University assistant with doctorate (m/f/d)

Job title:

University assistant with doctorate (m/f/d)

Company:


Job description: Offer DescriptionYour Responsibilities

• Participate in research, teaching and outreach activities of the research group “Digital Societies”, and in particular support the establishment of the Graz Studio for Participatory Sociodigital Futures (GraSP Futures)
• Conduct independent and collaborative research projects in the fields of participatory research on sociodigital futures, critical data studies or digital STS (Science and Technology Studies)
• Contribute to writing research proposals and grant applications
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at academic conferences
• Teach in Sociology (BA/MA) and Computational Social Systems (MSc)
• Mentor and supervise graduate and undergraduate students
• Support organisational and administrative tasks of the Department of Sociology

Your Profile

• PhD in Social Sciences (e.g. STS, Sociology) or related fields with a focus on digital/data-driven technologies and/or Critical Data Studies/Critical Algorithm Studies
• Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English
• Very good knowledge of German (desirable)
• Very good IT skills
• Experience in participatory research and/or futures/anticipation studies
• Experience and strong interest in methods (e.g. participatory methods, speculative and design-based approaches, futures methods)
• Experience/familiarity with the following research areas: Ageing (e.g. Socio-Gerontechnology), Education (e.g. Critical EdTech Studies) or public administration (desirable)
• Teaching experience related to computational social systems, digital STS, digital sociology, data & society, human-computer interaction, participatory design(desirable)
• Sense of personal responsibility and ability to work with others
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team

We Offer

• Meaning: We offer meaningful work for the world of tomorrow.

• Our internal continuing education program is as colorful as the university itself.

• Collaboration: With us, you’ll find interdisciplinary, cross-professional opportunities to work together.

• Benefits: Of course, there are all the usual benefits, from A “access to healthcare services” to Z “Zero emission goal”.

• Diversity: Besides our various scientific fields and their related issues, we offer a working environment in which diversity is lived.

• Flexibility: We demonstrate flexibility not only with the various working time models but also through the offers for the compatibility of family and career.

We offer an annual gross salary of at least € 69,060.59 for a fulltime position. An overpayment based on qualification and experience is possible.Equality PrincipleThe University of Graz strives to increase the proportion of women in particular in management and faculty positions and therefore encourages qualified women to apply. In the event of underrepresentation, women with equal qualifications are generally given priority for admission. We welcome applications from persons with disabilities who meet the requirements of the advertised position.Please note that in order to comply with the applicable data protection regulations, we can only accept applications via our web-based applicant tool for this vacant position.Application DocumentsThe following documents are required for an application:

• Letter of motivation detailing why you want to work with us
• PhD thesis and/or three most relevant journal articles
• Academic CV
• Three letters of recommendation (depending on your experience and where you have worked so far this could be PhD/PostDoc advisors, PhD examiners, co-researchers, academic peers, mentors/mentees) or list of three individuals whom we might approach for references
• Teaching portfolio and evaluations (optional)
• Research statement for postdoc project (optional)

Organisational UnitThe position is affiliated with the Professorship for Digital Societies at the Department of Sociology. At the core of the research activities of the research group is the increasing societal relevance of digital data and algorithmic systems for processes of decision making, representation, sense making, and resource distribution. This transformation has fuelled utopian visions about open and transparent societies that strengthen grassroots movements and democratic processes. At the same time, fears associated with increased surveillance and control as well as reinforced social inequalities and systemic discrimination have emerged. The focus of the research group is on the transformative power of algorithmic systems in the public sector, education and for ageing populations. It intersects critical data & algorithm studies, participatory (design) research and feminist STS (Science and Technology Studies). The teaching responsibilities of the research group cover courses in Sociology and Computational Social Systems.We are looking for: A postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in participatory research and sociodigital innovation to support the creation of the Graz Studio for Participatory Sociodigital Futures (GraSP Futures). The starting point for the Futures Studio is that the future is not simply happening but made – through regimes of anticipation that shape our expectations, imaginaries, visions and hypes, and define what is thinkable and desirable. Current anticipations circulating about sociodigital futures are often determined by powerful social actors such as states or technology companies that define how (social) problems are framed and the kinds of digital solutions that are sought. To date, a key challenge is to open up futures-making to different social groups. Existing design practices predominantly originate in consumer marketing and the technology industry. In addition, design-based methods do not scale easily, and the kinds of expertise required to facilitate exploratory futures processes and spaces are not well researched or easily reproduced. Through the Futures Studio and alongside collaborators, we want to address this gap. With a specific focus on sociodigital futures and data-driven technologies, the Futures Studio will be a physical space to open up publics and problems in ways that can result in tangible actions.What we offer: An interdisciplinary and international research team in Graz, a vibrant university city in the South-East of Austria. Intellectually, Graz is home to a growing community of research groups around critical studies of computational social systems both at the University of Graz and the Technical University of Graz. For example, our joint Master Programme in Computational Social Systems is unique and attracts very engaged students who are educated in both: computer science and critical social sciences. The University of Graz has a dedicated PostDoc office to support Early Career Researchers through mentoring but also additional funding. Graz offers high quality of live. It was the cultural capital of Europe and runs numerous art festivals and events throughout the year. For outdoor lovers there are many options for hiking, cycling, climbing, kayaking, and/or skiing. You can cycle easily within the city. House prices are moderate.Please be aware that we follow a two-step process. We will conduct a first round of online interviews on the 25th of August and will subsequently invite a selected number of applicants to Graz for a longer interview on the 9th and 10th of September. We kindly ask applicants to make sure they are available during these dates. Travel costs will be reimbursed (max 400 Euros).About usAt the University of Graz, 4700 employees work together on future questions and solutions for the world of tomorrow. Our students and researchers take on the major challenges of society and share their knowledge. We work for tomorrow. Be part of it!ContactUniv.-Prof. Dr. Juliane JarkeWhere to apply WebsiteRequirementsResearch Field Sociology Education Level PhD or equivalentLanguages ENGLISH Level ExcellentLanguages GERMAN Level GoodResearch Field Sociology Years of Research Experience 4 – 10Additional InformationBenefits

• Meaning: We offer meaningful work for the world of tomorrow.

• Our internal continuing education program is as colorful as the university itself.

• Collaboration: With us, you’ll find interdisciplinary, cross-professional opportunities to work together.

• Benefits: Of course, there are all the usual benefits, from A “access to healthcare services” to Z “Zero emission goal”.

• Diversity: Besides our various scientific fields and their related issues, we offer a working environment in which diversity is lived.

• Flexibility: We demonstrate flexibility not only with the various working time models but also through the offers for the compatibility of family and career.

Website for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Department of Sociology Country Austria City Graz Postal Code 8010 Street Halbärthgasse 8 GeofieldContact CityGraz WebsiteStreetHalbärthgasse 8 Postal Code8010 Phone(+43) 316 380STATUS: EXPIREDShare this page

Expected salary: €69060.59 per year

Location: Graz, Steiermark

Job date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 02:42:29 GMT

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