Senior Researcher and Head of Cluster

The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) invites applications for the position of Senior Researcher and Head of Cluster within the field of “Conflict and Security”.

The ECMI is an international research institution focused on the academic and policy-relevantstudy of ethno-cultural groups and national minority issues in Europe broadly defined. It wasfounded in 1996 by the governments of Denmark, Germany and Schleswig-Holstein as acrossroads for high-level European research on these issues, being located within a uniqueminority-border region on the Danish-German border.

THE POSITION
The Senior Researcher will be responsible for developing the Centre’s “Conflict and Security”cluster, meaning the cluster’s research themes and output, its liaison with relevant partners andstakeholders, its visibility through workshops and other events as well as its external fund-raisingthrough projects or grants.
The field of “Conflict and Security” within the realm of minority issues encompasses the academicand policy-relevant study of ethnic conflict, conflict prevention, conflict settlement, post-conflictcommunity-building, majority-minority relations, the security of minority groups and allinternational dimensions related to these questions. In parallel, the field may overlap with areassuch as human rights, democratization, international law, regional security, international relationsor development studies. The geographic focus is on Europe, defined as the scope of the Council ofEurope. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches are welcome.

The successful candidate will be expected to lead the cluster’s research output, policy-adviceactivities, external funding applications, project implementation, dissemination andoutreach efforts. The cluster leader will be responsible for developing a personal research profilewithin the cluster, whilst also serving as a point-person for the general field. Together with otherheads of cluster, they will be involved in the strategic management of the Centre as well as theCentre’s publication and other activities.
The position shall be for a preliminary period of two years. Thereafter, a performance review willtake place, on the basis of which an unlimited contract may be offered. Remuneration levels areguided by the German TV-L system (“Collective Agreement for Public Service of the Länder") withregular adjustments for inflation. The position is ranked at TV-L 14 with more precise gradingtaking place based on the candidate’s qualifications.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Candidates must have a doctoral degree or equivalent in the social sciences with a relevant publication record and/or professional activity within the realm of minority issues and conflict andsecurity. Candidates should have demonstrated competence in European minority issues.
  Priorexperience in collaborating with policy-makers, including producing policy reports, conductingtraining exercises and workshops is greatly anticipated.
• Applicants must have excellent commandof English in both spoken and written form, sufficient to produce independently publications,reports, presentations, project applications and the like. Competence in other European languages,especially those related to research, is welcome.
• The successful candidate must take up employment at the seat of the ECMI in Flensburg and bewilling to travel as necessitated by research work or outreach activities. A Personnel Agreement atthe Centre governs opportunities for remote work.

THE INSTITUTION
The ECMI is an international, multi-disciplinary research and competence institution workingwith governments, civil society, the academic community and international organisations onminority issues in Europe. We aim to provide governments and the public with relevant researchand analysis about national minorities as well as to influence the European agenda on minorityaffairs. In addition to its headquarters in Flensburg, the ECMI operates a field team in Ukraine aswell as projects in other European countries. Simultaneously, the Centre is embedded in itsSønderjylland-Schleswig region, working closely with local minority groups and respective publicinstitutions. We also co-operate with local universities (such as the Europa-Universität Flensburgand the University of Southern Denmark), including teaching and thesis supervision.

The Centre offers a multicultural, English-language working environment with varied tasks ando pportunities for professional advancement. Our management structure is flat with a high degree of
autonomy in research work. Heads of cluster have the possibility (as well as responsibility) totruly craft their domain in terms of high-impact academic research, policy collaboration, projectimplementation and public liaison. The Centre also takes pride in its Flensburg location as itrepresents not only the dynamism of the German-Danish border region, but also a history ofdeveloping successful majority-minority relations on both sides of the border. It is this positivelegacy of the region that serves as a touchstone for our research and fieldwork elsewhere inEurope. The ECMI is an equal opportunity institution with a commitment to improving genderbalances in academia as well as the advancement of researchers of minority backgrounds.

APPLICATIONS
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, a CV (including publications list) and a 1-2-pagestatement on the kind of research and/or activity agenda they would see themselves as bringing tothe cluster and the ECMI. Application materials should be submitted electronically to Ms. Maj-Britt Risbjerg Hansen (hansen@ecmi.de) no later than 2 August 2021. Short-listed candidateswill be asked in late August to give a research presentation (either in person or via videoconferencing) as well as meet with a search committee. The final selection will be done by the ECMIExecutive Board. Informal queries about the position may be addressed to Prof. Dr. Vello Pettai (pettai@ecmi.de).

European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI)
Schiffbrücke 12
24939 Flensburg, Germany
+49 461 141 490
info@ecmi.de
www.ecmi.de