Doctoral Research Associate (Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in, salary level E 13 TV-L, 65%

Universität Münster; Münster; Vor Ort; EUR 25.000 - 30.000; Teilzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading research university in Germany is seeking a part-time Research Assistant for a project focusing on toxic online communities. In this role, you will conduct quantitative research, contribute to surveys and experiments, and publish findings in international journals. Candidates should have a master’s degree in a relevant field and strong skills in quantitative research methods. The position offers opportunities for PhD development and international networking.

Leistungen

Individual mentoring

Opportunities for further training

Participation in international conferences

Qualifikationen

• Excellent academic degree (master’s or equivalent) in computer science or a related empirical social science.
• Strong interest in radicalization and toxicity in online communities.
• Very good knowledge of quantitative research methods and statistics.

Aufgaben

• Contribute to the planning and analysis of a representative survey.
• Analyze laboratory and field experiments.
• Present findings at conferences.

Kenntnisse

Quantitative research methods

Multivariate statistics

English proficiency

Teamwork

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Ausbildung

Master’s in communication science or related field

Tools

R

SPSS

Jobbeschreibung

42,500 students and 7,750 employees in teaching, research and administration, all working together to shape perspectives for the future – that is the University of Münster. Embedded in the vibrant atmosphere of Münster with its high standard of living, the University’s diverse research profile and attractive study programmes draw students and researchers throughout Germany and from around the world.

The Department of Communication in the Faculty of Education and Social Science at the University of Münster, Germany, is seeking to fill the position of a for the externally funded project “DANCE – Dark Nerd Communities: A multi-method exploration of toxic degradation in the adolescent technosphere” commencing on 1 March 2026. We are offering a fixed-term part-time position (65% FTE) for a maximum of 5 years (corresponding to the project’s duration).

You will work in a large-scale, five-year research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) that investigates toxicity and radicalization processes in youth cultural ‘nerd communities’ related to topics such as gaming, science fiction, fantasy, comics and new technology. The project, led by Prof Thorsten Quandt, aims to not only contribute to a better understanding of how hate, sexism and extremism emerge within such groups but also to develop prevention and protection strategies to make the digital sphere a “better place.” A distinctive feature of the project is the combination of classical qualitative and quantitative social research methods with computational approaches. This advertised position focuses on quantitative social research. Your tasks will include:

• Contributing to the planning, implementation and analysis of a large-scale quantitative representative survey on ‘dark nerd communities’
• Contributing to the planning, implementation and analysis of laboratory and field experiments (partly conducted in schools in the Münsterland region) - Presenting research findings at national and international conferences
• Publishing research results in primarily English-language international journals
• Opportunity to contribute to other parts of the project (e.g., qualitative interviews, computational content analyses)
• Opportunity to work towards a PhD within the Online Communication research group
• An excellent academic degree (master’s or equivalent) in communication science or a related empirical social science, such as (media) psychology, (media) education or (media) sociology
• A strong interest in topics related to radicalization and toxicity in online communities
• Interest in, and ideally knowledge of, social dynamics within youth cultural ‘nerd communities’ related to topics such as gaming, science fiction, fantasy, comics and new technology
• Very good to good knowledge of quantitative research methods and multivariate statistics, and the willingness to further develop these skills
• Experience with statistical analysis software such as R or SPSS
• Ideally, prior experience in analyzing quantitative survey data and (laboratory) experimental studies (e.g., as part of a master’s thesis)
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken
• Strong teamwork, communication and organizational skills, as well as an independent, reliable and structured working style

Advantages for you:

• The opportunity to work in a large, research-oriented Communication Science team and to gain experience within a European Excellence Project
• Individual mentoring and opportunities for further training and professional development -
• The chance to participate in international conferences and benefit from the group’s extensive network of academic collaborations (International mobility during the PhD phase is actively supported and explicitly encouraged)
• A working environment characterized by appreciation, reliability, openness and mutual respect

The University of Münster strongly supports equal opportunity and diversity. We welcome all applicants regardless of sex, nationality, ethnic or social background, religion or worldview, disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity. We are committed to creating family-friendly working conditions. Part-time options are generally available.

We actively encourage applications by women. Women with equivalent qualifications and academic achievements will be preferentially considered unless these are outweighed by reasons which necessitate the selection of another candidate.

Are you interested?

Then we look forward to receiving your application by 2025-11-28 via email at:

Your application can only be considered if submitted as a PDF file. Please note that we are unable to accept any other file formats.