W3 Professorship in Computer Science (Social Communication)

Quick Facts

• Position: W3 University Professorship in Computer Science with focus on Social Communication

• Start date: 01.01.2028

• Research location: Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI)

Description

A W3 professorship in Computer Science focused on social communication is offered, with research performed at HBI and teaching within the Computer Science department at Universität Hamburg. The role strengthens the informatics pillar of HBI by focusing on digital communication processes, platforms, and public information infrastructures, bridging informatics with social-science communication research and legal/regulatory research. It combines research leadership with third-party funding, teaching responsibilities, and international cooperation.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in Computer Science with emphasis on social communication (at HBI)

• Deliver teaching (2 contact hours per semester) and take on examination responsibilities

• Contribute to HBI development and its positioning within the Leibniz Association

• Assume leadership responsibilities at HBI and represent the institute in committees, including within the Leibniz Association (as needed)

• Build and lead an own working group at HBI and participate in institute-wide initiatives for early-career development, internationalization, and networking

• Help communicate research results to policy, regulators, and the public

• Initiate and maintain international collaborations

Requirements

• Excellent research in one or more subfields of Computer Science with internationally visible publications in top journals or conference proceedings

• A research perspective on digital communication processes, platforms, or public information infrastructures (empirical or constructive/design-oriented) that meaningfully advances HBI’s research program

• Reflected engagement with societal and normative implications of the own research, plus methodological sensitivity for translating informatics findings into legal/regulatory or journalistic contexts

• Experience collaborating with non-informatics disciplines, ideally social sciences and law, documented through joint publications, third-party funded projects, or partnerships

• Successful acquisition and execution of competitive third-party funded projects

• Experience in knowledge transfer or co-creative research

• Experience leading scientific working groups, institutes, larger projects, or comparable scientific organizational units

• Excellent English skills (spoken and written)

• German level C1 (can be acquired within the first two years)

• Willingness to participate in joint competitive proposals of the Leibniz Association

• Willingness to consider gender equality, diversity, and work–family/study–family compatibility in teaching and personnel leadership

• Appointment requirements follow applicable legal regulations (§§ 15, 18 and 12(7) Hamburg Higher Education Act)

Benefits

• Support for dual-career partners and for children, including onboarding offerings

• Compensation according to W-salary (W-Besoldung) Hamburg

• Civil service status with strong security in working life and retirement

• Opportunities for personal and professional development

• Health benefits, including EGYM Wellpass