Postdoctoral Researcher – Intermediaries and Digital Transformation in Immigration Governance
Last updated: January 9, 2026, 2:31 p.m.
Location: Concordia University, Montreal, Canada (remote work possible; periodic collaboration with Montreal-based team encouraged)
Hours per week: 35 hours of work per week, Monday to Friday, during office hours.
Duration: Two (2) years, subject to satisfactory performance. Extension possible, based on funding availability.
Salary: $70,000 per year, plus benefits (see below)
Application deadline: January 31st, 2026
Start date: may 2026 (flexible)
Description and context
The postdoctoral researcher will work as part of a dynamic research team, under the supervision of Dr. Mireille Paquet (Concordia University) and Dr. Karine Côté-Boucher (Université de Montréal), contributing to several projects within a CFREF-funded research program: Bridging Divides. The position is based at Concordia University and undertaken with the team at the Institute for Research on Migration and Society (IRMS).
State digitalization is reshaping migration governance through automated immigration file processing, AI-assisted decision-making, novel surveillance mechanisms, and behavioral interventions targeting migrants. Beyond its effects on migrants' experiences and street-level bureaucrats' work, digitalization also transforms the opportunity structure for intermediaries such as lawyers, immigration consultants, NGOs, and community organizations.
As states rely more on digital tools, intermediaries increasingly become data collectors for governments, buffers between technology and migrants, and guides helping migrants navigate complex platforms and system failures. Digitalization also transforms the business of intermediaries, opening new avenues to generate profits and provide bespoke services. State digitalization thus creates new regulatory challenges for bureaucracies, which must anticipate and govern not only migrants' behaviors but also intermediaries' strategies.
This project explores these dynamics in dialogue with scholarship from science and technology studies (STS), public administration, and migration studies. The position emphasizes empirical and methodological strength, with a focus on supporting collective research and maintaining a strong publication strategy.
Roles and responsibilities
- Contribute to research projects on intermediaries and digital transformation in immigration governance.
- Design and conduct empirical research (qualitative, digital, and mixed‑methods).
- Analyze data and contribute to publications and knowledge‑mobilization outputs.
- Present findings at conferences and team meetings.
- Collaborate in research planning and writing.
Required qualifications
- PhD in the social sciences with specialization in Science and Technology Studies (STS).
- Demonstrated empirical research experience (qualitative, digital, or mixed‑methods).
- Strong analytical and academic writing skills.
- Advanced methodological skills in data collection and analysis.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Will be considered an asset:
- Familiarity with migration, border studies and public administration.
- Knowledge of French and languages commonly used by immigrant communities in Canada.
Salary and support
- Salary is $70,000 per year. The position includes access to research collaboration opportunities and mentoring.
- Funding for participation in conferences (registration, travel costs, etc.), subject to approval of the work plan by the supervisors.
- Funding for relevant training, subject to approval of the work plan by the supervisor.
- The postdoctoral researcher will have an office and administrative support at Concordia University.
Application instructions
Send the following documents (PDF) to IRMS, specifying the position title ("Postdoctoral Researcher – Intermediaries and Digital Transformation") to: irms@concordia.ca
- Cover letter describing relevant experience and fit.
- Curriculum vitae.
- Writing sample (published or in‑progress).
- Names and contact information of two academic references.
Application deadlines and recruitment process
We will begin reviewing applications on January 31, 2026 and the position will
remain open until filled.
- Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview and may be tested on the job requirements.
- Professional references will be required.
- Only those shortlisted will be contacted.
- If you have any questions about this position, please contact us at irms@concordia.ca.
Employment Equity
Concordia University is strongly committed to employment equity within its community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. The University encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, members of sexual minorities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to diversification; candidates are invited to self-identify in their applications.
Accessibility
Concordia desires to increase diversity among its community members and we strive to make our recruitment processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants. If you are contacted for an interview and anticipate needing accommodations during the process, please contact, in confidence, irms@concordia.ca.
Territorial Acknowledgement
Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtià:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.
