Postdoctoral position in the “Understanding (mis)perceptions of economic inequality as a way to reduce it” research project

The Department of Management at Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, invites applications for a fulltime 3-year postdoctoral position offering applicants an exciting opportunity to join a new research project on (mis)perceptions of economic inequality. 

The starting date is 1st of July 2024 or subject to mutual agreement.

The research project

This project is funded by AUFF and aims to advance our understanding how specific cognitive biases might be hindering our understanding of economic inequality and contributing to a resistance against wealth redistribution. This project moreover aims to explore how cognitive debiasing can aid in increasing support for wealth redistribution, in turn decreasing economic inequality.

Global economic inequality has surged and led to deleterious societal consequences, including decreased social mobility, reduced economic growth, and increased political polarization. Paradoxically, support for policies mitigating economic inequality remains low, partly due to political differences and polarization. Could cognitive biases be hindering our understanding of economic inequality and contributing to resistance against wealth redistribution? In other words, can a clearer grasp of the scale of this inequality lead us to a more economically equal world?

Awareness of extreme inequality and ways to reduce it, has substantial societal implications. Identifying cognitive mechanisms causing underestimation of economic inequality and countering them can bolster public support for inequality-reducing policies. The research questions will be tested in a series of meta-analytical, lab, online, and field experimental studies. The project is expected to contribute to the fields of psychology and management and will be under the supervision of Assistant Professor Christian Truelsen Elbæk (Aarhus University).

Job description

We are looking for a self-motivated, highly active, and productive researcher. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to the overall objectives of the project by being involved in all phases of the project, including formulating research questions, experimental designs, analyses, writing articles, and consulting other researchers of the Lab (currently 1 professor, 2 assistant professors, 2 PhD students, and several research assistants).

The position is research-oriented but may involve teaching assignments.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold a PhD relevant to the academic areas of the Department of Management, preferably within one or more of the following areas: Social Psychology, Behavioral Economics, Cognitive Psychology, or another relevant field.

Other requirements include:

• Publication experience in high-ranking journals in psychology and management
• Experience with designing, analyzing, and reporting experimental or survey research
• Experience with field studies, consumer panel surveys, lab experiments, and the combination of these (multi-methods studies)
• Knowledge and expertise in one or many of the following areas: psychology, behavioral economics, and judgment and decision making
• Excellent research skills, including advanced statistical and methodological knowledge (experience with programming of experiments, statistical methods such as individual models of preferences or models of decision-making processes, and programming skills in R and/or Python)
• Experience in teaching
• Experience in open science, preregistered experiments, and meta-analyses
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, with a certified proficiency in English
• Excellent knowledge of office and statistical software
• Motivation to work independently as well as cooperatively in an international team
  

Deadline

All applications must be made online and received by April 30, 2024.

       
Who we are

The Department of Management is one of the six departments at

Aarhus BSS

, one of the four faculties at Aarhus University. Aarhus BSS unites the research fields of business and social sciences bringing them closer together to reflect the close relationship between society and the business community. As part of a Top-100 university, Aarhus BSS, and specifically the Department of Management, has achieved the distinguished AASCB, AMBA and Equis accreditations.

The department’s research and teaching environment is highly international and culturally diverse with a mix of Danish and international academic staff members and PhD students. We employ more than 160 academic staff including researchers, PhD students, research associates and cover a broad range of disciplines within management, e.g. marketing, international business, organization, HR, strategy, management accounting, innovation management, entrepreneurship, project management, and information systems. We aim to conduct high-quality research, and we give high priority to publishing our research in leading academic journals and presenting it at recognised conferences. In addition, we have a dynamic exchange of international researchers, who stay at the department for short or long periods of time. 

For more information about the Department of Management, please visit: http://mgmt.au.dk/ .

Further information

For further information about the position and the department, please contact Assistant Professor Christian Truelsen Elbæk, Tel.: +452013 1623, Email:

[email protected]   

If you need help uploading your application or have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR supporter Maria Grauert Bodin Tel.: +458715 3445, Email: [email protected]

International applicant? Find information about entering and working in Denmark here

Place of work

Aarhus BSS

Department of Management

Fuglesangs Allé 4

DK-8210 Aarhus V

Denmark

International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information here:
https://internationalstaff.au.dk/relocationservice/

Please find more information about research opportunities at Aarhus University here: http://international.au.dk/research/

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here: 

http://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/
Terms of employment

The appointment is made in accordance with the

Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities

as well as the circular on the

Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State

(in Danish).

The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the

Ministerial Order on the Appointment of  Academic Staff at Universities

.

Application procedure

When you apply for this position it is mandatory to attach the following:

• Application
• Curriculum Vitae. You are encouraged to declare any periods of leave without research activity, including, for example, maternity leave, since your research activities are assessed in relation to your actual research time
• Education (diploma for master's, PhD and possibly higher doctoral degree)
• List of publications (the enclosed publications must be clearly marked on the list of publications)
• Publications. Up to three publications can be included in the application. In the event of several authors the publications must be accompanied by a co-author statement concerning the applicant's share of the collaborative work with the consent of the co-authors. Please use this template
• Teaching portfolio. The specific requirements regarding the documentation can be found here

 

Materials which cannot be uploaded together with the application may be submitted in three copies to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, Aarhus University, Tåsingegade 1, 2nd floor, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

Read more about how to apply for an academic post at Aarhus BSS

here
The evaluation process

After the application deadline, an assessment committee is appointed. Please note that the assessment of applicants is based solely on the material received prior to the application deadline. For further information, see

Guidelines for Assessment Committee, Aarhus BSS

.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.