Two posistions as Research Associate/PhD Student (85%)

The Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is one of the largest, most research-intensive, and internationally oriented universities in Germany. At the School of Business, Economics and Society, within the Communication Science research group (Prof. Dr. Adrian Meier), the following two positions are available:

Research Associate/PhD Student (85%)

(m/f/d – Pay Grade E13 TV-L)

These are fixed-term positions for five years. The earliest possible start date is April 1, and the latest is August 1, 2026. The positions have a fixed term as part of a third-party funded project supported by the European Union and enable further academic qualification (doctorate/PhD). The positions are part-time (85%) in pay grade E13 of the TV-L. The School of Business, Economics and Society provides office space in Nuremberg, but the position also allows for work from home at least two days a week.

The Communication Science research group focuses on the interplay between digital communication and media use with well-being, health, and self-regulation, as well as the social consequences of the digital transformation for the world of work, relationships, and social cohesion. In its research, the professorship primarily works with communication science, (media) psychological, and socio-technical theories, as well as a variety of empirical methods. More information about the team and its research can be found here.

Both positions are part of an EU excellence project funded with €1.5 million by the European Research Council (ERC). The interdisciplinary project HIYIHI – Social Well-Being from Hybrid Interactions in Hybrid Work combines innovative perspectives and methods from communication science, psychology, sociology, and human-computer interaction. Together with the professorship and a postdoctoral researcher, the successful candidates will play a central role in implementing an ambitious and forward-looking research program.

Against the backdrop of a growing “loneliness epidemic” and the rapid spread of AI assistants, the overarching project aims to understand the dynamics of face-to-face, digital, and human-AI communication. Specifically, the project zooms in on their interplay as well as the consequences for social well-being and cohesion in hybrid work. To this end, the project combines qualitative and digital ethnographic methods with a representative panel survey, analyses of experience sampling and digital behavioral data, as well as computational methods and field experiments.

The first position (PhD 1) will play a central role in implementing a multi-method study that combines surveys, participant observation, digital ethnography, and qualitative interviews among hybrid workers to understand complex communication episodes and dynamics in everyday life. Using data from the first panel wave, PhD 1 will further examine communication in hybrid work in terms of its socioeconomic and organizational conditions and its

implications for a sense of community. Finally, building on previous insights, PhD 1 will develop a communicative behavioral intervention and test through a field experiment whether it improves the social well-being of employees.

The second position (PhD 2) initially examines large text datasets containing digital communication of hybrid global teams as well as data donations from human-AI chat logs to gain a deeper understanding of these communication episodes. PhD 2 then works with behavioral traces of digital and human-AI communication (e.g., log data, web tracking) collected as part of the multi-wave panel study among employees. Finally, PhD 2 develops a field experiment that causally tests the effects of human-AI communication on social interactions and social well-being in everyday working life.

Participation in the entire project will take place in close cooperation with the professorship and the postdoctoral researcher, supplemented by regular exchanges with an interdisciplinary network of international and local project partners, as well as workshops and scientific conferences.

Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing essential parts of the research project
• Independent research (e.g., coordinating and conducting data collections, data analysis, supervising research assistants)
• Presentation of results at conferences, workshops, and via science communication formats (e.g., events, social media)
• Writing manuscripts and publishing in leading journals in communication science, (media) psychology, and/or related social sciences
• Academic qualification (doctorate/PhD)
• Academic teaching (e.g., seminars, supervising student theses)
• Collaboration within the Communication Science research group at FAU

Required Qualifications:

• A (soon-to-be-completed) excellent degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Communication Science, Psychology, or a related empirical social/behavioral science
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent command of English (spoken and written)
• Independence and teamwork skills
• Strong interest in topics related to human-AI, digital, and interpersonal communication as well as social well-being and social cohesion
• Profile PhD 1, Mixed Methods: (Very) good knowledge of qualitative (e.g., interviews, digital ethnography) and/or quantitative methods (e.g., surveys, experiments)
• Profile PhD 2, Computational Social Science: (Very) good knowledge of quantitative and statistical methods

Preferred Qualifications:

• Profile PhD 1, Mixed Methods: Knowledge of both qualitative (e.g., qualitative interviews, thematic content analysis, digital ethnography) and quantitative survey and analysis methods (e.g., surveys, experiments, regression analysis) is an advantage
• Profile PhD 2, Computational Social Science: Familiarity with a data analysis language such as R or Python and initial experience in analyzing large text data sets, digital behavioral or trace data, or with machine learning/LLMs, is advantageous
• Knowledge of advanced statistical methods (e.g., multilevel analysis, structural equation modeling) is an advantage. If interested, training and support will be provided to develop missing skills (e.g., through workshops)
• Initial experience with scientific presentations or publications is advantageous
• German language skills are advantageous but not mandatory

Benefits:

• Excellent academic environment at a research-intensive university and group
• Collegial atmosphere in an interdisciplinary department and EU excellence project
• Opportunities for independent research and academic development
• Dedicated mentoring of PhD students
• International network and research collaborations
• Project budget (e.g., for conference and training travel, research assistants)
• Workplace in the heart of Nuremberg’s old town
• Work from home is possible at least two days a week

FAU values diversity and has been a member of the Best Practice Club “Family in Higher Education” since 2016. The university promotes the equality of women and explicitly encourages women to apply. The position is suitable for individuals with disabilities, who will be given preference in hiring in cases of equal qualifications.

You are cordially invited to submit your detailed application (cover letter, CV with academic background, certificates, thesis or seminar paper or first manuscript/publication as a work sample, relevant professional experience if applicable, list of presentations and publications if applicable) in German or English by February 28, 2026 as a single PDF file via email to wiso-bewerbung-kowi@fau.de. IMPORTANT: Please indicate in your cover letter which of the two position profiles you are applying for. The start date is flexible within the specified period; please feel free to contact us.

In case of questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Adrian Meier: