Four postdoctoral positions — SOCIAL project, University of Milan Applications are open for four 18-month postdoctoral positions at the Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Milan, Italy, within the project SOCIAL – Social relations, digital technologies and wellbeing of older people, led by Professor Bruno Arpino and funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research through a FIS-2 Advanced Grant.
Research focus
SOCIAL investigates the interconnections between social and family relationships, digital technology use, inequalities and wellbeing in later life. It examines how digital technologies can support social participation, autonomy and wellbeing, and the circumstances in which they may reinforce exclusion or disadvantage. The project combines analyses of existing national and cross-national datasets with new primary data collection, including a nationally representative face-to-face survey of older adults in Italy.
Successful candidates will contribute to developing research questions, preparing and analysing data, producing scientific publications and disseminating findings, working with the PI and the project team.
Candidate profile
We welcome applications from PhD holders with backgrounds in gerontology, sociology, social statistics, demography, social data science, political science or related disciplines. We are particularly interested in candidates with:
- Strong quantitative research skills, experience managing and analysing complex datasets, and proficiency in statistical software such as R, Stata, Python or equivalent.
- Research interests relevant to ageing, social and family relationships, digital technologies, inequalities or wellbeing. Experience with longitudinal or comparative data and advanced statistical methods is especially welcome.
- Good scientific writing and communication skills in English, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Applications are welcome from researchers with different levels of postdoctoral seniority, including recent PhD graduates and more experienced researchers. Please consult the official call and annexes for the full eligibility requirements and selection criteria.
Deadline and application procedure
The application deadline is 10 November 2026 at 12:00 noon, Italian time (CET).
At this link, you will find the official call text in Italian (an English translation will be available soon at the same link), the annexes in Italian and English, and information on how to submit your application. Applications must be submitted following the official procedure.
Enquiries
For questions about the project and research activities, please contact the PI, Professor Bruno Arpino: bruno.arpino@unimi.it.
For administrative questions, eligibility or the application procedure, please contact valcomp@unimi.it, quoting call reference 700069.