About us:

The Geschwister Scholl Institute for Political Science (GSI) is one of the leading political science institutes in Europe.

Our Project:

Are you keen to understand why democracy faces growing challenges and eager to develop meaningful countermeasures? Do you thrive on combining rigorous academic research with tangible societal impact? If so, we warmly invite you to join our team at the Unit Digitalization and Political Behavior (Prof. Dr. Alexander Wuttke).

Contributing to the DFG-funded research project "Democratic Persuasion: How to Make the Case for Democracy" (Project Proposal), you will be part of a collaborative effort between academia and civil society aimed at strengthening democratic resilience in established democracies. Our innovative approach involves identifying the motivation behind democratic skepticism and rigorously testing communicative strategies to reinforce democratic values. We employ diverse experimental methodologies including survey experiments, AI-assisted conversational interventions, and field-experiments involving group discussions and one-on-one dialogues using street epistemology.

We are looking for you:

PhD Student (m/f/x)

in Munich

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Contribute to high-quality research publishing in leading venues 
• Help design, conduct, and analyze data collection from experiments in various modes 
• Contribute innovative ideas for research hypotheses and designs 
• Assist with project management and administrative tasks 
• Develop and carry out a PhD aligned with the project’s focus on democratic persuasion 

Your qualifications:

Importantly, no candidate is expected to meet all the criteria listed below. The tasks will be distributed among its three project members with a diverse skill set. Please explain in your cover letter how your profile relates to the following qualifications.

• Completed (or near completion of) M.A./M.Sc. in the Social Sciences, Psychology, Computer Science or a related field 
• Education in quantitative methodology 
• Proficiency of Statistical Languages: 
  • R for data wrangling and analysis and/or 
  • Python for implementing LLM-based dialogue systems and text-as-data analysis 
• Interest in or experience with the project’ substantive area of research 
• Strong organizational skills 
• Good written and oral English communication skills 
• Willingness to work with the team on-site with flexible working hours and home office options

Benefits:

• Meaningful opportunities to foster democratic resilience through impactful research 
• Involvement in cutting-edge, innovative social science research with strong academic visibility 
• A welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that highly values collaboration and individual contribution 
• Supportive professional environment committed to your career growth 
• Employment at one of Europe's premier research universities located in Munich, a city consistently ranked for outstanding quality of life 
• Salary according to TVL E-13 (approx. €40,000 per year, non-binding, 1, 2) 
• Various services and benefits provided by LMU, including family support (1, 2)

We welcome applications from women and other groups that are currently underrepresented in the academic system.

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

Contact:

Please send complete application documents, a writing sample (e.g., term paper, MA thesis) and a cover letter to ++A.Wuttke@lmu.de++ until June 8th, 2025. Your cover letter should explain how your profile relates to the ideal profile outlined above and explain to which of the of project proposal’s work packages you would be interested in contributing to.

Zoom interviews are expected to take place in June 2025. Depending on the number of applications, a second stage with a work sample and in-person interview at LMU Munich may follow (travel costs covered).

Join us in shaping democratic futures—apply today!

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