Postdoctoral Researcher

Offer Description

The University of Bucharest is organizing a competitive selection process to fill 2 vacant positions within the project “Developing Social and Security Resilience by Promoting Excellence in Research (ESSER-SECURE),” PN-IV-P6-6.1-CoEx-2024-0084, for a fixed term, on a part-time basis. 2 RS/ Postdoctoral Researcher positions – contract through December 31, 2027.

Workload—maximum 3 hours per day for each position

These positions are part of the The Center of Excellence in Security and Societal Resilience (ESSER-SECURE) is established as a strategic academic partnership between the following universities: the “Mihai Viteazul” National Intelligence Academy (ANIMV—coordinator), Babeș-Bolyai University (BUU—partner 1), the University of Bucharest (UB – Partner 2), and the “Carol I” National Defense University (UNAp – Partner 3).

The center is funded under the UEFISCDI PN-IV-P6-6.1-CoEx-2024-0084 call for proposals through the project “Developing Social and Security Resilience by Promoting Excellence in Research (ESSER - SECURE).”

Where to apply

E-mail: concursuri@hr.unibuc.ro

Requirements

Research Field: Sociology » Other

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Specific duties for the positions being advertised:

• research, data collection, data analysis, and drafting of reports, articles, and other scientific research outputs, in accordance with the project plan;
• preparation for and participation in scientific events; administrative and organizational tasks, in accordance with the project’s activities and events.

Physical presence in the office will be required.

Specific Requirements

Postdoctoral researchers—individuals who hold a doctoral degree obtained no more than 8 years (as of the date the ministry issued the order conferring the degree) prior to the selection competition. The candidate must hold a doctoral degree in one of the fields of doctoral study within the fundamental field of Social Sciences.

Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Excellent

Languages: ROMANIAN — Level: Mother Tongue

Research Field: Sociology » Other

Years of Research Experience: 4 - 10

Additional Information

Benefits

Bibliography (1)

1. Future Violent Extremism and Radicalization
2. Romania and CEE Early-Warning Cases
3. This research area investigates how radicalization and violent extremism evolve in technologically transformed societies and how early-warning systems can be developed.

• 1.1 Emerging Radicalization Pathways
• Online and hybrid radicalization trajectories
• Cross-platform extremist ecosystems
• Romanian and CEE-specific radicalization patterns
• 1.2 Youth, Identity, and Vulnerability
• Identity crises and radicalization
• Romanian youth attitudes and vulnerability indicators
• 1.3 Technology and Extremism
• AI-generated extremist content
• Deepfakes and synthetic propaganda

1. Comparative case studies (Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, etc.)
2. Crime–Terror–Hybrid Threat Nexus
3. Romania Validation Environment
4. This research area explores the convergence of criminal, terrorist, cyber, and hybrid actors.

• 2.1 Transformation of Organized Crime
• AI-enabled organized crime
• Evolution of criminal networks in Romania and the region
• 2.2 Crime-Terror Convergence
• Financial and logistical intersections
• Shared infrastructures and facilitators
• 2.3 Hybrid Threat Ecosystems
• State and non-state cooperation
• Proxy actors and influence networks

Eligibility criteria

Hold a doctoral degree obtained no more than 8 years (as of the date the ministry issued the order conferring the degree) prior to the selection competition, in the core field of Social Sciences.

Selection process

1. Eligibility check and application review
2. Written exam: Upon registration, the candidate will submit a research proposal that falls within the project’s areas of interest, as outlined in Annex 1. The proposal must be no longer than 5 pages (Times New Roman, 1½-spaced), with a bibliography of the candidate’s choice
3. Interview – the interview will be conducted in English.

Additional comments

Bibliography (2)

1. Critical Infrastructure Resilience. Social and Human Dimensions of Cybersecurity
2. Romania Frontier Testbed
3. This research area focuses on resilience beyond technology by integrating organizational, societal, and behavioral dimensions.

• 3.1 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
• Energy systems resilience
• Transportation and logistics security
• 3.2 Human Factors in Cybersecurity
• Human error and cyber incidents
• Cybersecurity culture
• 3.3 Organizational Cyber Resilience
• Leadership and cyber resilience
• Crisis management during cyber incidents
• 3.4 Public Perceptions and Cybersecurity
• Citizen understanding of cyber risks
• Trust in digital services
• 3.5 Cybersecurity Workforce and Competencies
• Future cybersecurity competencies
• AI and workforce transformation

1. Information Manipulation and Cognitive Security
2. Focus on the Romanian-Language Ecosystem
3. This research area examines how information environments shape perceptions, trust, and resilience.

• 4.1 Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)
• Influence operations
• Romania and Black Sea information environments
• 4.2 Cognitive Security and Trust
• Epistemic security
• Institutional legitimacy
• 4.3 Polarization and Democratic Resilience
• Social fragmentation
• Democratic vulnerabilities
• 4.4 AI and Information Manipulation
• Deepfakes
• AI-enhanced disinformation
• 4.5 Measuring Information Resilience
• Indicators of societal resilience

1. National and Societal Resilience in the AI Era

• 5.1 Conceptualizing Resilience
• 5.2 AI and Societal Transformation
• 5.3 Democratic Resilience in Technological Societies
• 5.4 Community and Local Resilience
• 5.5 Black Sea and Regional Resilience
• 5.6 National and Allied Military Resilience

1. Methodologies for Mapping and Investigating Security Processes: From Diagnosis to Foresight and Anticipatory Approaches
2. All Topics: Transversal Methodological Approach. This section is dedicated to the development, testing, and validation of methodological frameworks, analytical tools, and research approaches that can support all other research areas of the Center.

• 6.1 Security Diagnosis and Assessment
• 6.2 Mapping Security Ecosystems
• 6.3 Intelligence Methodologies
• 6.4 Security Foresight and Futures Studies
• 6.5 Anticipatory Governance
• 6.6 AI and Advanced Security Analytics
• 6.7 Security Competencies and Professional Development

The complete bibliography for this course is available here – 31_CoEX Cristea Darie_10.08.2026 – Google Drive

UB Project Coordinator, Assoc. Prof. Darie Cristea, Ph.D.

Website for additional job details: https://unibuc.ro/despre-ub/cariere/posturi-cercetare/#1544693602256-6d9237ad-7…

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 2

Company/Institute: Universitatea din Bucuresti - Rectorat

Country: Romania

State/Province: Bucharest

Postal Code: 050663

Street: Sos Panduri 90

Contact

State/Province: Bucharest

City: Bucharest

Website: http://www.unibuc.ro/n/despre/

Street: Sos. Panduri, no. 90

Postal Code: 050663

E-Mail: concursuri@hr.unibuc.ro