The Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) in Hamburg invites applications for the position of
Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) Communication Science
Starting date: October 1, 2026, or later | Location: Hamburg (hybrid work possible) | Employment: full-time (100%); part-time possible (minimum 50%)
Contract: Initially fixed-term for three years; an extension for a further three years is envisaged
Salary: TV-L E13 (German public sector pay scale), with placement on the salary scale depending on relevant professional experience
About the Institute
The Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) is one of Europe’s leading research institutes in media and communication studies. In recognition of its scientific excellence, structural relevance to the research system, and national importance, the institute became a member of the prestigious Leibniz Association in 2019.
The HBI conducts internationally recognized research on media change and the structural transformation of public communication. By combining fundamental and applied research across media, disciplines, and methods, the Institute generates evidence-based knowledge for academia, policymakers, industry, and civil society. The Institute is distinguished by its close integration of social scientific communication research, legal research on media regulation, and, increasingly, computational methods.
The Research Group
The position is located within Research Program 1 in the research group Media Use and Societal Effects (MUSE). MUSE investigates how people use digital news and other information-related content; how these practices change alongside technological and societal developments; and how these changes affect individuals, the public sphere, and democracy. The group’s research focuses on digital information environments, including news media, social media, search engines, and generative AI, as well as information evaluation, trust, news avoidance, polarization, and political participation. Methodologically, the group uses a combination of surveys, digital behavioral data, content analyses, qualitative research, and computational methods.
MUSE collaborates extensively with national and international research partners and has coordinated the German contribution to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report since 2013. Current projects address topics such as information-related uses of generative AI, news consumption among young people (#UseTheNews), and the effects of digital information exposure on political polarization. The research group maintains close collaborations with media organizations, policymakers, and educational institutions, regularly engaging in collaborative projects, workshops, and advisory activities.
Your Responsibilities
- Designing and conducting independent research projects
- Contributing to collaborative grant proposals and research projects within the research group
- Preparing research findings for scientific publications and conference presentations
- Taking on coordination and, where appropriate, leadership responsibilities within the research group, including mentoring doctoral researchers, serving as a contact person for PhD candidates, coordinating the bi-weekly research group meetings, and organizing a social science PhD colloquium
- Supporting Prof. Judith Möller in university teaching and occasionally cover individual teaching sessions
- Participating in institute-wide meetings and contribute to organizational activities
Your Profile Includes
- A university degree in Communication Science, Journalism, or a related discipline
- An excellent PhD in Communication Science, Journalism, or a related field
- Demonstrated expertise and interest in media use research, particularly political communication, media effects, audience research, or digital communication
- Proven experience with empirical research methods, ideally including data-intensive approaches such as digital behavioral data or LLM-based analyses
- Excellent teamwork skills
- Excellent skills in written and spoken English
The Following Qualifications Are Desired
- Experience in research project coordination and third-party funding acquisition
- Experience with methods from Computational Social Science
What We Offer
- Considerable freedom to develop your own research agenda
- Access to extensive national and international datasets, including the Reuters Institute Digital News Report and digital tracking data on online information exposure
- Employment at a leading non-university Leibniz research institute with streamlined administration and no mandatory teaching load, while offering opportunities for external teaching
- Opportunities for networking, funding, and grant applications within the Leibniz Association
- Affiliation with the University of Hamburg, including access to university facilities such as the library, sports programs, and professional development courses
- Opportunity to pursue a habilitation
- Flexible working hours and the possibility of remote work for up to three days per week by agreement
- Employment at a family-friendly institution certified through the German audit beruf-und-familie
- Parent-child office facilities
- Secure public sector employment under the German TV-L collective agreement, including annual bonus payments
- Capital-forming benefits and supplementary occupational pension (VBLU)
- Employer subsidy for the HVV Deutschlandticket
- 30 days of annual leave plus paid leave on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve
- A modern office at our new institute building in Hamburg-Rotherbaum with excellent public transport connection
- Secure bicycle parking with charging facilities for e-bike batteries
- Car parking spaces with electric vehicle charging stations
Contact
For academic questions about the position, please contact: Prof. Judith Möller, j.moeller@leibniz-hbi.de and/or Dr. Lisa Merten, l.merten@leibniz-hbi.de
Application
If you are interested in joining our team, please submit your application in German or English, including a cover letter, your CV, and all relevant supporting documents, as separate PDF files, quoting reference number 26-14-PB1, to: bewerbung@leibniz-hbi.de
The application deadline is 30.8.2026. Interviews are expected to take place in August and/or September 2026.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Equal Opportunities
We value qualifications, experience, and potential. We therefore welcome applications from individuals regardless of cultural or social background, gender, sexual identity, nationality, age, religion, worldview, or disability. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preferential consideration in accordance with German Social Code IX (please provide appropriate documentation). We actively support the reconciliation of work and family life and are committed to equal opportunities. In accordance with the German Federal Equality Act, we seek to reduce gender underrepresentation across all areas and positions.
Data Protection
Please note that your application documents will be processed and stored for the purpose of the recruitment procedure. All personal data will be deleted after the recruitment process has been completed.