DIIS is seeking a researcher for a three-year position focused on the role, strategies and impact of civil society in Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction, with particular focus on women’s organisations and organisations working on gender equality.

The research will complement DIIS’s work on political economy, governance and reconstruction in Ukraine conducted under its agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

The position will examine how civil society organisations, and women’s organisations in particular, contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction and long-term political and socioeconomic development. The research should generate knowledge relevant to inclusive and democratic recovery and reconstruction. Comparative perspectives from other regions or contexts are seen as an asset, particularly where they connect the project to DIIS’s broader thematic and regional expertise.

The researcher will work closely with DIIS colleagues conducting research on political economy, state–business relations, sanctions and local governance in Ukraine. The position will contribute perspectives on civil society, women’s organisations and gender equality to DIIS’s broader research on democratic reform, rule of law, human rights, governance and human security.

The researcher will be expected to develop and maintain relevant academic and policy networks in Ukraine, neighbouring countries and across Europe, including the Nordic region. These networks should support knowledge exchange, research collaboration and the dissemination of findings to academic, policy and wider public audiences.

About the position
As a DIIS employee, you will be part of an inspiring and vibrant knowledge environment at an institution committed to excellence in multidisciplinary research, high-level policy analysis, and dissemination of international studies. Interdisciplinary collaboration is a cornerstone of DIIS’s research culture, valuing diverse theoretical and empirical perspectives. Therefore, it is essential that you are open to engaging with colleagues from various disciplinary backgrounds and contributing to a collaborative knowledge environment.

Research at DIIS is structured into five research units, each with a specialised research focus. The researcher be affiliated with the Global Development and Green Transitions unit.

As a researcher at DIIS, you will be expected to actively contribute to the thematic advancement of research and analysis, both within your unit and across the institute. With no teaching obligations, you will have ample time to focus on your research or analysis activities. In return, you are expected to produce high-quality international publications, engage in high quality policy work and analysis, and to contribute to creating an active academic environment at DIIS by being present and participating in day-to-day work-related and social activities. The role also involves engaging with policy stakeholders, producing policy outputs, and taking part in the public debate within one’s area of expertise. You are also expected to carry out administrative tasks related to your work.

Qualifications and experience
Applicants must:

• hold a PhD in a relevant field before the start date of the position;
• have research experience in gender politics, civil society, and state–society relations, with demonstrated relevance to women’s organisations, gender policy, or gender and development;
• demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research;
• have relevant field-based research experience and demonstrate the ability to design and undertake research in Ukraine, including appropriate consideration of language, access and research ethics;
• demonstrate the ability to publish research through peer-reviewed journals, recognised academic publishers or equivalent high-quality outlets;
• be fluent in written and spoken English; and
• have strong communication and collaboration skills.

The following would be considered an advantage:

• knowledge of Ukrainian and the ability to use it in a research context;
• experience conducting research in conflict-affected settings;
• experience using cross-regional or cross-contextual perspectives;
• experience producing policy-oriented publications and engaging with policy stakeholders;
• relevant academic or policy networks in Ukraine, neighbouring countries and the wider European research and policy community;
• experience contributing to individual or collaborative research funding applications; and
• knowledge of Danish.

The successful candidate is expected to be proactive, collegial and willing to contribute actively to DIIS’s collaborative research environment.

The application
The application deadline is July 24, 2026, at 12.00 am CET. Please note that we only accept applications sent via DIIS’s electronic recruitment system at the bottom of the job advertisement.

Your application must contain all the following documents:

• A short motivation letter (max. 500 words)
  
• Curriculum Vitae (max 2 pages; max. 6000 characters including spaces)
  
• Master’s and PhD diplomas, including transcripts. If university transcripts are in language other than English or a Scandinavian language, the official explanation of the grading system should be attached.
  
• Documentation of academic qualifications, including a complete list of publications.
  
• A two-page statement (max. 6000 characters including spaces) on your research plans in relation to the position. The statement may include methodological, empirical as well as theoretical aspects.
  
• A maximum of 3 relevant research publications that you want included in the assessment. If any of the publications that you want included in the assessment are the result of a joint effort, the extent and the nature of your contribution to each individual work must then be clarified in a co-author statement.

Researcher applications go through a shortlisting process before being sent for external assessment.

Salary and terms of employment
This is a full-time (37 hours per week) researcher position with a fixed term of 36 months. The expected starting date is November 1st 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

You will be employed according to the applicable collective agreement for academic employees in Denmark. The starting salary as a researcher is between DKK 423.221,69 and DDK 502.075,69 incl. a functional supplement and excl. pension (18,07%). In addition, there is an opportunity to negotiate a personal qualification supplement depending on your experience and skills.

Non-residents of Denmark may be eligible to apply for taxation under the special researcher scheme, which offers a gross tax rate of 32.84% for up to seven years. For further details, please refer to the Danish Tax Authorities.

Do you want to know more?
Read more here if you want to know more about DIIS as a workplace.

Questions about salary and employment conditions as well as the application process itself can be addressed to HR at [email protected].

If you have further questions about the content of the position, you can contact senior researcher Izabela Surwillo at [email protected] or senior researcher and head of unit for the unit Global Development and Green Transitions Adam Moe Fejerskov [email protected].

DIIS is an independent public research institution for international studies. We conduct and communicate multidisciplinary research on globalisation, security, development and foreign policy and within these areas we aim to be agenda-setting in research, policy and public debate.

DIIS participates in academic networks and publish in high-ranking academic journals, always striving to excel in academic scholarship.

We continuously assess Denmark's foreign and political situation and inform the Danish media, politicians and the public about our work

Department: Global udvikling og grøn omstilling

Deadline: 24 July 2026

Location: Stockholmsgade 45, 2100, København Ø, Denmark