PhD Position - Moral Foundations of Polarised Debates in Plant Breeding Technologies

Company DescriptionThe University of Basel, established in 1460, is the oldest university in Switzerland and a hub for cutting-edge research and academic excellence. It provides a comprehensive range of degree programs to both Swiss and international students. With a focus on innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration, the university creates an engaging and supportive learning environment. The University of Basel is renowned for offering outstanding opportunities for students at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.Role DescriptionThis is a full-time on-site position located in Basel. The PhD position is part of the MORALMAP project, investigating how moral foundations drive entrenched positions; how social media content creators frame their arguments; and which moral framings make constructive dialogue more likely within the context of new plant breeding technologies. Using a mixed-methods approach (qualitative, quantitative, and experimental), the PhD will help map current debate, decode the moral “logic” beneath disagreement, and generate evidence-based strategies for depolarisation. If you are motivated by the intersection of ethics, psychology, social media, and responsible innovation, this project offers unique, high-impact PhD training within a world-class team. The successful candidate will ideally start work in the first three months of 2026.Your tasks:Coordinating and managing a research project including carrying out qualitative interviews and analysing quantitative survey data, including collaboration with other project researchers.Continuing your education/training with PhD courses offered by the University of Basel and by partner universities.Mentoring research assistants, supervising bachelor and master students and reviewing their contributions. Documenting and presenting research findings in English. Contributing to various organizational processes at the IBMB.Your qualifications: Master’s degree in social media research, ethics, philosophy or other related fields.Very good Master’s and Bachelor’s academic grades.Excellent language skills in English.Ability to speak and understand German and/or French is an advantage.Experience in social media scraping and experience in doing social media analysis is preferred.Excellent knowledge of research methods and statistics; ideally you are familiar with analysing quantitative survey data; in case, willingness to learn these skills independently.High level of commitment, intrinsic motivation, enthusiasm, and responsibility.You have strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently.We offer: Enrolment in a Swiss Bologna accredited PhD Program in Bioethics.An attractive salary and well-equipped working environment.Positive and productive working atmosphere in which you can develop yourself and realize your potential within a dedicated team that enjoys collaborating on various projects.Opportunity to engage in a cutting-edge interdisciplinary topic.Empirical methods courses in order to successfully conduct your PhD Project.You will also have the possibility to contribute to the academic life at the IBMB, including contributions to teaching, collaboration in other research projects and academic publications in scientific journals.Applications: Applications must be submitted in English and should include in a single PDF file: (1) A detailed CV, including an overview of study results (grades), the title of your master thesis, contact information of (at least) two (academic) referees, and a PDF-file of the master thesis; (2) A motivation letter (maximum two pages, double-spaced, font 12), specifying your interests in the topic and PhD at Basel. Applications should be sent via email directly to Dr Stephen Milford (Stephen.Milford@unibas.ch) by 8th of December 2025. The position will remain open until filled.