Postdoctoral Researcher (80 %)
IKMZ - Department of Communication and Media Research, University of Zurich
Start of employment: 1 September 2025 or 1 January 2026 at the latest (temporary)
Application deadline: May 11, 2025
The Political Communication Division, led by Prof. Dr. Anne Schulz, at the Department of Communication and Media Research (IKMZ), University of Zurich is seeking to fill the position of a postdoctoral researcher within the SNSF-funded research project “Amidst Abundant Negativity. Studying Negative News, its Social and Political Effects, and Solutions for Sustainable Consumption Across Time and Across Countries”.
The project investigates negativity in the news and how negative news impacts mental well-being and political learning while exploring innovative solutions to keep audiences informed without compromising their mental health. Through a comprehensive approach, our team examines i) historical trends in news negativity across multiple countries (using novel approaches to computational text analysis), studies ii) the trade-offs between emotional well-being and political engagement (via web tracking and longitudinal surveys), and iii) delves into newsroom practices (qualitative interviews). Ultimately, our research iv) examines possible solutions to the discussed problems (using experimental designs).
Your responsibilities
Join our team as a postdoctoral researcher to co-lead key components of the project. Your role will involve:
- Developing the conceptual framework and designing data collection instruments, along with conducting data analysis, specifically:
i. Developing a computational text analysis tool to gauge negativity in the news
ii. Conducting a longitudinal survey study combined with web tracking to understand the effects of exposure to negative news on political knowledge, well-being and future news use/avoidance.
- Coordinating and collaborating closely with team members and project partners
- Leading efforts in producing publications and representing the project at conferences
- Facilitating research transfer
- Providing support for project-related management and administrative tasks