PhD Researcher - Social Sciences

Research Field: Sociology » Other

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: PhD Positions

Application Deadline: 8 Sep 2026 - 14:00 (Europe/Bucharest)

Country: Romania

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Part-time

Hours Per Week: 20

Offer Starting Date: 28 Sep 2026

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme

Reference Number: PN-IV-P6-6.1-CoEx-2024-0084

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The University of Bucharest is holding a competitive selection process to fill 5 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 fixed-term, part-time positions.

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

Period – determined contract until December 31, 2027.
Work schedule – maximum 4 hours/day for each position

Where to apply

E-mail: concursuri@hr.unibuc.ro

Requirements

Research Field: Sociology » Other

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Doctoral Students who provide proof of enrollment in a doctoral program in the fundamental field of Social Sciences.

Specific Requirements

Job-specific activities:

• 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.

Languages: ENGLISH (Level: Good); ROMANIAN (Level: Excellent)

Research Field: Sociology » Other

Years of Research Experience: 1 - 4

Additional Information

Benefits

Bibliography (1)

1. Future Violent Extremism and Radicalization
   Romania and CEE Early-Warning Cases
   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
     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
     Comparative case studies (Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, etc.)
2. Crime–Terror–Hybrid Threat Nexus
   Romania Validation Environment
   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 network
3. Critical Infrastructure Resilience. Social and Human Dimensions of Cybersecurity
   Romania Frontier Testbed
   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
     ·Insider threats
   • 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

Eligibility criteria

Doctoral Students who provide proof of enrollment in a doctoral program in the fundamental 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)

4. Information Manipulation and Cognitive Security
   Focus on the Romanian-Language Ecosystem
   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
5. 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
6. Methodologies for Mapping and Investigating Security Processes: From Diagnosis to Foresight and Anticipatory Approaches
   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 - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lllVOVIgXv15Sx-q_hhOmDUDOL5dNpPT

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

Website for additional job details: https://unibuc.ro/despre-ub/cariere/posturi-cercetare/#1544693602256-6d9237ad-7fe3

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 5

Company/Institute: Universitatea din Bucuresti - Rectorat

Country: Romania

State/Province: Bucharest

City: Sector 5

Postal Code: 050663

Street: Sos Panduri 90

Contact

State/Province: Bucharest

City: Bucharest

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

Street: Soseaua Panduri 90

Postal Code: 050663

E-Mail: concursuri@hr.unibuc.ro

Phone: 021.305.97.30