Research Data Manager (Postdoc) for the Creation of Harvesting Networks (KTS-84)

GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences is an internationally active social science institution of the Leibniz Association, funded by the federal and state governments. We are looking for the following position starting 01.10.2026 at the Cologne location in the Knowledge Technologies for the Social Sciences department, Team FAIR Data:

Research Data Manager (Postdoc) for the Creation of Harvesting Networks (Pay group 13 TV-L, working hours 100 %, limited to 3 years) The Knowledge Technologies for the Social Sciences (KTS) department conducts research at the interface of Information Retrieval, Natural Language Processing, semantic technologies, and Human Information Interaction as a foundation for innovative web portals and platforms for the search and use of research data.

The goal of the HaFER project is to increase the visibility of German research data by investigating how metadata is propagated between different data services. To achieve this, we will first create a landscape assessment in which data flows are recorded and also investigate whether and how metadata changes in the process. Based on this, we will derive recommendations and disseminate them in the corresponding networks, as well as accompany negotiation processes between data providers and recipients. The position combines networking activities in the relevant communities with technical tasks, such as the processing, modeling, and analysis of the found metadata. Your area of responsibility:

• Scientific collaboration in the HaFER project in a coordinating position to lead the project to success
• Implementation of an automated system for collecting metadata with the help of AI tools
• Active networking within relevant communities, such as the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI)
• Research in the research fields of the department

Your profile:

• Completed university degree (Master or comparable) and completed doctorate in Computer Science, Social Sciences, or a related field
• Experience in research data management, for example within the framework of the NFDI, or with the harvesting of metadata
• Experience with the processing, modeling, analysis, and/or extraction of research metadata
• Excellent research in the research areas of the department
• Business fluent English; German skills are a plus

We offer:

• Flexible working hours and regulations for mobile working
• Very good conditions for reconciling work and family, including subsidies for the care of non-school-age children
• Holistic occupational health management and discounted participation in the university's sports program
• Generous support for your pension scheme in the form of a direct insurance policy
• Promotion of your competencies through further training measures

Contact For further information on the areas of responsibility, please contact (brigitte.mathiak@gesis.org) by email. For questions regarding the application process, Christine Laßmann is available via email (christine.lassmann@gesis.org). Have we piqued your interest? Then please apply via our online application portal by 14.09.2026 at the latest. The reference number is: KTS-84

About us GESIS is one of the world's leading infrastructure institutions for the social sciences and supports researchers with expertise and infrastructure offerings at all levels of their research projects. We contribute to ensuring that socially relevant questions can be answered on the basis of reliable data, the latest scientific methods, and research information. We assist in study planning and data collection, provide high-quality research data, support data preparation and analysis, and finally, the archiving of data. GESIS supports you in further qualifying yourself. We offer our employees a wide range of career opportunities in an attractive working atmosphere with a high degree of personal responsibility and creative freedom. With us, you will work in an international environment in the heart of Mannheim and Cologne and benefit from a flexible working environment as well as internal and external networks. GESIS ensures compliance with the guidelines for severely disabled persons and promotes the professional equality of women and men. Positions advertised in full-time can also be filled in part-time. As a family-friendly employer, we have held the "berufundfamilie" audit certificate since 2010. Further information about working at GESIS can be found here.