The Support Research Technician will be enrolled in the PhD program at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering (GSSE) at the University of Groningen (https://www.rug.nl/research/gradschool-science-and-engineering/useful-information/). They will conduct research under the supervision of Vasilios Andrikopoulos (https://www.rug.nl/staff/v.andrikopoulos/), currently associate professor in the Software Engineering and Architecture (SEARCH) research group at the University of Groningen (https://search-rug.github.io/).
At the same time, the PhD student will work on research within the framework of the European Social Survey (ESS ERIC) and other projects at the Research and Expertise Centre for Survey Methodology (RECSM) at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), under the supervision of Diana Zavala-Rojas. RECSM is a research group focused on social sciences from a quantitative and computational perspective. We are passionate about science and invite candidates who share our enthusiasm for knowledge to apply.
The PhD student is expected to divide their time between two roles. First, work with ESS ERIC on the myESS software, and secondly work on their own research, fulfilling the yearly requirements of their PhD program. There is guaranteed funding for the duration of the PhD which can be 4 years or longer.
The position is based at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona Remote work is possible and to be discussed on a case by case basis.
This is an open call, and candidates from any country may apply, provided they meet the requirements to be admitted in the PhD program at the University of Groningen (https://www.rug.nl/research/gradschool-science-and-engineering/phd-programme/admission/), and the selected candidate must enroll in this program.
Tasks
Work on their own PhD project at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering (GSSE), University of Groningen (UG). The position requires acceptance into the PhD program at Groningen University and successful completion of the annual PhD evaluation requirements.
The PhD project should focus on developing the methods for assessing and improving the sustainability of the myESS system across, at least, the economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
Work as a DevOps engineer for the myESS software project: https://www.upf.edu/web/survey/myess
Prepare, submit, and publish academic articles, book chapters, etc., related to their research work.
Present ongoing research and results at project meetings and conferences.
Prepare technical reports and technical documentation about software development as well as manuals for software maintainers, administrators, and users in the context of the project.
Work cooperatively with the principal investigator and the promoter at both Universities, and other research team members, when necessary.
Participate in UPF/RECSM and UG/SEARCH research activities.
Official number reference:
PRINT00725 - ESS ERIC - 7th WP
Terms and conditions of the contract
Gross annual salary for a full-time contract (35h/week) is: 28.676,14 euros.
Job Location: Barcelona, Spain.
Type of Contract – Indefinite, in accordance with the terms of RD 32/2021 de 28 de desembre de 2021.
The contract has a probationary period of 3 months. It includes all the benefits of the Spanish public health and social security system, as well as additional financial support for participation in project- related conferences and scientific meetings.
Working hours and location are hybrid: a combination of remote work and on-site at UPF, Barcelona, is to be arranged on a case by case basis.
Requirements
To be admitted to the selection process, the candidate must fulfill the following requirements:
The candidate fulfills the official admission requirements for doctoral programs according to the Graduate School of Science and Engineering (GSSE) regulations at the University of Groningen.
The candidate does not have other sources of funding for the PhD.
Excellent written and spoken English (mandatory). Catalan is a plus.
Advanced level of Java (mandatory).
Experience with Javascript is a plus.
Familiarity with MySQL, MongoDB.
Selection criteria
Only applications from candidates who fulfill the requirements mentioned above will be invited to an interview.
Admission letter (mandatory after the admission, as the position is conditional on it).
CV: 1-5 points
Relevant programming experience: 1-5 points
Fit of the PhD project’s topic: 1-5 points.
Relevant additional skills: 1-5 points
Interview: 4-5 points
The candidate must obtain a minimum of 4.0 points for each of the selection criteria to be invited to an interview.
The selection committee will decide on the need for an interview with the shortlisted candidates.
Selection committee:
President:Diana Zavala-Rojas
Secretary: Vasilios Andrikopoulos
Member: Danielly Sorato
To apply for this position,candidates send the documentation by Interfolio:
Letter of motivation (max 2 pages) explaining how the candidate fulfills the qualifications mentioned in the job description.
CV
Two referee names that can be contacted and a brief explanation justifying the selection.
A sample of written computer code or a link to a code repository in Java. It can be a university project.
A sample of computer code or a link to a code repository authored by the candidate in a computer language of their choice.
A research proposal of maximum 5 pages (excluding references) on how the PhD project may develop the methods for assessing and improving the sustainability of a software system across more than one dimension of software sustainability.
Letter of admittance into the project (to be submitted after the admission to the Graduate School).
Points 1 to 6 should be submitted with the initial application, to be considered a candidate in the selection process for the position, and point 7, should be submitted after the admission to the Graduate School.
Deadline for submitting the application: 30/01/2026
Contact: Matvei Poletaev (matvei.poletaev@upf.edu)
EURAXESS link: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/348812
Information about the selection process: https://www.upf.edu/web/politiques/ofertes-de-treball
More information about the PhD programhttps://www.rug.nl/research/bernoulli/education/phd-programme
UPF promotes a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation.
