PhD Position as Teaching and Research Assistant

PhD position as teaching and research assistant (100%) at the Chair Digital Journalism (Prof. Dr. Tobias Rohrbach)The Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (SES) at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, invites applications for a PhD position at the Chair Digital Journalism. The successful candidate will work as a teaching and research assistant at the Department of Communication and Media Research (DCM) and write a doctoral thesis under the supervision of professor Tobias Rohrbach.The DCM offers an outstanding and supportive research environment based on interdisciplinary and innovative collaborations at the interface between communication, me-dia, business, and society. Unique in its bilingualism, located in the heart of Europe, and renowned for its rigorous training and research, the University of Fribourg affords a decisive first step towards a rewarding research career.InformationStart date: March 2026, or to be agreedContract duration: 5 years (1 year; renewable 4 years)Employment rate: 100%; the salary is established according to the guidelines of the University of Fribourg.ProfileInterests: You are a creative and autonomous person, and you enjoy the theories and methods of social research. You can work both independently and as part of a team. You are interested in (one of) the following areas:Structures, forms, and effects of journalism in online environments: algorithmic curation and bias, artificial intelligence and newsrooms, misinformationTrust and information-seeking behavior: emotions, information processing, news credibility, psychophysiologySkills: You are proficient in quantitative methods of data collection and analysis applied in the social sciences with an interest in computational methods. Experience with qualitative methods is considered an additional asset.Education: You have obtained a master’s degree in communication studies or in a closely related social science with a focus on empirical research. The admission to doctoral studies is subject to the conditions of the SES Faculty.Languages: You should have at least an intermediate command of French (CEFR B1) and English. As the position involves teaching and supervising students in French, we expect you to enhance your French skills towards proficiency if necessary. The university provides a motivating environment and offers free language courses.ApplicationQuestions: Please address any questions to Tobias Rohrbach (tobias.rohrbach@unifr.ch).Documents: Include the following documents in your application:a cover letter specifying research interests and motivations,a CV containing the names of two academic references,transcripts of completed academic training,a writing sample (chapter of master thesis, working/seminar paper or other),possibly additional certificates (e.g., for language skills) or documents (e.g., evaluation of Master thesis).The evaluation will focus on your academic record, interests, attitude, and ensuing po-tential for academic success, with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.DeadlinePlease submit the application in a single PDF document to Tobias Rohrbach at tobias.rohrbach@unifr.ch by December 2, 2025. Interviews are likely taking place on December 11 and 16, 2025.If you are interested in this position, please do not use the LinkedIn application function. Instead, send your application documents as requested directly to the email address provided. Thank you very much!