PostDoc in Computational Social Science

The Digital Democracy Center invites applications for a position as a postdoc. The position is located in the newly launched Digital Democracy Centre (DDC) at SDU (www.sdu.dk/ddc/). The position is vacant from February 2023 (or as soon as possible hereafter). 

The DDC stands for a socio-technical, interdisciplinary approach combining theory and methods from social sciences and computer science, to study the impact of digital technology and AI on media, politics and democracy. One of the largest challenges in this area is that research and new solutions are developed in single disciplines, which neglects the fact that current challenges are technological and social, legal, and ethical in nature. Through its research, DDC will bridge this gap.

Job description

We seek applications for the following project:

Citizens are in countless interactions via internet-based applications, but they have too little knowledge about how user data are shared and flow to third parties. We need improved capacity for citizens to understand and have agency. If citizens cannot trust data usage, distrust will increase. This project takes on a new and fundamental mission: we need to develop a concept of Explainable Internet Data Flows (X-IDF). X-IDFs will offer a pathway to greater user efficacy and agency, by making the data flow among users and third parties explicit, transparent and actionable. We will investigate citizens' knowledge and attitudes about IDFs in general and X-IDFs in particular, build a technology for visualizing and comparing X-IDFs in terms that are accessible to and actionable for citizens, and test X-IDFs for citizen comprehension and trust.

As a postdoc in communication/ computational social science, you will, in collaboration with a recently hired postdoc in computer science, mainly work on points 1 and 3 above, while the postdoc in computer science will work on point 2.

Further information can be obtained from the Head of DDC, Claes de Vreese, mail [email protected] .

Application, salary, etc.

Appointment to the position requires a Ph.D. or equivalent and will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

Research will be predominant in the position. Teaching assignments can be agreed upon individually.

Furthermore, other types of assignments may occur to a limited degree.

The University determines the distribution of the various assignments. The weighting of the different assignments may vary over time.

Upgrading of pedagogical qualifications is not a part of this position. Employment as Postdoc alone will thus not qualify to appointment as Associate Professor/Senior Researcher.

An application must include:

• Motivation letter outlining your interest in the position and qualifications. Please list the position number and title
• Detailed CV
• Certificates/Diplomas (Master's and Ph.D. degree)
• A Ph.D. degree in these fields is preferable: Communication science, computational social science, Political Science, Political Psychology.

• Complete list of publications, indicating which publications are most relevant for the position
• Up to 5 of the most relevant publications. Please upload a pdf for each publication, if the publication has been co-authored, co-author statements must be a part of this pdf
• Please attach the Ph.D. dissertation as a publication, if such exist.
• Description of teaching experience (if applicable)
• Description of research coordination experience (if applicable)
• List of 3 references

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English.

Assessment of applications will be done under the existing Appointment Order for universities. 

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.
When the assessment committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her.

Applications that are incomplete with regard to the above requirements will not be assessed by the committee.

Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

As part of the overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, an interview may be applied.

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply online". Uploaded files must be in Adobe PDF (unlocked) or Word format.

Read the guideline for applicants

Each field can only contain a single file of max. 10 Mb.

The application deadline is 15 December and interviews will be held in January 2023.