Among the many good reasons to want to research and teach at the University of Vienna, there is one in particular, which has convinced around 7,500 academic staff members so far. They see themselves as personalities who need space for their continuous striving and curiosity in order to be able to be More than 7,500 academics at the University of Vienna thrive on continuous exploration and curiosity and help us better understand our world. Does this sound like you? Then join our accomplished team!

Your personal sphere of influence:

The Department of Communication, a subunit of the Faculty of Social Sciences, invites applications for the position of University Assistant (Predoc) in the group of Univ.- Prof. Dr. Annie Waldherr. Communication Science is an integrative social science characterized by methodological diversity, with a focus on indirect public communication mediated by mass media.

As a University Assistant (Predoc) you will be part of the Computational Communication Science Lab (CCL), an interdisciplinary research network under the direction of Prof. Dr. Annie Waldherr and Prof. Hajo Boomgaarden, PhD. The aim of the CCL is to improve our understanding of the causes, processes and effects of mediated communication using computational methods. We strive to advance core fields of communication science such as public sphere and public opinion research, journalism and political communication through the use of innovative, computerized tools and algorithms for collecting, processing, analyzing and visualizing large-scale, complex data. The research area of Computational Communication Science includes, for example, agent-based modeling and simulation, network analysis, automated text and image analysis.

In addition, your dissertation project will be integrated into the Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences (ViDSS) and its structured doctoral program. The ViDSS promotes innovative, excellent, problem-oriented research that contributes to initiating social debates and tackling major global challenges. The cohorts trained and supported by ViDSS are part of a vibrant research environment and international networks.

As a team, we value a culture of appreciation and mutual support. We believe that treating each other with respect and recognizing the individual strengths and contributions of each team member are crucial to our collective success.

The contract duration upon employment is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the contract is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not submit a declaration of non-extension within the first 12 months.

Your future tasks:

You actively participate in research, teaching & administration, which means:

• You contribute to research projects and scientific studies in the field of Computational Communication Science.
• You are relating to the public sphere and digital communication.
• You will work on your dissertation and we expect the completion of your dissertation agreement within 12-18 months.
• You will work on scientific publications and presentations.
• You will teach courses independently in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement.
• You will supervise students.
• You will be involved in the organization of meetings, conferences and symposia.
• You will take on administrative tasks at the institute in research and teaching.

This is part of your personality:

• Completed Master's or Magister degree in media and communication studies
• Sound knowledge of empirical social research methods, especially quantitative methods
• Experience of learning methods of Computational Communication Science, e.g. agent-based modeling and simulation, network analysis, automated text and image analysis
• Programming experience in R and/or Python
• Proven interest in research on the public sphere and digital communication
• Didactic skills
• High level of written and oral communication skills
• Very good written and spoken English skills
• Very good IT application skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Good time management skills
• Reliability 

What we offer:

• Work-life balance: You have flexible working hours and can also work remotely part of the time.
• Inspiring working atmosphere: You will be part of an international team with excellent research infrastructure in a relaxed working environment.
• Good public transport connections: Your new workplace is easily accessible via public transportation.
• Internal training and coaching: We offer you the opportunity to expand and deepen your skills on an ongoing basis.
• Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 3,578.80 (full-time basis) will increase in case of proven professional experience.
• Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every new member of the team!

It's so easy to apply:

• With your letter of motivation
• Your CV
• A PDF of your Master's thesis or other coursework
• The notification of your completed Master's degree
• The certificates of your completed Master's degree
• List of publications (if available)
• Transcript of records 
• Via our job portal / Apply now - button