities.