PhD Position in Political Behavior, Political Communication, and Computational Social Science at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich

A PhD position is available at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich) in the BIDT-funded research project DemocraGPT. The project aims to develop and rigorously evaluate an AI-based conversation training designed to reduce polarization and support constructive democratic dialogue, even under conditions of political disagreement. The PhD researcher will play a central role in the field-experimental evaluation of the intervention, including designing and analyzing a large-scale randomized panel study with approximately 800 participants, evaluating both short- and long-term effects of AI-supported political conversations, and working with repeated-measures data, causal inference, and experimental methods. The position emphasizes quantitative analysis, with proficiency in R required and Python considered a plus. The successful candidate will join a high-profile, interdisciplinary consortium with close collaboration across political science, communication research, and AI, involving both LMU and TUM. The position offers strong support for an independent dissertation project, clear prospects for international publications, and a salary according to TV-L E13 (75%) with full employee benefits. The research environment in Munich is excellent, providing a high quality of life. Applicants should have an MA or MSc in political science, communication studies, psychology, or related fields, with a strong background or interest in quantitative and experimental methods. Proficiency in both German and English is required. The project welcomes candidates interested in democracy, polarization, and political communication, and strongly encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented groups. The application deadline is January 31, 2026, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis. To apply, send your CV, a writing sample, and a brief cover letter to Professor Alexander Wuttke at [email protected]. For further information, candidates are encouraged to reach out directly.