Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is one of the largest universities in Germany. Thanks to its location in the Rhine-Main science region, the university can unfold to its full potential and showcase its innovative power and dynamism. Its status as a comprehensive university allows for multidisciplinary learning and teaching and has great potential for internationally renowned, interdisciplinary research. Almost all of its institutes are located on a single campus close to the Mainz city center – creating a lively academic culture for researchers, teaching staff, and students from every continent.

FB 09 Faculty of Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Geography and Geosciences | Institute of Geography of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Academic staff member
[part-time] (75%)

in the project “The relational embeddedness of lay experts: Geographies of digitally mediated expertise in times of ‘crisis’”, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). By taking the example of the current “energy crisis”, the project aims at exploring the emergence and embeddedness of “lay experts” in the digital space by applying qualitative research methods.
“Experts” are usually conceived as individuals with formal qualification in the field they fulfill an advisory role. However, due to digitisation, also “lay experts”, without such formal qualification, receive increasing relevance. The project asks of the sources of their knowledge and their relational embeddedness as well as the specifics of transferring expertise in the digital space and under the conditions of a crisis.   
The project is embedded in the research unit “Geography of social media and digital cultures”. The position serves the purpose of academic qualification (doctorate).

Your tasks:

• empirical research (identifying and interviewing lay experts, data analysis, observation of digital spaces (“netnography”), hashtag and media analysis of the energy crisis)
• Presentation of results in (international) scientific journals and at conferences
• Co-organisation of final project workshop
• Assistance in project organisation

Your profile:
In addition to the general requirements according to public services law, applicants must meet the recruitment requirements stipulated in § 57 of the Hochschulgesetz of Rhineland-Palatinate.

• A successfully completed university degree in Human Geography (or a comparable social science study programme) (Master level)
• Knowledge on/ experiences with qualitative research methods (ideally also qualitative online methods)
•  Interest in theories on crisis, consultancy and expertise as well as digitisation and space (with conceptual references to, inter alia, Science and Technology Studies, relational geographies)
• Very good language skills (written and spoken) in German and English (data collection will be mainly in German language and in Germany)

What we have to offer:

• Participation in a novel and dynamic research field of Human Geography
• Cooperative atmosphere in a small and motivated work group
• Excellent conditions and infrastructure for realising a doctoral thesis
• Jobticket, optional for the entire Rhine-Main area
• Extensive human resources development offer
• Flexible working time arrangements

The position is paid according to EG 13 TV-L. The position is temporarily limited to a period of 3 years, starting October 1st, 2023 (or earlier).

JGU is diverse and welcomes qualified applications from people with varied backgrounds.

We aim to increase the number of women in the field of research and teaching and therefore encourage female researchers to apply.

Candidates with severe disabilities and appropriate qualifications will be given priority.
Please send your complete application as one pdf file (stating the 01823-09-wiss-nk) by June 4th, 2023, at the latest to:

verena.brinks@uni-mainz.de

For questions and further information please contact Jun.-Prof. Dr. Verena Brinks by phone +49 6131/39-26454 or e-mail.

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