PhD Candidate Social Science or Humanities

IT-Systemhaus der Bundesagentur für Arbeit; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 45.000 - 65.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Ein führendes Forschungsinstitut in Berlin sucht einen PhD-Kandidaten in Sozialwissenschaften oder Geisteswissenschaften. Die Stelle umfasst die Konzeption einer Dissertation, empirische Studien und die Entwicklung von Standards für AI-Entwicklung. Bewerber sollten einen Masterabschluss haben und Kenntnisse in ethischen Fragestellungen der AI, sowie Programmierkenntnisse in Python mitbringen. Es wird eine flexible Arbeitszeit und ein wettbewerbsfähiges Gehalt je nach Qualifikation geboten.

Leistungen

30 Tage Urlaub pro Jahr

Jährlicher Bonus

Flexible Arbeitszeiten

Zuschuss für das Deutschlandticket

Qualifikationen

• Masterabschluss in Sozialwissenschaften oder Geisteswissenschaften erforderlich.
• Erfahrung in der Anwendung qualitativer Methoden bevorzugt.
• Ausgezeichnete Englischkenntnisse sind erforderlich.

Aufgaben

• Konzeption und Durchführung einer Dissertation im Bereich der Forschung.
• Entwicklung und Evaluierung empirischer Studien.
• Veröffentlichung und Präsentation der Forschungsergebnisse.

Kenntnisse

Kenntnisse in AI-Ethischen Themen

Interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit

Kommunikationsfähigkeiten

Programmierkenntnisse (Python)

Qualitative Methoden

Interesse an quantitativen Methoden

Forschungsresultate publizieren

Ausbildung

Masterabschluss in Sozialwissenschaften oder Geisteswissenschaften

Jobbeschreibung

PhD Candidate Social Science or Humanities

PhD Candidate Social Science or Humanities

Founded in 2017, the Weizenbaum Institute researches the effects of advancing digitalisation on our society. With its recommendations for action, it helps to ensure that the digital transformation is sustainable, self-determined and responsible. The Weizenbaum Institute is supported by a network of seven partners, including Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin University of the Arts, the University of Potsdam, the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) and the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB). The institute is financed by the Ministry of research, technology and space travel (BMFTR) and the state of Berlin. It is located in Berlin.

Arbeitsort

Berlin

Beginn

Founded in 2017, the Weizenbaum Institute researches the effects of advancing digitalisation on our society. With its recommendations for action, it helps to ensure that the digital transformation is sustainable, self-determined and responsible. The Weizenbaum Institute is supported by a network of seven partners, including Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin University of the Arts, the University of Potsdam, the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) and the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB). The institute is financed by the Ministry of research, technology and space travel (BMFTR) and the state of Berlin. It is located in Berlin.

For our research group "Digitalization and Opening up Science" at the Weizenbaum-Institut e.V. we are looking as soon as possible for a PhD Candidate Social Science or Humanities with 19,5 hours / 50% per week (an increase in working hours to 100% is being considered but is dependent on project approval.) The position is initially limited until 14th October 2027. Further employment will be sought and is dependent on further funding approval.

The Team

The interdisciplinary research group “Digitalization and Opening up Science” (https://www.weizenbaum-institut.de/en/research/organizing-knowledge/digitalization-and-opening-up-science/) is concerned with the scientific practices surrounding the development, evaluation and use of artificial intelligence (AI), in short "AI as a science” and "science with AI". It analyzes and evaluates the epistemic and ethical aspects of AI research and develops standards and approaches to improve its practices, in particular data practices and infrastructures.

• Conceptualization and execution of a doctoral dissertation in the research group's field of study (analysis and improvement of scientific practices and data practices, and in particular the use of and requirements for data infrastructures in AI research from an epistemic and ethical perspective)
• Design, implementation, and evaluation of empirical studies
• Participation in the development of theoretically sound standards and tools for AI development and evaluation (e.g., benchmarks) within the context of interdisciplinary collaborations
• Regular publication and presentation of research results at international conferences and workshops
• Participation in third‑party funded projects (in particular, NFDI and EOSC)
• Contributing to the drafting of research proposals and the acquisition of research funding
• Assistance with teaching activities and student supervision
• Organization of events and activities for the research community and the broader public

Your profile:

• Master's degree in a social science or humanities
• Knowledge of AI ethics, data ethics, science and technology studies (STS), (feminist) philosophy of science, related topics
• Interest in interdisciplinary, critical engagement with AI systems or the research and development processes surrounding AI
• Experience in applying qualitative methods and interest in quantitative methods
• Basic knowledge of current methods and models in the field of AI, especially language models and/or multimodal models
• Excellent English skills and very good communication, presentation, and writing skills
• Enjoy working in a team
• Motivated, independent, and structured way of working
• Programming skills (especially Python and AI/ML-related frameworks)
• Experience in publishing research results in relevant ML/AI, NLP, or AI ethics proceedings or journals

Your chance:

• Exciting tasks: Work in a committed, innovative, and scientific environment
• Optimal conditions: Compensation depending on qualifications up to EG 13 (TVöD Bund), including annual bonus, company pension plan, and subsidy for the Deutschlandticket
• Work-life balance: We offer mobile working, flexible working hours, and 30 days of vacation per year (based on a 5-day week), plus paid time off on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
• Central location: Work in the center of Berlin

Severely disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given preference. We value diversity and welcome all applications – regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion, disability, age and sexual orientation. The Weizenbaum Institute expressly encourages women and people with a history of migration to apply.

You can submit your application, consisting of a letter of motivation, CV and copy of certificate with grades addressed to Prof. Dr. Sonja Schimmler in our application portal. Please indicate your earliest starting date in your letter of motivation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Maite Vöhl from our HR team (personal[at]weizenbaum-institut.de) at any time. We look forward to receiving your documents.