PhD Holder Researcher (R3-PhD)

Researcher (R3) Positions: PhD Positions Application Deadline: 20 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Athens) Country: Greece Type of Contract: Temporary Job Status: Negotiable Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe Reference Number: 101178982 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description The Research Unit of the University of the Aegean seeks to appoint a PhD holder researcher (R3-PhD) with a strong background in Human and Urban Geography, Sociology or a related social science field, and expertise in the study of housing, labour precarity, gender, care and social inclusion. The selected individual will participate in the project DICES: Social Economy, Inclusive Care, Economic Democracy, funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme ( https://dices-project.eu/ ) (HORIZON-CL2-2024-TRANSFORMATIONS-01 | GA 101178982), started on February 2025. DICES examines the development and impact of the social economy in tackling inequality and social exclusion across Europe and recommends policies and governance frameworks to unlock its potential (affiliation with the Labour Geography Research Laboratory). The work of the selected applicant will be supervised by Stylianos Gialis (Department of Geography / University of the Aegean). About the project DICES is a Horizon Europe project about the role of social economy organisations in tackling social exclusion. It aims to improve understanding of Europe's social economy and why it develops unevenly, to evaluate how these organisations affect services, workplaces and inclusion, and to recommend policies and governance frameworks. It uses interdisciplinary methods across EU and non-EU countries, and "deep dives" at the local level (including left-behind places) and the organisational level, including care provision. About the Labour Geography Research Laboratory The Labour Geography Research Laboratory (LGRL) is a research unit of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of the Aegean, Greece. LGRL research focuses on the study of labour, skills and employment in their territorial context, and on the design, development and use of data-driven tools and research infrastructures that support labour market analysis, policy making and regional resilience. The most recent work includes applications such as labour market observatories, skills and employment analytics, tourism and culture labour markets, vocational education and training (VET) in islands and peripheral regions, the social economy and social inclusion, and geospatial technologies (WebGIS) for labour and territorial analysis. Position Description The Research Unit of the University of the Aegean seeks a PhD holder researcher (R3-PhD) to join the DICES project team at the Department of Geography (Mytilene). The researcher will: contribute to the project's conceptual and empirical work on the social economy and social inclusion take part in the local-level "deep dives" in Greece, linking social economy initiatives with housing, care, precarious labour and place-based inequalities carry out qualitative and/or mixed-methods fieldwork (interviews, case studies, stakeholder engagement) contribute to project deliverables, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed publications collaborate with the international consortium and take part in project meetings and dissemination activities Where to apply Website: https://my.ru.aegean.gr/hl/calls/registrations/public/3b4eb3c6-bfd7-4e9a-b361-b6b27c9c60ee Requirements Research Field: Anthropology — Education Level: PhD or equivalent Research Field: Economics — Education Level: PhD or equivalent Research Field: Geography — Education Level: PhD or equivalent Research Field: Sociology — Education Level: PhD or equivalent Skills/Qualifications: Post-Doctoral experience, PhD in Human or Urban Geography, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology or a related social science field. Strong background in the study of housing, labour, gender, care or social inclusion. Specific Requirements At least 4 years of post-PhD research experience in Human or Urban Geography, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology or a related field A track record of research on housing, labour precarity, gender, care or social inclusion, ideally in a Southern European context Demonstrated experience in qualitative methods (interviews, case studies, fieldwork); mixed-methods skills are a plus A record of peer-reviewed publications in international journals Experience in international or EU-funded research projects, including contributing to deliverables, policy briefs or other dissemination outputs Ability to work independently and to take initiative in research design, data collection and writing, as well as to coordinate tasks within the team Ability to engage with stakeholders (public bodies, civil society and social economy organisations) Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Excellent Research Field: Geography — Years of Research Experience: 4 - 10 Research Field: Sociology — Years of Research Experience: 4 - 10 Additional Information Benefits Expected job benefits Participation in a team of active researchers working on high-level research within an international Horizon Europe consortium, with academic partners and stakeholders from the social economy and policy sectors across Europe. Development of interdisciplinary research skills in social economy, social inclusion, labour and place-based inequalities. Visibility of research outcomes through peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs and dissemination activities of the project. Contract Duration Up to eight (8) months with the possibility of extension according to the project needs. Work location The selected candidate will work at the University facilities as needed, upon agreement with the supervisor (Principal Investigator). The project requires, however, frequent online participation in project and Lab meetings. Allocated budget Range of hourly rate: 30-40 euros/hour, depending on experience and qualifications (incl. tax and social security). The maximum allocated budget is € 2.000,00 (gross, including tax and social security contributions). Envisaged starting date December 2026 or January 2027 Eligibility criteria Applicants must hold a PhD in Geography, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology and must meet the requirements in section 3. Applicants are invited to submit application at: https://my.ru.aegean.gr/hl/calls/registrations/public/3b4eb3c6-bfd7-4e9a-b361-b6b27c9c60ee And attached the following documents Curriculum Vitae Cover letter / letter of motivation Research statement (max. 2 pages) Copy of PhD List of publications relevant to the position Applications should submitted to the link above Application deadline: 20/11/2026 Selection process The assessment of the curriculum evaluation will be based on the documents applicants will provide. In case an interview will be needed, applicants will be invited to participate via teleconference. The selection criteria for candidates will take into account their qualifications and previous research experience, including qualifications and experience obtained in non-standard and informal ways (as presented in the submitted application documents). UAegean focuses on cultivating a research community that advances gender equality, ends all forms of discrimination, and empowers women researchers. Applications will be evaluated by an Evaluation Committee composed of three (3) UAegean professors from different academic departments (gender balanced, chaired by the project's Principal Investigator). Applicants that do not fulfill the required qualifications will be excluded from the evaluation process. After evaluation, applicants will receive a notification email with a short summary of the evaluation report. Applicants who were not selected have the right to appeal the selection decision, by addressing their written objection to the University of the Aegean Research Unit Secretariat within five days from the notification date (via email sent to rcs@aegean.gr ). The permanent Committee for Appeals and Objections, which is supported by a member of the UAegean RU Secretariat, will review the process and issue advice to the UAegean Research Committee on letters of objection submitted by the non-selected applicants. The Research Committee will receive the advice of the Committee for Appeals and Objections and take a decision on the objection (process defined by the Greek Law, 4957/2022, article 245). Website for additional job details: https://ru.aegean.gr Work Location(s) Number of offers available: 1 Company/Institute: University of the Aegean - Department of Geography Country: Greece State/Province: North Aegean City: Mytilene Postal Code: 81100 Street: University Hill, Mytilene, 81000 Greece Contact State/Province: North Aegean City: Mytilene Website: http://www.aegean.gr , https://geography.aegean.gr/ , https://lgrl.aegean.gr/ , https://www.facebook.com/labour.geo.lab , https://www.linkedin.com/in/labour-geography-research-lab , https://x.com/labour_geo_lab , https://www.youtube.com/@labourgeolab , https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Labour-Geography-Research-Lab-Stelios-Gialis Street: University Hill, Administration Building, Mytilene 81 100 Postal Code: 81100 E-Mail: elke_positions@aegean.gr