Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München is a leading research university in Europe. Since its founding in 1472 it has been committed to the highest international standards of excellence in research and teaching.

Institution Faculty of Social Sciences - Department of Media and Communication Remuneration group TV-L E13 Full-time / Part-time Full-time (100%) Start date 2027-04-01 (limited to 4 years)

About us:

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) is one of the most renowned and largest universities in Germany. It has been awarded the title of University of Excellence as part of the Excellence Initiative.

At the Department of Media and Communication (Faculty of Social Sciences) we are looking for a Postdoc starting April 1, 2027, in the research project DIGIREL „Adolescents’ Social Relationships and Well-Being in the Digital Age: Interstitial Communication Patterns and their Outcomes“ (ERC-project in der funding scheme Horizon Europe). This is a project-based position with a fixed term of 4 years.

The Project

Research Objective: DIGIREL focuses on the fundamentals of interpersonal communication and investigates whether and how today’s interstitial communication patterns — consisting of a staccato-like interplay between digital and non-digital communication episodes — influence the social relationships and well-being of adolescents — a group that, on the one hand, makes intensive use of digital media in everyday life and, on the other hand, faces developmental tasks related to the formation and reshaping of its social relationships. The focus is on various relationships within one's immediate social circle, particularly mothers, fathers, siblings, close friends, and romantic partners.

Method: The project employs a comprehensive mixed-methods approach to obtain as complete a picture as possible of today’s communication patterns among adolescents, considering not only standardized aspects such as the frequency of communication forms but also their content, contexts, and emotional characteristics. In doing so, the project not only consistently integrates and links qualitative and quantitative approaches but also draws on the latest trends from both research traditions: In addition to qualitative and quantitative social network analyses, an ethnographic study, and a standardized experience-sampling study (including data donations), a three-wave online survey conducted in schools forms the core of the project. To provide reliable information and data, DIGIREL will also develop validated and broadly applicable scales for digital communication quality and skills —constructs that have been neglected in previous research.

We are looking for you:

Postdoc (m/f/x)

in Munich

Your tasks and responsibilities:

The Postdoc will work under the scientific supervision of Prof. Dr. Ruth Wendt at LMU Munich.

The Postdoc will be involved in all phases of the project, especially in data management (including data collection and analysis). Another responsibility is collaborating with and co-supervising the two doctoral students on the project.

The Postdoc is also expected to present the research output at national and international scientific conferences and produce publications for national and international scientific journals.

Finally, it is possible to teach classes in the Department’s degree programs.

Your qualifications:

• Have an excellent doctoral degree in Communication Science, Psychology, Education Science, or related disciplines
• Very strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods (including data analysis with R)
• Relevant experiences in research with adolescents
• Topical experiences in research on digital communication
• Excellent German language skills (as data collection will take place in German)
• Very good skills in oral and written English
• Be curious, creative, and interested in learning from different disciplines
• Be able to work independently, to proactively plan and direct own work, and to manage one’s time and resources efficiently
• Be motivated to work in an interdisciplinary team

Benefits:

• Start date: April 1st, 2027
• Employment status: 100%
• Payment according to TV-L, pay group 13
• Project-based fixed-term contract for 4 years

We offer an interesting and responsible position with good opportunities for further training and development and a very cooperative and constructive working atmosphere. Your workplace is centrally located in Munich, directly at the English Garden and is easy to reach by public transport.

LMU explicitly promotes the compatibility of family and career, for example through opportunities for part-time work (in various models), mobile working, flexible working hours, and childcare support. You can find more information here:

We welcome applications from women.

Also possible in a part-time capacity.

People with disabilities who are equally as qualified as other applicants will receive preferential treatment.

Contact:

We look forward to your application:

• For questions regarding the job description, please contact Prof. Dr. Ruth Wendt ()
• Applications received before 30 November 2026 will be given priority
• Applications should be sent per mail in the form of one single PDF document (max. 10 MB), including standard documentation to Isabell Srba ()

Where knowledge is everything.

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Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
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