Funding opportunities of TRA 'Individuals & Societies'

The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn is an internationally operating research university with a wide range of subjects. Over 200 years of history, around 38,000 students, more than 6,000 employees and an excellent reputation at home and abroad: The University of Bonn is one of the most important universities in Germany and has been recognized as a university of excellence.

To sharpen and further develop its scientific profile, the university has established six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs). As new organizational structures that promote innovation, the TRAs focus university research on key scientific, technological and social future topics. They serve as creative and exploratory platforms on which subjects and faculties connect in a topic-oriented manner and coordinate their strategic development.

To support the TRA Individuals, Institutions and Societies, we are looking for a student or research assistant (SHK/WHF) (m/f/d) as of May 1, 2025 (limited to one year with a weekly working time of initially 5 hours, from August 1, 2025 up to 10h/w).

Within the TRA Individuals, Institutions and Societies, scientists investigate the complex relationships between individuals, institutions and societies and use this to develop new perspectives on micro-phenomena (e.g. personality development, action competences, individualization) and macro-phenomena (e.g. world society, globalization). The aim is, for example, to identify key factors that influence social cohesion, equal opportunities, efficiency, resource protection and the development of individual skills in the interaction of all these factors.

Your tasks:
• Supporting the TRA manager
• Editing and maintaining the TRA homepage
• Research work, creating summaries, overviews, etc.
• Image editing, creating flyers, invitations, etc.
• Supporting the organization, preparation and follow-up of events (analog/digital)
• Setting up and sending the TRA 4 newsletter, maintaining the member mailing list

Your profile:
• Enrolled at a university for a social science, economics, social science, law, cultural studies or humanities degree (Bachelor/Master) with very good grades
• German language skills at native speaker level and very good written and spoken English
• Confident use of common MS Office programs and ZOOM
• Interest in inter-/transdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration and research
• Independent and proactive approach, organizational talent
• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to work in a team
• Experience with Plone 5, eCampus and Confluence (desirable)
• initial experience in organizing events and/or supporting projects (desirable)

We offer:
• a varied and challenging job in a team-oriented work environment
at one of the largest employers in the region
• flexible working hours and work design
• insights into university science and project management as well as national and
international inter-/transdisciplinary research
• remuneration in accordance with the applicable guidelines for the employment of student and research assistants at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Due to personnel law requirements, only students who have not previously been employed at the University of Bonn can apply.

The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn is an internationally operating research university with a wide range of subjects. Over 200 years of history, around 38,000 students, more than 6,000 employees and an excellent reputation at home and abroad: The University of Bonn is one of the most important universities in Germany and has been recognized as a university of excellence.

The research project “The mid- and long-term consequences of the Ahr valley flood from a social scientific point of view: a multimethod approach of data collection and an interdisciplinary analysis” starts on June 1st, 2024 as part of funding from the Transdisciplinary Research Area “Individuals and Societies” (TRA 4). As new innovation-promoting organizational structures, the TRAs align university research with key scientific, technological and social topics of the future. They serve as creative and exploratory platforms on which subjects and faculties connect on a topic-oriented basis and coordinate their strategic development.

It is a joint project of Bonn researchers from the fields of geography, economics, law, sociology and political sciencej, which aims to provide the necessary scientific expertise for a sustainable social and political orientation of the reconstruction and recovery processes in the Ahr Valley through extensive social science data collection and application-oriented analyses .

As part of this project, a student or research assistant (SHK/WHF) (15 hours per week) will be hired from July 1st, 2024 until December 31st, 2025 to support the preparation, implementation and follow-up of participatory workshops as well as public relations and networking activities for the Population survey.

The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn is an internationally operating research university with a wide range of subjects. Over 200 years of history, around 38,000 students, more than 6,000 employees and an excellent reputation at home and abroad: The University of Bonn is one of the most important universities in Germany and has been recognized as a university of excellence.

The research project “The mid- and long-term consequences of the Ahr valley flood from a social scientific point of view: a multimethod approach of data collection and an interdisciplinary analysis” starts on June 1st, 2024 as part of funding from the Transdisciplinary Research Area “Individuals and Societies” (TRA 4). As new innovation-promoting organizational structures, the TRAs align university research with key scientific, technological and social topics of the future. They serve as creative and exploratory platforms on which subjects and faculties connect on a topic-oriented basis and coordinate their strategic development.

It is a joint project of Bonn researchers from the fields of geography, economics, law, sociology and political sciencej, which aims to provide the necessary scientific expertise for a sustainable social and political orientation of the reconstruction and recovery processes in the Ahr Valley through extensive social science data

As part of this project, a student or research assistant (SHK/WHF) will be hired from July 1st, 2024 until June 30th, 2025 (8 hours per week)  to support the creation, design and testing of the population survey.

Your tasks:

• Sorting and compression of the given variables
• Operationalization of these variables (based, among other things, on in-depth literature research)
• Planning and conducting cognitive pretests
• ongoing revision of the questionnaire based on pretest results and
Feedback from the project team
• If necessary, support in the implementation of participatory workshops

Your profile:

• Enrollment at a university in a master's degree program
(Bachelor students can apply when starting their Master's degree
by the winter semester 2024/2025 at the latest)
• Proven methodological competence in the field of empirical social research
(from the bachelor's degree, the master's degree or relevant professional
Activities)
• Interest in independent and project-oriented work
• Enjoy careful detailed work and quantitative research methods
• Commitment, time flexibility and identification with the project goals

We offer:

• a demanding substantive activity in an interdisciplinary research project
• a friendly and helpful team with a pleasant working atmosphere
• largely flexible working hours
• Remuneration as WHF according to the current tariff: €14.36 per hour (from October 1st: €15.15);
If applicable, according to the SHK tariff until September 30th: €13.25 per hour

The Transdisciplinary Research Area TRA 4 is looking for a Research Associate (50%) for a limited period of 36 months.

The new Heinrich Hertz Professorship of the Transdisciplinary Research Area TRA 4: Individuals, Institutions and Societies will focus on life and the conditions for its development and success. At a newly emerging "Center for Life Ethics," related ethical aspects will be explored in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary manner.

Your tasks:
- Project coordination and implementation of the research project "CARE" on ethical, legal and social aspects of technology-assisted prediction of mental illness,
- Development of ethical frameworks for responsible use of predictive technologies and good communication of individual risks,
- Participation in the development, ethical monitoring and evaluation of digital applications in a project network with other universities and practice partners,
- Opportunity for individual further qualification (e.g. PhD) will be given.

Your profile:
- Completed university studies in philosophy, law, medicine, computer science, sociology, communication sciences or a comparable subject related to the research topic,
- Well above average degree and ideally a completed or intended doctorate in the above subjects,
- Ability to conduct ethical analyses, literature reviews, etc., and ideally to evaluate digital applications,
- Previous academic work in the field of digitization research is an advantage,
- Strong ability to work in an interdisciplinary manner,
- Above-average commitment and ability to work in a team,
- Above-average communication skills,
- Very good command of English.

We offer:
- an interdisciplinary and inspiring team of highly motivated employees*,
- a varied and challenging job with one of the largest employers in the region, giving you freedom to conduct your own research,
- a research-oriented environment as well as an inspiring and motivating working atmosphere,
- company pension scheme (VBL),
- numerous offers of university sports,
- very good transport connections and the opportunity to purchase a VRS bulk customer ticket or to use inexpensive parking facilities,
- remuneration according to pay group 13 TV-L.