Doctoral Position in Linguistics

### (part-time 65 %, E 13 TV-L)

Reference no.: 2026/013. One doctoral position is available as of April 1st, 2026. The position is available until the end of 2029.

The University of Konstanz is a dynamic and internationally successful research university with approximately 10,000 students. The campus university’s architecture promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and a sense of community among researchers, lecturers and students. The University of Konstanz has been continuously funded by the German Excellence Strategy since 2006.

The newly granted SFB 1760 investigates the role of silence and noise in our capacity for perceiving, learning and producing linguistic signals (). The first phase will run from April 2026 to December 2029 and encompasses a wide variety of theoretical, experimental, computational and empirical research within linguistics, in collaboration with projects from computer science, computational social science, media studies and sociology.

The doctoral position advertised belongs to the project A04 “Silent Moves” (), part of the SFB 1760. The project investigates silence as a conversational move in formal models of dialog, e.g. the Table Model. We aim to understand (a) when an interlocutor not saying anything counts as a compliant vs. non-compliant move; (b) if compliant, what the meaning contribution of silence is; and (c) whether such meaning contribution arises conventionally or by pragmatic enrichment. We investigate silence as reaction to (i) assertions, (ii) questions and (iii) directives.

Your Responsibilities

• Corpus work
• Carrying out experimental studies
• Theory building

Your Competencies

• MA degree in linguistics (completed or in progress)
• Background in Formal Semantics and Pragmatics
• Experience with data collection and/or experimental approaches

We Offer

• The opportunity to do a PhD within the Collaborative Research Centre ‘Silence, Noise and Signal in Language’
• An open, motivated research team and interdisciplinary research environment
• Collaborating researchers at doctoral, postdoctoral and professorial levels
• Excellent career and equal opportunity coaching

Applications should contain:
(i) a short motivation letter
(ii) an academic CV
(iii) copies of all previous degrees, including detailed transcripts of records, and
(iv) the names and email addresses of two academic referees. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The search is open until the position is filled.

Questions can be directed to Ms Prof. Regine Eckardt () and Ms Prof. Maribel Romero () via e-mail.

We look forward to receiving your application until 15.02.2026 via our .

The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity, as well as a good balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in research and teaching. We also support working couples through our . Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They will be given preference if appropriately qualified (contact , + 49 7531 88-4016).