Application deadline: 22.08.2025

Transitions from Education to Employment (TREE) is a multi-cohort panel survey following up two cohorts of compulsory school leavers in Switzerland through their post-compulsory education and training and into employment and adulthood ( www.tree.unibe.ch ). A third cohort is currently planned. TREE is hosted by the Institute of Sociology at the University of Bern and is mainly funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) as a national data infrastructure.

We are looking for a Data Management Coordinator (80-100%) as of October 1, 2025, or by agreement. The position is limited until the end of the current funding period (December 2028) but is planned to be extended thereafter.

Tasks:

• Preparation, processing, and documentation of the collected survey, para- and metadata, including hands-on work on individual cases (editing and plausibility checking), for the provision of preload data for the follow-up surveys (including episodic information on education and employment) and for the creation of scientific use files in accordance with FAIR principles.
• Coordination and supervision of the (small) TREE data management team.

Close exchange and cooperation with the survey design team and the study management, especially with regard to field preparation and data documentation.

• Technical support for data users.
• Networking activities to coordinate with other panel studies and promote national and international research cooperation.
• Optional contributions to research based on TREE data (methodological or content-oriented).

Requirements:

• Experience in processing and documenting of survey data, preferably in the context of the collection of longitudinal (panel) data, and in-depth understanding of the survey data cycle. Additional experience in sampling and weighting or psychometric scaling is an advantage.
• Background in survey methodology and quantitative social science research. Familiarity with the research field addressed by TREE is an advantage.
• Logical and conceptual thinking, precise working style, and technical flair.

Programming experience, preferably in the context of data bases (SQL), statistical software (Stata, R, SPSS), and reporting (LaTeX).

• Organizational, teamwork, networking, and communication skills, including the capability to lead a small team (two data managers and one or two student assistants).
• Proficiency in (scientific) English and fluency in German or French.

We offer:

• Collaboration in a large and innovative panel study embedded in excellent scientific networks, both nationally and internationally.
• Proficient, experienced, and supportive interdisciplinary scientific team.
• Generous continuing education and training opportunities.
• Salary according to University of Bern regulations.
• Job location in Bern, Switzerland, one of the world's cities with the highest quality of life.

The full job ad can be found here: https://ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jobs/6e8962cb-e17c-4a24-9f86-b5bab26cde50

For subject-specific questions and information about the position, please contact Sandra Hupka-Brunner ( sandra.hupka@unibe.ch ), co-manager of TREE.

Contact details

For subject-specific questions and information about the position, please contact:

Sandra Hupka-Brunner