Research Associate (Postdoc) (m/f/d), Information and Opinion Dynamics on Digital Platforms

The Weizenbaum Institute, founded in 2017, researches the impact of advancing digitalization on society. Through its policy recommendations, it contributes to shaping digital transformation in a sustainable, self-determined, and responsible manner. The Weizenbaum Institute is supported by a consortium of seven partner institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, Universität der Künste Berlin, Universität Potsdam, the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS), and the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB). The institute is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the State of Berlin and is located in Berlin.

For our research group “Digital News Dynamics” at the Weizenbaum Institute e.V., we are looking to appoint, earliest August 1, 2026, a Research Associate (Postdoc) (m/f/d), Information and Opinion Dynamics on Digital Platforms with 100% of the regular working hours (39 hours/week). The position is fixed-term until December 31, 2030. Remuneration is based on pay grade EG 13 TVöD Bund.

The third-party funded position is part of the DIFIS-SOFO research consortium and embedded in a joint subproject between the Weizenbaum Institute, the ZeMKI at the University of Bremen, and the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS). The project focuses on digital discourses surrounding climate, energy, and societal transformation in platform publics, as well as their dynamics in the context of algorithmic recommendation systems and digital opinion formation.

The Team

The research group “Digital News Dynamics” investigates the role of digital platforms, algorithmic intermediaries, and data-driven communication in democratic publics. The group combines communication science perspectives with computational social science and digital methods. A particular focus lies on platform research, digital trace data, data access under the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the analysis of information and opinion dynamics on digital platforms. The position is closely connected to the DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory, which develops and studies new forms of data access to Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines (VLOPSEs) under the DSA framework. You can learn more about the team and its work here.

Your Responsibilities

• Independently design, conduct, and further develop platform analyses and discourse monitoring on climate, energy, and transformation discourses on digital platforms
• Develop and expand an analytical infrastructure for platform data in the context of the Digital Services Act (DSA)
• Collect, process, and analyze platform data (including TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook) using APIs, scraping, NLP- and LLM-based methods
• Plan and conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses of platform and media discourses
• Develop analytical strategies to investigate platform dynamics, algorithmic visibility, and digital opinion formation processes
• Publish scientific articles and present research findings at international conferences
• Contribute to transfer and policy activities within the project and the DSA40 Collaboratory
• Coordinate and supervise student research assistants
• Contribute to the further development of research infrastructure and collaborative research processes within the project consortium

Your Profile

• Completed university degree and PhD in communication and media studies, Computational Social Science, political science, sociology, data science, computer science, or a related field  
• Excellent knowledge of quantitative social science methods and computational data analysis  
• Experience in the analysis of digital platform data and/or automated content analysis            
• Good programming skills in Python and R       
• Initial experience with NLP-, API-, scraping-, or LLM-based methods  
• Interest in platform regulation, platform governance, and digital publics                
• Experience with scientific publications and independent academic research
• Excellent English skills (written and spoken) and sufficient German skills for analyzing German-language discourses, or willingness to further develop existing German language skills for this purpose       
• High level of initiative, teamwork, and organizational skills   

Additionally desirable are   

• Experience with research data management and Open Science practices
• Interest in combining academic research, infrastructure development, and societal transfer

What We Offer

• Exciting tasks: Work in a committed, innovative, and academically stimulating environment
• Excellent research conditions: Work on cutting-edge questions in platform research with unique data access opportunities and close collaboration with the DSA40 Data Access Collaboratory         
• Long-term perspective: A 4.5-year postdoctoral position with room for independent research, international networking, and further academic qualification (e.g., habilitation)         
• Attractive working conditions: Salary according to EG 13 TVöD Bund, including annual bonus payment, occupational pension scheme, and subsidy for the Germany public transport ticket            
• Work-life balance: We offer remote working on selected days, flexible working hours, and 30 vacation days per year, as well as additional days off on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve          
• Central location: Work in the heart of Berlin
• Personal development: Regular professional training and development opportunities

Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications. We value diversity and welcome all applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic or social background, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation. The Weizenbaum Institute explicitly encourages women* and people with a migration background to apply.

Please submit your application, including CV, short cover letter, and copies of certificates/transcripts, by June 15, 2026, addressed to Dr. Jakob Ohme, via our application portal. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Maite Vöhl from our HR team (personal[at]weizenbaum-institut.de). We look forward to receiving your application.

Apply here