UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.
The Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC Lausanne) at the University of Lausanne invites applications for a fully funded Graduate Assistant position in the area of Digital Democracy, Civic Technology, and Public Discourse.
The successful candidate will join the Persuasive Technology Lab, an interdisciplinary research group studying how digital technologies influence human behavior, decision-making, and society. The lab combines methods from Information Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Computational Social Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Behavioral Science to address pressing societal challenges.
The PhD project will investigate how digital platforms, AI systems, online communities, and civic technologies shape democratic participation, public deliberation, political engagement, and collective decision-making.
The position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the most important challenges facing contemporary democracies: how societies can sustain informed, constructive, and inclusive public discourse in increasingly digital environments.
Expected start date in position : October 2026
Contract length : 1 year, renewable 2 x 2 years, maximum 5 years
Activity rate : 100%
Workplace : Unil, Campus of Dorigny
50% of your time will consist of teaching assistant responsibilities for courses taught by Prof. Cherubini, namely Interaction Design (IxD) and Digital Transformation of Democratic Discourse.
50% of your time will be devoted to conducting research and completing your PhD thesis.
Potential research directions include, but are not limited to:
AI and large language models in political communication
Online deliberation and democratic participation
Civic technology and digital participation platforms
Misinformation, disinformation, and trust in institutions
Algorithmic influence on political attitudes and behavior
Social media and the quality of public discourse
Human-AI collaboration in democratic decision-making
Computational approaches to studying political conversations
Design and evaluation of technologies that foster constructive dialogue
Ethical and governance challenges of digital democracy
The exact focus of the PhD project will be developed jointly with the successful candidate based on their interests and expertise.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a strong interest in doing research in the societal impact of digital technologies.
Applicants should hold (or be close to completing) a Master's degree in one of the following fields:
Computer Science
Information Systems
Data Science
Computational Linguistics
Human-Computer Interaction
Computational Social Science
Communication Science
Political Science (with strong computational skills)
Or a closely related discipline
Particularly strong candidates will combine technical expertise with a genuine interest in democratic processes, political communication, or public policy.
The ideal candidate has:
Strong analytical and research skills
Programming experience (e.g., Python, R, JavaScript, or similar)
Interest in empirical research involving digital platforms, online behavior, or AI systems
Excellent written and spoken English
Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team
Experience in one or more of the following areas is considered an asset:
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Machine Learning and Generative AI
Computational Linguistics
Social Network Analysis
Experimental Research Methods
Human-Computer Interaction
Political Communication
Digital Governance and Public Policy
The graduate assistant will be co-supervised by Prof. Mauro Cherubini and Prof. Mathias Humbert.
Mauro Cherubini is Full Professor of Information Systems at HEC Lausanne and Director of the Persuasive Technology Lab. His research focuses on human-computer interaction, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and their impact on human behavior and society. Before joining the University of Lausanne, he worked in industry research positions at Google and Telefónica Research.
Mathias Humbert is Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne. His research lies at the intersection of privacy, cybersecurity, machine learning, and social media analysis, with a particular interest in the societal implications of digital technologies, online platforms, and emerging AI systems.
The successful candidate will benefit from a highly interdisciplinary supervisory team combining expertise in Information Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Computational Social Science.
A fully funded PhD position at one of Switzerland's leading research universities
Membership in a vibrant and international research environment
Close collaboration with researchers across Information Systems, Computer Science, Political Science, and Communication Studies
Access to state-of-the-art computational and AI research tools
Opportunities to publish in leading international conferences and journals
Funding for conference participation and international research collaborations
A stimulating workplace located on the shores of Lake Geneva
Deadline : Open until the position is filled
Applications should include:
Curriculum Vitae
Motivation letter describing research interests and fit with the position
Copies of academic transcripts and diplomas
Master's thesis (or a representative research paper)
Contact details of two academic references
Please, send your full application in Word or PDF.
Only applications through this website will be taken into account.
We thank you for your understanding.
Seeking to promote an equitable representation for men and women among its staff, the University encourages applications from women.
We thank you for your understanding.
UNIL is committed to:
• equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
• ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
• offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance;
• supporting early career researchers.
unil.ch/equality
unil.ch/families
unil.ch/graduatecampus
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