Doctoral Position in Media Studies

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

Reference No.: 2026/016. 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 D02 “Ambiguous Signals” (). The project investigates the functions of silence and noise as fundamental dimensions of mediated communication. We examine communication in gaming situations within our GameLab (). Using synchronized video recordings and observation, we study how silence and noise emerge, are interpreted, and shape the dynamics of communication and play.

Your Responsibilities

• Designing and conducting an experimental case study on WEREWOLVES
• Analysing the collected data
• Writing a PhD monograph based on this case study
• Active participation in events and publication projects

Your Competencies

• Excellent MA degree with solid background in media studies, preferably with a focus on (board) game studies
• Ability to work independently in research, strong teamwork skills, enthusiasm for interdisciplinary collaboration
• Very good proficiency in English, and ideally also German
• Experience with data collection and/or experimental approaches is desirable

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

Questions can be directed to Prof. Dr. Isabell Otto, via e-mail.

We look forward to receiving your application until 10.02.2026 via our .

Applications should contain: (i) a short motivation letter, (ii) an academic CV, (iii) copies of all previous degrees, including detailed transcripts of records, (iv) the names and email addresses of two academic referees. In addition, please submit a project outline for your planned dissertation (maximum two pages) that explains how your project ties in with subproject D02 and thus with the overall context of SFB 1760.

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).