The University of Passau owes its strong visibility and good repute to excellent research, innovative
teaching and its tight-knit international academic networks. Some 11,000 students and more than
1,300 staff study and work on our University campus, which is located a stone’s throw from the
historical Old Town of Passau and combines state-of-the-art technical infrastructure with award-
winning architecture. Internationally successful high-tech companies and a vibrant start-up scene,
coupled with a rich culture and Lower Bavarian traditions, give Passau and the surrounding area a
special appeal that makes it a great place to live and work.

The Chair of Political Communication with a Focus on Eastern Europe and the Post-Soviet
Region (Professor Florian Toepfl) invites applications for the position of

(Post-)Doctoral Researcher and Lecturer (1.0 FTE / 0.75 FTE)

This is a fixed-term position with a term of three years. Remuneration is in accordance with pay
grade E13 of the German public-sector collective agreement, TV-L; the salary step depends on your
qualifications and experience. Candidates who do not hold a doctorate can be employed in an 0.75
full-time equivalent (FTE) position. The preferred starting date is 1 April 2025, subject to the approval
of funding.

Your responsibilities

• Carry out independent work and contribute to the consortium management of a project funded

by the Bavarian Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt) entitled ‘Authoritarian AI: How Large
Language Models Align With Russia's Propaganda’ (0.5 FTE).

• Conduct independent research, teaching and administrative activities at the Chair of Political

Communication with a Focus on Eastern Europe and the Post-Soviet Region (0.25 FTE for
applicants without a doctorate, 0.5 FTE for postdoctoral applicants). You will provide up to 2.5
hours of teaching per week in German and English, focusing on the field of communication
studies. The courses you teach will range from introductory courses for bachelor's programmes
to advanced, research-oriented seminars for master's programmes. In addition, some of your
courses will also be of interest to students of adjacent disciplines with a strong interest in Eastern
Europe and the post-Soviet region.

• You will work largely independently and have ample opportunity to advance your own research

agenda and develop an internationally competitive track record of publications in leading
academic journals.

• Target-oriented and independent work on publications in the subject area of the professorship

and the research project.

• Collaboration in the administration and organisation of the research project and the chair.
• Presentation of research results at national and international conferences.

Your profile

• Very good university master’s degree in communication science; degrees from a related social

science discipline are accepted in exceptional cases.

• A very good doctorate in communication science (or, in exceptional cases, in a related social

science discipline) is desirable. This qualification is a prerequisite for the full-time (1.0 FTE)
position.

• Postdoctoral researchers should be able to demonstrate publications in international journals

and publishing houses, the number and quality of which is commensurate with their level of
experience.

• Knowledge or experience in the application of traditional social science methods, for instance

with a focus on interview-based research, policy research and/or qualitative social research.

• Knowledge, experience or willingness to learn how to apply new, computational methods in

social science research.

• Good knowledge of English, German and Russian.
• Knowledge of another language from the post-Soviet area would be an advantage.
• High level of motivation.
• Strong team-working mindset.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Open-minded and autonomous approach to work.
• Strong communication skills.

We offer

• An exciting and challenging academic activity with a wide range of opportunities to implement

your own ideas.

• An inspiring environment in a team that conducts internationally well-regarded research in the

research interests of the chair.

• Financial support for your participation in a wide range of project-related conferences, workshops

and methodological training measures.

• A high degree of freedom in the design of your work processes.
• A pleasant working environment in a town with a high quality of life, on a modern university

campus just a few minutes' walk from Passau’s historic Old Town.

The University of Passau is committed to increasing the proportion of women in its workforce and
strongly encourages women to apply. Part-time employment is possible if several suitably qualified
part-time employees apply and complement each other appropriately.

This position is suitable for people with disabilities; registered disabled persons are given preference
over non-disabled applicants who do not otherwise have statutory preferential status if their overall
personal aptitudes, skills and qualifications are equal.

How to apply

Please e-mail your application to ines.aichner@uni-passau.de, using PolCommEast as the subject
line, by 12 January 2025.Applications received after this date may be considered until the position
is filled. Your full application should include the following documents, attached as a single PDF file:

• Curriculum vitae.
• Certificates (your bachelor's and master's certificates as well as your doctoral certificate).

• Letter of motivation (no more than one page in length), in which you explain how you will

contribute to the success of the project whilst making reference to the selection criteria mentioned
above.

• At least one, but no more than three, academic work samples (e.g. your master’s or doctoral

thesis, a chapter from your thesis or a journal article).

We look forward to receiving your application. Please address any specific questions regarding this
position to Prof. Florian Töpfl at florian.toepfl@uni-passau.de or to Ms Anna Ryzhova at
anna.ryzhova@uni-passau.de.

Your electronically submitted application documents will be deleted no later than six months after
completion of the application process.

Please visit www.uni-passau.de/en/university/current-vacancies for our data privacy policy.