PhD/Doctoral Position in Communication, Media Psychology, and Methods (60 %)

PhD/Doctoral Position in Communication, Media Psychology, and Methods (Prof. Dr. Tobias Dienlin)

About the position

• 3-year Ph.D. position (60%, paid according to cantonal salary scheme)
• Can be extended by another 17 months
• Workplace is Zurich

What will be your main tasks? 

• Conduct a Ph.D. thesis in the field of communication, media psychology, and media effects
• Publish in leading academic journals; present at conferences; engage in outreach
• Teach courses on media effects, methods, and statistics at BA and MA levels
• Take part in doctoral training programmes offered by UZH and IKMZ
• Participate in organisational or administrative tasks as required

What should you bring to the team? 

• Master’s degree in communication science, psychology, or a related discipline
• Strong interest in research on media effects, including topics such as social media, well-being, privacy, AI, or media effects theory
• Expertise in quantitative research methods
• Proficiency in (or openness to learn) R, open science practices, and advanced statistics
• Proficiency in English; knowledge of German is desirable but not mandatory

What do we offer you? 

• Great background and support for high quality research
• Much freedom to develop your own research interest within the topics of the division
• Dynamic and supportive team with a collegial and inspiring working atmosphere
• Excellent track record of the department in academic career development

How to apply

Please send the following documents as a single PDF file using UZH’s job portal (link):

• Letter of motivation (including ideas for your Ph.D. project; max. 2 pages)
• Your CV (including a list of scientific publications and presentations, if applicable)
• MA thesis or equivalent, research publications if already applicable
• Copies of degrees and relevant transcripts

Deadline for applications is March 16, 2025

Applications arriving later will also be considered if no candidate has been selected until then

The position starts in April or by agreement

For questions regarding the position, contact Pinar Tidin-Alpan (p.tidin@ikmz.uzh.ch). 

The University of Zurich is the largest research university in Switzerland, 
and IKMZ is recognized as one of Europe's leading communication departments. 

The University of Zurich is committed to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and equality 
across all aspects of academia. We actively encourage applications from 
underrepresented groups to ensure a vibrant and equitable academic community.