Postdoctoral Researcher in Political Communication at the University of Zurich (3+1 years)

University of Zurich; Hamburg; Vor Ort; EUR 60.000 - 80.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

An established industry player is seeking a motivated researcher with a strong background in communication science and a passion for political communication. This role involves advancing research on political social media influencers and applying computational methods to large datasets. You will have the opportunity to develop your research agenda while collaborating with a dynamic team. Enjoy a supportive environment at a prestigious institution in a vibrant city known for its high quality of life. If you're eager to make an impact in the field of communication research, this position is perfect for you.

Leistungen

Funding for Conferences

Additional Training Opportunities

Research Activities Funding

Supportive Research Team

Attractive Work Environment

Qualifikationen

• Doktorgrad in Kommunikationswissenschaft oder verwandtem Bereich erforderlich.
• Erfahrung in der computergestützten Textanalyse ist von Vorteil.

Aufgaben

• Leitung des Arbeitspakets zur Untersuchung des Einflusses von PSMIs.
• Durchführung und Veröffentlichung hochwertiger Forschung in führenden Fachzeitschriften.

Kenntnisse

Computational Text Analysis

Programming in R

Programming in Python

Analytical Skills

Team Collaboration

Interest in Political Communication

Knowledge of German

Knowledge of Polish

Ausbildung

Doctoral Degree in Communication Science

Degree in Political Science

Degree in Sociology

Degree in Social Computing

Tools

Large Language Models

Computer Vision

Network Analysis

Jobbeschreibung

Job Responsibilities

• Interest in advancing communication research on the role of political social media influencers.
• Take a leading role in the project's work package on the influence of PSMIs on political discourse and engagement. This includes applying computational social science methods using large multi-lingual and multi-modal social media datasets, and working with donated social media data.
• Develop your own research agenda within the broader scope of the project.
• Conduct and publish high-quality research in leading communication journals and present at international conferences.
• Collaborate with other project members and research assistants.
• Provide support for project-related management and administrative tasks.

Your Profile

• A very good doctoral degree in communication science (or close to completing) or an adjacent field (e.g. political science, sociology, social computing) with an interest in political communication and computational social science.
• Experience with computational text analysis methods, including large language models. Experience or interest in computer vision and/or network analysis is an additional asset.
• Strong programming skills in R and/or Python.
• Analytical skills and capacity for independent, internationally visible research.
• Enthusiasm for working in teams.
• Willingness to move to Zurich and travel internationally to engage with project-relevant scientific communities.
• Strong command of English. Knowledge of a language related to the project's regional focus (German, Polish) is an additional asset.

What We Offer

• Participation in a cutting-edge research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
• Opportunity to develop your own research agenda within the framework of the project.
• Funding for conferences, additional training, and research activities.
• 3 years of employment, with a possible extension of 1 year. The position's employment rate is 80%.
• An internationally competitive salary (ca. 5,000 CHF/month after taxes).
• A supportive, well-connected, research-oriented team.
• An attractive work environment: the University of Zurich is Switzerland's largest university. Zurich is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city that regularly ranks as one of the cities with the highest quality of life in the world.