The University of Vienna is a community of over 10,000 individuals, including approximately 7,500 academic staff members, who passionately pursue answers to the profound questions that shape our future. They represent individuals driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. With us, they find the space to try things out and unfold their potential. Are you inspired by their passion and determination? We are currently seeking a/an

University Assistant Prae-Doc: Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism 

49 Faculty of Social Sciences  

Job vacancy starting: 11/01/2025 (MM-DD-YYYY) | Working hours:  30,00  | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) 

Limited contract until: 10/31/2029

Job ID: 4264

Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where more than 7,500 academics thrive on curiosity in continuous exploration and help us better understand our world. Does this sound like you? Then join our accomplished team!

Your personal sphere of influence:

The newly established Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism invites applications from outstanding candidates eager to shape the future of this emerging interdisciplinary field. The Doctoral College is located across the TU Wien, University of Vienna, and WU Wien and its doctoral candidates tackle critical societal challenges arising from digital transformation.

We are currently looking for PhD candidates for 5 different research topics. The position advertised here focuses on affordances of open science infrastructures. Data sharing is central to contemporary science. As support for data sharing, visiting, and re-use has grown, a range of new forms of research infrastructure has emerged, from university depositories to public and private data- and knowledge bases. This project will critically examine this landscape, exploring what kinds of data sharing and re-use practices are afforded by different models for open science. It will lay the groundwork for novel approaches to documenting data as a process to cater to the diversity of inter- and cross-disciplinary data needs.

The successful candidate for this position will be employed by the University of Vienna and their research project will be supervised by an interdisciplinary supervisory team from the University of Vienna and TU Wien.

Your future tasks:

You actively participate in research, teaching & administration, which means:

•    Merging computer science and qualitative and quantitative social science methods, you explore the conceptual data models that underpin different infrastructures and how this affects data discovery, use and interpretation; examine the logics and practices of different infrastructures and how these relate to imaginations of data sharing; work to make recommendations regarding best practice in developing research infrastructures that aid open science.
•    We expect you to conclude a doctoral thesis agreement within 12 months.
•    You work on your dissertation and its completion.
•    You hold courses and examinations independently and (co-)supervise students within the scope of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
•    You take on administrative tasks in research and teaching. 
•    You become an active team member of the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism and the Department of Science and Technology Studies, a subunit of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

This is part of your personality:

All candidates in the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism are expected to have the following qualifications as part of their profile:

•    Strong interest in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of technology and society.
•    Ability to work independently and as part of a research team in a collaborative environment.
•    Proven ability to manage complex projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
•    Excellent verbal communication skills for interdisciplinary collaboration and presenting research findings.
•    Excellent English skills, both written and spoken.

In addition, the following specific requirements apply to the position advertised here:

•    Relevant Master’s degree (e.g. Science and Technology Studies, Computer Science/Informatics, HCI, Data Science, Information Science, or related disciplines) with evidence or experience of interdisciplinary work. 
•    Desired: Ideally, candidates will have a background that combines computer science and social science training, with experience of the key methods of these fields (e.g. programming, statistical analysis, interviewing, ethnography).
•    Knowledge of OR interest in these areas:
o    Critical data studies
o    Interdisciplinary and mixed-methods research
o    Data and research infrastructures
o    Open science
o    Human-Centred Design

What we offer:

The Doctoral College serves as a hub for Digital Humanism research, promoting a strong scholarly community in Vienna. Collaboration is supported by innovative strategies, including interdisciplinary supervision, shared working spaces, and regular seminars featuring international experts.

•    Truly interdisciplinary work environment: Defined by an interdisciplinary faculty across three top universities, as well as doctoral projects that are supervised and conducted across disciplines and institutions. 
•    Further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. The Doctoral College will offer all candidates a bespoke doctoral training plan. 
•    Fair salary: The monthly gross salary is EUR 2,786.10 14 times/year for 30 hours/week (corresponding to 75% of a full position).
•    Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an interdisciplinary and international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment. 
•    Work-life balance: You have flexible working hours and the option to partly work from home (from an Austrian domicile) upon agreement. 
•    Good public transport connections: Your workplace is easily accessible by public transport.
•    Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every new personality to the team!

The intended start date is November 2025. The employment duration is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration.

It is that easy to apply:

•    With a letter of motivation, detailing previous research achievements, research goals, career plans, motivation for applying, and to what extent your profile covers the expectations of the research topic of the position. Important: If you are applying for more than one topic, please clearly specify all topics you apply for and include a preference ranking in your letter of motivation;
•    With a complete CV, including a list of previous scientific expertise, awards, grants, stays abroad, attended lectures, attended summer schools, attended workshops, skills, and publications (if applicable);
•    With an abstract in English of your MA/MSc thesis, BA/BSc thesis, or of a research project you were involved in;
•    With a complete list of finalised studies and transcripts of all grades;
•    With 1-2 names of academic references and their contact addresses (e.g., your Master’s thesis supervisor);
•    With any other material you think is relevant
•    Via our job portal / Apply now -  button.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Sarah Davies  

sarah.davies@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We lay special emphasis on increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions among the academic and general university staff and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

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​Application deadline: 08/31/2025