Graduate research and teaching assistant / research associate and doctoral student at the chair of political communication

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant ­­/­­ Research Associate and Doctoral Student at the Chair of Political Communication 21.05.2026 Universität Passau Passau
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant ­­/­­ Research Associate and Doctoral Student at the Chair of Political Communication
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant / Research Associate and Doctoral Student at the Chair of Political Communication
21.05.2026, Universität Passau
A three-year EU project entitled “Inoculating and coaching policy-makers to resist disinformation” (POLINOCULATE, project leader Professor Florian Töpfl) will be carried out at University of Passau from 1 September 2026 to 30 August 2029. In this EU-funded project, a consortium of five European universities from Germany, Finland, the UK and Hungary will generate knowledge designed to help policy-makers and public officials effectively combat misinformation and disinformation and ensure functioning democratic public spheres. The Chair of Political Communication with a Focus on Eastern Europe and the Post-Soviet Region invites applications for a three-year fixed-term Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant / Research Associate and Doctoral Student (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin / Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter)
position within the POLINOCULATE project, commencing at the earliest opportunity – but no earlier than 1 September 2026 and subject to funding approval. The position is part-time (75% FTE) and will run for a period of three years. Salary will be paid in accordance with pay grade E13 of the German public-sector collective agreement, TV-L. Highly autonomous participation in the EU-funded project POLINOCULATE (title: Inoculating and coaching policy-makers to resist disinformation) involving seven European project partners
Goal-oriented and self-directed doctoral research in the thematic area of the sub-project led by the chair: “Understanding opposition against policies that counter misinformation”
Drafting of sole-authored and co-authored publications in the thematic area of the sub-project
Conducting LLM-supported, automated content analyses examining the communication of actors opposing efforts to combat misinformation (e.g. right-wing parties)
Collaboration in and support for other sub-projects
Willingness to assist with the chair’s administration and to undertake teaching of up to two hours per week (during the semester teaching periods)
Participation in the administration and organisation of the EU project, e.g. organising workshops and conferences
Presentation of research findings at national and international conferences
A university Master’s degree in communication studies or a related discipline
Expertise in computational methods, ideally with a focus on automated content analysis techniques
Strong academic writing skills in the social sciences
Excellent command of English
Good knowledge of German and/or an Eastern European language is an advantage
Experience working in research groups is an advantage
An exciting and challenging research position with a wide range of opportunities to put your own ideas into practice
Ideal conditions for pursuing a doctoral degree in the above-mentioned research area
An inspiring environment within a research group striving to conduct internationally recognised research in the field of your doctoral project
Generous financial support for conference travel and other professional development activities
A pleasant working atmosphere in a city with a high quality of life, on a modern university campus just a few minutes’ walk from the historic city centre
As the University wishes to raise the proportion of women in research and teaching, female academics are expressly encouraged to apply. The University of Passau enjoys high visibility and a strong reputation thanks to its excellent research, innovative teaching and extensive international network. Around 11,000 students from 100 countries and over 1,300 staff study and work near Passau’s Old Town on a campus that combines state-of-the-art technical infrastructure with award-winning urban design. Internationally successful high-tech companies and a vibrant start-up scene, coupled with a rich cultural heritage and Lower Bavarian traditions, lend the city and region a special appeal and contribute to an outstanding quality of life and work. aichner@uni-passau.Questions regarding this position should be addressed to Professor Florian Toepfl ( florian.toepfl@uni-passau.