5 doctoral posts University of Passau

The interdisciplinary and inter-faculty DFG Research Training Group 1681: Privacy and Digitalisation, embedded at the Faculties of Arts and Humanities and Law of the University of Passau, invites applications for 5 doctoral posts to start 1 October 2016. These are part-time posts, each amounting to 0.75 full-time equivalents (FTE). The initial funding period is two years, although funding may be extended to three years following a positive evaluation. These posts are remunerated within salary band E13 of the German public-sector collective agreement (TV-L).

About the Research Training Group (RTG).
The doctoral programme focuses on the privacy-related aspects of digitalisation and thus engages in a highly topical and politically relevant theme of outstanding social and academic importance. The aim of the doctoral programme is to assess the value of privacy under the terms of digitalisation and increasing informational heteronomy and to question the existing privacy concepts in this context. This takes place in the three fields of enquiry ‘digitality’, ‘surveillance and control’ and ‘self-determination and responsibility’.

Doctoral candidates enrolled at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities may conduct their research in the following research areas: Literature and Media Studies; Linguistics; English and American Studies; Slavic Studies; General and Applied Ethics; Political Philosophy; and Pedagogy. Alternatively, doctoral candidates may enrol at the Faculty of Law, where they will gain access to the fields of Media and Information Law; Security Law and Internet Law; Data Protection Law; and Legal Theory. Applicants whose background is in another research discipline are welcome to apply; however, their application will only be successful if a suitable doctoral supervisor can be found within the RTG – please visit www.privatheit.uni-passau.de/en/ for a list of participating chairs and professors. As part of its structured doctoral programme, the RTG provides training in the core competences of research methods, content-related expertise and interdisciplinary research skills; furthermore, it places the emphasis on competences which give its doctoral candidates a competitive edge across research areas and occupational fields as well as those that enhance their ability to assume executive functions.

Eligibility criteria: 
 The RTG is designed as a structured academic programme for German and international graduates whose academic profile and outstanding interdisciplinary research proposal sets them apart from the rest; the proposal must be feasible within the funding period and promise excellent research results. The successful candidates will have a good degree of a level that formally qualifies them for doctoral study (for more details, read the doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and The Faculty of Law available from
www.uni-passau.de/561.html; please note that the regulations are only available in German). In their previous studies, candidates will have acquired relevant discipline-specific and methodological knowledge in their field of expertise that enables them to successfully complete their research project.

Beyond the formal qualifications, seeing a research project through from beginning to end requires a great deal of dedication, the ability to deal with conflicts, self-management skills, the ability to think and act strategically, self-motivation, well-developed communication skills and the ability to work together with others.

Your application. To apply, send us the following documents:

• the completed application form (in German on the RTG’s website)
• a copy of your university degree certificate and transcript (and a certified translation if necessary)
• a curriculum vitae with specific information about your academic career to date
• a letter of motivation that explains what you believe makes you eligible for both the RTG’s research interests and its training programme and how you intend to contribute to the RTG
• one sealed letter of reference written by a university teacher (may be sent directly): this must provide information about your academic potential
• a research proposal (5-10 pages) which contextualises the project within the RTG and provides details on who should be your supervisor (see our website for the respective disciplines and scholars)
• candidates from foreign universities must hold an equivalent of the corresponding German university degree and give proof of advanced language skills in German (e.g. language certificate at level DSH-1, TestDaF 3 or equivalent)

The University of Passau wishes to increase the proportion of its female staff and, by maintaining a family-friendly working environment with flexible working hours, improve the family life and career balance. The University expressly encourages women as well as candidates with children to apply. Moreover, these posts are suitable for candidates with disabilities, who will be given preference if the personal aptitudes and qualifications are equal.

Please send your application by 30 June 2016 (postmark) to: DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 1681 ‘Privatheit’ Professor Dirk Heckmann. University of Passau.  Innstr. 25 - 94032 Passau (Germany)

We also accept applications by e-mail (Privatheit@uni-passau.de). Your online application (only send one document inPDF-format) must be just as convincing and professional as an application on paper. The selection interviews are planned to take place in July 2016 (expected date: 25 July). We regret that we cannot reimburse you for any costs you incur in connection with the application or the interviews. Please see our website for further details on the vacancy: www.privatheit.uni-passau.de/en/scholarships-vacancies/doctoral-scholarships/.

For general questions and enquiries concerning the programme, please contact:
Martin Scheurer. University of Passau.  Gottfried-Schaeffer-Str. 20 - 94032 Passau (Germany)
Phone: +49 851 509 2372.  E-mail: martin.scheurer@uni-passau.de