The Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (SES) at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher in the research project “Click. Sleep. Repeat.: How resilient people balance their media use and sleep.” The project is funded by the Mobiliar Cluster for Resilience and co-led by Professor Dr. Andreas Fahr at the Department of Communication and Media Research (DCM) and Professor Dr. Björn Rasch at the Department of Psychology. The position is anchored in communication studies and involves close collaboration with psychology.
Profile Project The project investigates how psychologically resilient individuals develop and use adaptive media-use strategies that support well-being, recovery, and sleep quality in a digitized society. Our aim is to identify and understand constructive coping mechanisms and to provide both theoretical and practical guidance for healthier digital habits. The project unfolds across four phases: qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys, a field study combining self-reports, digital tracking, and sleep data, and a dissemination phase translating findings into public-health and educational recommendations.
Interests You are motivated and passionate about research at the intersection of communication and psychology. You work independently, while also thriving in an inter- and transdisciplinary team. You feel confident leading project components and conducting workshops and outreach activities based on the research outcomes.
Skills You are proficient in quantitative methods of data collection and analysis in the social sciences and have experience analyzing data in R or Python. Experience with qualitative methods and/or physiological data represents an additional asset.
Education You have obtained a PhD in communication science, (media) psychology, or a closely related field.
Languages You are proficient in English; good knowledge of German and/or French is considered an additional asset.
Information Start date: June 2026, or to be agreed
Contract duration: 2 ½ years
Employment rate: 80%; the salary is established according to the guidelines of the University of Fribourg.
The DCM offers a supportive research environment characterized by interdisciplinary and innovative collaborations at the interface of communication, media, business, and society. Unique in its bilingualism, located in the heart of Europe, and renowned for its rigorous training and research, the University of Fribourg provides an excellent foundation for advancing a rewarding academic career.
Application Questions Please address any questions to Björn Rasch (bjoern.rasch@unifr.ch), Andreas Fahr (andreas.fahr@unifr.ch) or Shaila Caspanello (shaila.caspanello@unifr.ch).
Documents Include the following documents in your application:
a cover letter specifying research interests, motivations and relevant qualifications
a CV containing the names of two academic references
transcripts of completed academic training
a one-page summary of the PhD thesis and the evaluation by your committee
The evaluation of the applications will focus on the applicant’s academic background, fit for the project, and potential for academic success.
Deadline: Please submit the application in a single PDF document to Andreas Fahr at andreas.fahr@unifr.ch by January 15, 2025.
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