Three student assistants at the Center for Civil Society Research

The Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB) is seeking three student assistants at the Center for Civil Society Research starting on 1 December 2026 for an initial period until 30 September 2027 (with the possibility of extension) with a weekly working time of 10-15 hours.

We are looking for student assistants in three different focal areas. Please specify in your application for which position you are applying and focus your letter of motivation on the specific project.
The WZB is the leading social science research institute in Germany and stands among the world’s most renowned institutes in this field. At the WZB, researchers from around the world with diverse methodological and disciplinary backgrounds—including sociology, political science, economics, and law—conduct research. They engage in problem-oriented basic research that addresses major societal challenges. The research is theory-driven, practice-oriented, often long-term, and internationally comparative. At the same time, the WZB promotes the exchange between research and society in various formats.

The WZB is a nonprofit limited liability company (GmbH) and a member of the Leibniz Association. It is funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Berlin.

Position 1: Manifesto Project

The Manifesto Project collects and analyses parties’ election manifestos using comparative content analysis. With the support of country experts the project analyses manifesto from over 60 countries, spanning from 1945 to the present. The project team coordinates the data generation and the data analysis. It works with a complex technical infrastructure that is continuously developed. The project’s main goal is to provide the scientific community with a large text corpus of party manifestos, and dataset of policy positions derived from the these manifestos.

Tasks

• support of the team in written communication with the country experts and the preparation of work contracts
• administrative and organisational preparation of workshops and conferences
• support in the processing of election programs and content analytical data

Position 2: PALS Survey

The first phase of the Public Attitudes towards the Liberal Script (PALS) survey provided the most comprehensive picture to date of global support for and opposition to the liberal script. Conducted in 30 countries with approximately 60,000 respondents, the PALS survey identified systematic differences in citizens' attitudes toward core liberal principles and revealed both cross-national and structural patterns in their underlying determinants. The project team at WZB is preparing the next phase of this cross-national survey.

Tasks

• support PALS 2.0 survey preparation (questionnaire design, documentation, QA), data preparation, preliminary analyses
• conduct literature reviews and prepare scientific summaries
• assist with basic administrative research tasks
• additional general student assistant duties

Position 3: Knowledge Exchange

The Center for Civil Society Research conducts research on the foundations, self-understanding, and transformation of civil society in contemporary democratic societies, particularly in Europe and Latin America. Using an integrative research approach, it builds bridges between research on conflicts and cooperation in civil society as well as protest and electoral research. By analyzing political conflicts and transformations in civil society over long periods of time, the Center provides answers to fundamental questions about the future of democracy and social cohesion. The Center is a joint initiative of the WZB and Freie Universität Berlin. An important aspect of the Center’s work involves its close engagement with practitioners from civil society itself.

Tasks

• support the knowledge exchange activities of the Centre with partners from civil society (incl. our civil society advisory board)
• support ongoing research projects in their transfer activities
• support the organization of public events
• assist in research dissemination (incl. social media and website)
• conduct literature reviews and prepare scientific summaries
• assist with basic administrative research tasks

Position 1: Manifesto Project

Requirements:

• enrollment in a degree program in political science or a related social science, at least in the third semester of a BA program or enrolled in an MA
• strong interest in comparative research on parties, elections and democracy
• very good command of English and German
• ability to work independently
  Preferred Qualifications
• proficiency in statistical software (e.g., R or Stata)
• experience with LaTeX
• experience in organizational and coordination tasks
• knowledge of additional foreign languages

Position 2: PALS Survey

Requirements

• enrolment in a social science degree program (e.g., Political Science, Sociology, Data Science, or a related discipline); at least in the third semester of a BA program or enrolled in an MA
• very good skills in handling quantitative data and extensive experience with at least one statistical software package (preferably R or Stata)
• ability to conduct literature searches and prepare concise summaries of scientific work
• excellent written and spoken English
  Preferred Qualifications
• strong interest in survey research, political sociology, comparative politics, and/or public opinion research
• knowledge of questionnaire design and experience in cross-national survey analysis

Position 3: Knowledge Exchange

Requirements

• enrolment in a social science degree program (e.g., Political Science, Sociology, or a related discipline); at least in the third semester of a BA program or enrolled in an MA
• a careful, well-organized, and reliable working style, with the ability to work independently and within a team
• very good command of English and German
  Preferred Qualifications
• strong interest in (German) civil society, its key players and current political challenges
• experience or interest in writing texts for a broader audience
• experience or interest in social media and event coordination

• remuneration according to the TdL guidelines (currently €15.20 per hour without a Bachelor's degree and €15.81 per hour with a Bachelor's degree)
• a well-equipped workplace in the center of Berlin
• international, cooperative, and diversified working environment
• in-depth integration into the scientific community in the form of colloquiums and conferences
• thorough instruction and guidance
• flexible working hours and the possibility of mobile working (at least 20% of the weekly working hours agreed in the contract)
• we promote a good work-life balance
• discounted leisure and recreation opportunities with a membership in Sozialwerk.Bund
• counselling and support services for WZB employees in difficult life situations

Please clearly indicate in your cover letter which position you are applying for (‘Manifesto Project’, ‘PALS’ or ‘Knowledge Exchange’). Applicants are welcome to apply for several positions, but please specify a preference. A full application includes a letter of motivation, your CV, the latest university transcripts, and, if available, a letter of reference from an academic or professional supervisor.
Applicants must be currently enrolled at a university and based in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, as these positions cannot be performed fully remotely.

We value diversity and welcome all applications, irrespective of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation. The WZB expressly encourages women and people with migration backgrounds to apply.

Equally qualified applicants with disabilities will be given preference.
If you have any questions regarding the job opening, please contact the assistant's office (+49 30 25491 -354/-327).

Further information on the Centre for Civil Society Research is available at
https://www.wzb.eu/en/research/dynamics-of-political-systems/center-for-civil-society-research
Further information on the Manifesto Project is available at https://www.wzb.eu/en/research/dynamics-of-political-systems/center-for-civil-society-research/projects/the-manifesto-project
Further information about the WZB is available at www.wzb.eu.

Have we caught your interest? Then we look forward to receiving your online application (cover letter, CV, certificates/transcripts, references if applicable) by 14th of October 2026. Job interviews are expected to take place in the week of 26th of October 2026.