Professorship (W3) for Informatics with a Focus on Societal Communication
Institution: Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Leibniz Institute for Media Research │Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI)
Commencement of duties: 1 January 2028
Application deadline: 2026-12-10
Universität Hamburg—University of Excellence is one of the strongest research educational institutions in Germany. Our work in research, teaching, educational and knowledge exchange activities is fostering the next generation of responsible global citizens ready to tackle the global challenges facing us. Our guiding principle “Innovating and Cooperating for a Sustainable Future in a digital age” drives collaboration with academic and nonacademic partner institutions in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and around the world. We would like to invite you to be part of our community to work with us in creating sustainable and digital change for a dynamic and pluralist society.
University of Hamburg offers data-intensive fields of application and various research opportunities in informatics through its core research areas Climate, Earth and Environment; Infection Research; Particle, Astro- and Mathematical Physics; Manuscript Cultures; and Neurosciences and Cognitive Systems. These interdisciplinary possibilities and broad-based core informatics make Hamburg the ideal location for research in informatics, artificial intelligence, and data science methods. Whether you are a researcher at the beginning of your career or an established expert, work with us to shape the excellent strategic development of Hamburg into an international data hub for informatics.
The advertised position is a joint professorship between the University of Hamburg and the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI). The HBI conducts research on the role of communication in society and its transformation in order to provide society with insights for reflection based on this research. The institute is distinguished by a combination of social-science communication research and legal regulatory research, which is unique in Germany.
Responsibilities
The advertised professorship aims to expand research at the HBI, which currently comprises the two pillars of communication studies and law, to include the third pillar of informatics, which will focus primarily on issues of societal communication. At the HBI, the professorship is assigned to Program Area 2: Communication Structures and Their Governance. The HBI is open to various subfields of computer science—such as web science, socioinformatics, natural language processing, algorithmic fairness and accountability, sociotechnical system modeling, and network science—provided that digital communication processes and public information infrastructures are at the center of the research focus.
The professorship is based in the University’s Department of Informatics.
The successful candidate is expected to teach and conduct research in the field of informatics. The research conducted by the professorship will be carried out at the HBI.
In addition to research and teaching in the field of informatics with a focus on societal communication, the professor is also required to:
- teach 2 teaching hours per week per semester and assume examination duties
- contribute to the development of the HBI and its position in the Leibniz Association
- where necessary, assume examination duties at the HBI and represent the institute in committees and the Leibniz Association
- establish a working group at the HBI and participate in institute-wide initiatives for support for doctoral and early career researchers, internationalization, and networking
- participate in the communication of research findings to policymakers, regulatory authorities, and the public
- initiate and maintain international cooperation
Section 12 subsection 7 sentence 2 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act (Hamburgisches Hochschulgesetz, HmbHG) applies.
Your profile
We expect:
- outstanding research in one or more subfields of informatics, as evidenced by internationally recognized publications in high-impact, relevant journals or conference proceedings
- a research perspective that focuses on digital communication processes, platforms, or public information infrastructures—whether through empirical or constructive-design approaches—and that makes a significant contribution to the further development of the HBI’s research agenda (https://leibniz-hbi.de/en/)
- a thoughtful examination of the social and normative implications of one’s own research as well as methodological sensitivity to the conditions under which findings from informatics can be applied to legal, regulatory, or journalistic contexts
- experience collaborating with noninformatics disciplines (ideally both the social sciences and law), evidenced by joint publications, externally funded projects, or collaborative relationships
- success in acquiring and implementing externally funded projects
- experience in knowledge exchange and cocreative research
- experience as head of a scientific working group, institute, large research projects, or comparable research units
We also expect:
- excellent written and spoken English
- C1 level proficiency in German. Language proficiency may be obtained within the first 2 years of employment. The University of Hamburg is happy to assist you.
Ideally, you will also have:
- experience with open science practices, particularly with making code, models, and datasets available under open licenses
- experience with research data management involving sensitive or legally regulated data (DSA research data access, platform APIs, research clauses)
- experience in horizon scanning of technological developments relevant to public communication
- experience advising legislative bodies, regulatory authorities, or civil society actors in the field of digital communication
- a willingness to participate in joint competitive applications within the Leibniz Association (Leibniz Competition, Leibniz Kolleg).
University of Hamburg and the HBI
The University of Hamburg and the HBI strive to integrate gender equality, diversity, and a work/study-life balance into teaching and management. We also value diversity and encourage women, people with a disability, and those from diverse ethnic backgrounds to apply.
Severely disabled and disabled applicants with the same status will receive preference over equally qualified nondisabled applicants.
We offer our professors the opportunity to research and teach at the highest level. The University of Hamburg and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg also provide:
Application and appointment procedure
Upload all supporting documents as a single PDF:
- cover letter
- CV
- publication list
- proof of teaching experience (e.g., as a list of courses)
- proof of experience and success with acquiring and conducting externally funded projects
- certificates and supporting documents
- 3 representative publications
- description of teaching and research plans, providing a particular focus on the contribution to the HBI’s research objectives
- evaluations, where available
- further documentation such as talks, posters, and important roles in organizations, where available
If you have technical problems, contact bewerbungen@uni-hamburg.de.
Short-listed candidates will be evaluated by an assessment center. Further information on the academic search procedure is available at www.uni-hamburg.de/appointment-procedure.
The appointment requirements and professorial duties are determined by the relevant regulations (particularly Sections 15, 18 and 12 subsection 7 Hamburg Higher Education Act [Hamburgisches Hochschulgesetz]). Read more about privacy during the selection procedure.
Notice regarding the background check under Section 34a of the Hamburg Security Clearance Act (Gesetz zur Regelung der Sicherheitsüberprüfungen, HmbSÜG): On behalf of the person chosen in the selection procedure, this office submits an inquiry to the state office for the protection of the constitution (Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz) regarding any available findings/information which meet the statutory requirements (background check and data protection information).
