PhD Position at the University of Vienna: Social and Cultural Anthropology with a Focus on Indonesia
“Cycling Together / Bersepeda Bersama: Mobility, Mediation, and Ways of Knowing in Yogyakarta, Indonesia”
The Austrian-Indonesian Society is pleased to share an exciting opportunity for students and early-career researchers interested in Indonesia!
The Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna is looking for a PhD candidate (prae-doc / university assistant) to join the FWF-funded research project “Cycling Together / Bersepeda Bersama: Mobility, Mediation, and Ways of Knowing in Yogyakarta, Indonesia,” led by Associate Prof. Sanderien Verstappen.
About the position
You will conduct an ethnography of everyday cycling in Yogyakarta, focusing on utility cyclists: people who depend on bicycles or tricycles for work, care, or commuting, rather than for sport or recreation. You will be based at the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, enrolled in the Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, and will collaborate with researchers, stakeholders, and research participants in Yogyakarta, including staff at Universitas Gadjah Mada.
Who they are looking for
The ideal candidate has solid training in social and cultural anthropology with on-site ethnographic research experience (shown in a completed or near-completed master’s thesis), excellent English and Indonesian, and a strong interest in social inequalities.
📅 Application deadline: 4 November 2026
🔗 Full vacancy text: https://jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Scientific-project-assistant-predoctoral/1440899933/
🔗 Project details: https://vval.univie.ac.at/research/cycling-together-bersepeda-bersama/
🔗 PhD guidelines (Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences): https://vds-sosci.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/vds-sosci/Docs/SoSci_Guidelines_English.pdf
Please share this with anyone who might be interested!