PhD Position at TUM Department of Science, Technology & Society (65% for 3 years) within a DFG-funded research project led by Dr. Susanne Koch and affiliated with the research group “Science & Technology Policy” of Prof. Dr. Ruth Müller
The TUM Department of Science, Technology and Society announces an open
(TVL-E 13, 65%, 3 years, start date 01 March 2022)
The Department of Science, Technology & Society at the newly founded TUM School of Social Sciences & Technology is home to about 60 researchers in Science and Technology Studies (STS) exploring the interactions between science, technology and society. As a vibrant hub for STS research in Germany, it offers a highly stimulating and internationally well-connected work environment for aspiring scholars in science studies. The doctoral position is offered within a DFG-funded research project led by Dr. Susanne Koch (see details below) and affiliated with the research group “Science & Technology Policy” of Prof. Dr. Ruth Müller.
The project “Science as a field of struggle: a multi-method empirical study of inequality and its epistemic effects in forest research” seeks to enhance the understanding of how dimensions of inequality in academia intersect and impact on knowledge production, using forest science as an empirical field of investigation. Therefore, it links hithero disparate theoretical perspectives and empirical methods, including ethnography, comparative content analysis and bibliometrics. The project is a joint collaboration with Prof. Nelius Boshoff at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST, Stellenbosch University, South Africa), and Mercator Fellows at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS, Leiden University, The Netherlands) and the Tanzania Forestry Research Institute (TAFORI). It is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
As doctoral researcher in the project your main task is to contribute to achieving its objectives. You are required to conduct qualitative social science research, including ethnography, interviews and participant observation; analyse and interpret data, and triangulate findings with the results of quantitative project components; present results at conferences and co-publish them in recognised journals; assist in the organisation of project-related meetings and events; develop your own PhD research question alongside the project work.
Candidates must hold a Master degree in STS, social sciences or sustainability sciences, presuming they can demonstrate familiarity with science and/or inequality studies, with a specific focus on gender and/or geography. Applicants should ideally be experienced with qualitative and quantitative social science research methods; interested in working in an interdisciplinary, collaborative research environment; able to carry out research independently and as part of a team; capable of both rigorous and creative academic work in collaboration with international partners; willing to travel for project meetings and field work in Europe and Africa. English language skills at a high level of quality are essential for working in the project and the academic life at the TUM STS Department in general. We are looking for inspired and inspiring new talents who want to work in and contribute to an exciting STS research environment.
a part-time position (65%) as academic staff with the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in an excellent and inspiring international research environment. The position will be limited to three years. Payment will be based on the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service of the Länder, depending on qualification up to TV-L E 13. TUM strives to raise the proportion of women in its workforce and explicitly encourages female and gendernon-binary to apply. Applicants with disabilities are treated with preference given comparable qualification.
Your complete application must include the following documents (in this order):
- CV
- Letter of motivation that describes your academic trajectory, relevant experiences and skills, and your interest in the project (max. 2 pages)
- Names and contact details of 2 references, including a brief statement explaining your relationship to each of the named references
- 1-2 writing samples (e.g., your MA thesis, term paper, manuscript for publica