PhD in Media Psychology (100%)

Preferred Starting Date is between July 1, 2025 and September 1, 2025

The Faculty of Psychology is one of seven faculties of the oldest university in Switzerland. With our core focus on Society & Choice and Health & Interventions, we are successful both nationally and internationally in our research and study programs.
 
The Center of Digital Lives researches the everyday digital life from a psychological perspective and investigates how digital media use in everyday life (e.g. via smartphones, social media, AI-based chatbots) changes well-being and social relationships. The center strives to map and research the complexity of everyday digital life and has an interdisciplinary focus. We research media use and its effects in the family context and digital media use for coping with stress. The specific PhD project has a focus on the dynamics of effects of digital media use on well-being over time investigating how and in what shape media effects occur in everyday life (e.g., how long do effects last). The project focuses on the application of intensive longitudinal studies including experience sampling research and digital media use tracking.

Your position

  • Coordinate and manage research projects
  • Conceptualize, design, conduct, and analyze research studies with a focus on intensive longitudinal designs including experience sampling and tracking designs
  • Document and present research findings in English in the form of publications and presentations
  • Design plan, and teach courses (seminars, tutorials, practical courses)
  • Supervise students and review their contributions (seminar, bachelor and master theses); support examinations on the BSc and MSc level
  • Contribute to organizational tasks within the Center of Digital Lives

Your profile

  • You have a very good master degree in Psychology or Communication Science or a closely-related discipline.
  • You are interested in digital media use in everyday life and are enthusiastic about investigating the complexities of digital media's deep integration into everyday life.
  • You have excellent knowledge of research methods and statistics and are interested in learning new methods and statistical approaches; experience in working with longitudinal designs and data is a plus.
  • You can analyze datasets using R or are willing to learn R quickly.
  • Your written/spoken English proficiency is very good, proficiency in German is preferred.

We offer you

  • Joining a new and dynamic team and working on highly topical issues
  • Involvement in the research group's projects as well as national and international collaboration opportunities
  • Participation in an active doctoral program in the research area Society & Choice
  • Possibility to collaborate with the Center of Statistics & Data Science (Prof. Dr. Mirka Henninger)
  • Employment conditions according to university guidelines for doctoral candidates
  • The position is initially limited to 1 year, with the option of extension for an additional 3 years.
  • Basel is situated in Switzerland, at the borders to France and Germany. It's a great and welcoming city, and an excellent place to live and work. Quality of life, health care, and public transportation meet the highest standards.

The University of Basel stands for excellence through diversity and is committed to equal opportunities and family-friendliness.

Application / Contact

Please submit your application as *one single* PDF file with the applicant's name as the file name via the online portal. This file should consist of
  • a 1-1.5-page cover letter describing your research interests and fit to the position
  • your curriculum vitae
  • relevant certificates
  • if possible, the contact details of one expert in the field that you have worked with
  • one scientific contribution you authored (e.g., extended abstract of or your entire qualification thesis; a manuscript; a journal article).

Please submit these documents via the online portal; applications through other channels will not be considered. Applications should be submitted not later than May 15, 2025. Earlier applications are encouraged. Applications will be screened on a rolling basis already before May 15.
 
Please do not hesitate to send us an email for further inquiries. For questions related to tasks and the job profile please contact Prof. Dr. Lara Wolfers at lara.wolfers@unibas.ch. For questions about the application process please contact Jana Görsdorf at hr-psychologie@unibas.ch. We are looking forward to receiving your application!
 
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