Department of Communication and Media Research

Postdoctoral Position in Socio-Technical Transformations through Digitalization and AI 80 - 100 %

Start of employment 1 January 2025 or upon agreement. The contract is for 2 years., temporary

The Media Change and Innovation Division (Prof. Michael Latzer), Department of Communication and Media Research (IKMZ), University of Zurich is seeking applications for a postdoctoral position. The successful applicant will work on dedicated topics that align with the division's research program including the chilling effects of dataveillance, the religion-like digitalization of societies or content creators' belief systems within the social media ecosystem.

The division's research program focuses, among other things, on the societal implications of digitalization and the internet, algorithmic selection and artificial-intelligence (AI) tools in everyday life, dataveillance and privacy, governance of media change, religion-like digitalization and implicit everyday religion, cyborgization, digital inequalities, and digital well-being (see https://mediachange.ch/publications/ for the division's recent publications).

Your responsibilities

  • Devise and conduct original theoretical and empirical research in areas that align with the division's research program
  • Contribute to the projects The Chilling Effects of Dataveillance and/or The Religion-Like Digitalization of Societies and/or Content Creators' Belief Systems within the Social Media Ecosystem
  • (Co)author academic publications
  • Participate in academic exchange (e.g., conferences, departmental talks) and support outreach activities that target the public
  • Contribute to teaching and student supervision aligned with the division's teaching priorities, mentor PhD students in the division
  • Attain further academic qualifications (e.g., colloquia, research seminars, or summer/winter schools)

Your profile

  • PhD degree in communication or a related discipline
  • Experience with and/or interest in conducting interdisciplinary research on what digitalization and the internet mean for privacy, autonomy, well-being, reality construction, social order, and democracy
  • Excellent abilities to apply quantitative and/or qualitative methods
  • Excellent time management, ability to take initiative, and independent work attitude under the guidance of the division chair
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Proficiency in English

What we offer

Our employees benefit from a wide range of attractive offers. More

What we offer

Work-Life Balance
  • Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing)
  • Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH


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Learning and Development
  • Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich
  • Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

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Food
  • Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias
  • Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

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Healthcare
  • Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ
  • Free seasonal flu vaccinations
  • Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

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Discounts
  • Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space
  • Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions
  • Special conditions on hotel reservations

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Conditions of Employment
  • Policies of the UZH
  • Most UZH staff are employed according to public law


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International Services
  • Support for people from outside Switzerland

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Campuses
  • Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren
  • Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg

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Location

Department of Communication and Media Research

Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zürich, Switzerland

Information on your application

Review of applications starts immediately. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Please submit your application containing your CV including a list of publications and conference presentations, copy of degrees, up to three selected publications (e.g., journal articles, dissertation chapter), and a short letter of motivation (max. 2 pages A4) in a single PDF file.

Further information

Questions about the job

Dr. Noemi Festic Senior Research and Teaching Associate +41 44 635 20 47
Contact Form

Contact question to: Dr. Noemi Festic

Thank you for your message. We will get back to you shortly.

Questions about the application procedure

Dr. Daniela Jaramillo-Dent Senior Research and Teaching Associate +41 44 635 20 93
Contact Form

Contact question to: Dr. Daniela Jaramillo-Dent

Thank you for your message. We will get back to you shortly.


Please apply via our job portal www.jobs.uzh.ch.

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