(Post-)Doctoral Researcher and Lecturer (1.0 FTE / 0.75 FTE) Chair of Political Communication with a Focus on Eastern Europe and the Post-Soviet Region

The University of Passau owes its strong visibility and good repute to excellent research, innovative teaching and its tight-knit international academic networks. Some 11,000 students and more than 1,300 staff study and work on our University campus, which is located a stone’s throw from the historical Old Town of Passau and combines state-of-the-art technical infrastructure with award-winning architecture. Internationally successful high-tech companies and a vibrant start-up scene, coupled with a rich culture and Lower Bavarian traditions, give Passau and the surrounding area a special appeal that makes it a great place to live and work.

• Carry out independent work and contribute to the consortium management of a project funded by the Bavarian Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt) entitled ‚Authoritarian AI: How Large Language Models Align With Russia’s Propaganda‘ (0.5 FTE).
• Conduct independent research, teaching and administrative activities at the Chair of Political Communication with a Focus on Eastern Europe and the Post-Soviet Region (0.25 FTE for applicants without a doctorate, 0.5 FTE for postdoctoral applicants). You will provide up to 2.5 hours of teaching per week in German and English, focusing on the field of communication studies. The courses you teach will range from introductory courses for bachelor’s programmes to advanced, research-oriented seminars for master’s programmes. In addition, some of your courses will also be of interest to students of adjacent disciplines with a strong interest in Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet region.
• You will work largely independently and have ample opportunity to advance your own research agenda and develop an internationally competitive track record of publications in leading academic journals.
• Target-oriented and independent work on publications in the subject area of the professorship and the research project.
• Collaboration in the administration and organisation of the research project and the chair.
• Presentation of research results at national and international conferences.

• Very good university master’s degree in communication science; degrees from a related social science discipline are accepted in exceptional cases.
• A very good doctorate in communication science (or, in exceptional cases, in a related social science discipline) is desirable. This qualification is a prerequisite for the full-time (1.0 FTE) position.
• Postdoctoral researchers should be able to demonstrate publications in international journals and publishing houses, the number and quality of which is commensurate with their level of experience.
• Knowledge or experience in the application of traditional social science methods, for instance with a focus on interview-based research, policy research and/or qualitative social research.
• Knowledge, experience or willingness to learn how to apply new, computational methods in social science research.
• Good knowledge of English, German and Russian.
• Knowledge of another language from the post-Soviet area would be an advantage.
• High level of motivation.
• Strong team-working mindset.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Open-minded and autonomous approach to work.
• Strong communication skills.

• Very good university master’s degree in communication science; degrees from a related social science discipline are accepted in exceptional cases.
• A very good doctorate in communication science (or, in exceptional cases, in a related social science discipline) is desirable. This qualification is a prerequisite for the full-time (1.0 FTE) position.
• Postdoctoral researchers should be able to demonstrate publications in international journals and publishing houses, the number and quality of which is commensurate with their level of experience.
• Knowledge or experience in the application of traditional social science methods, for instance with a focus on interview-based research, policy research and/or qualitative social research.
• Knowledge, experience or willingness to learn how to apply new, computational methods in social science research.
• Good knowledge of English, German and Russian.
• Knowledge of another language from the post-Soviet area would be an advantage.
• High level of motivation.
• Strong team-working mindset.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Open-minded and autonomous approach to work.
• Strong communication skills.