Doctoral position

Open doctoral position within the research project “Human-Centered Agentic Science“ at the Ludwig Uhland Institute for Historical and Cultural Anthropology within the Framework of the Excellence Cluster „Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science“ at the University of Tübingen (Germany):

At the University of Tübingen (Germany), Ludwig Uhland Institute for Historical and Cultural Anthropology, there is a

doctoral position (m/f/d, E13 TV-L, 75%)

available.

The position is to be filled as of January 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter, no later than April 1, 2027. The position is limited to 36 month and can be extended for additional 12 months after positive evaluation.

Main Tasks:

• Independent research and development of a doctoral dissertation within the interdisciplinary project “Human-Centered Agentic Science,” with a focus on digital anthropology, science and technology studies (STS), and ethnographic research. The doctoral position is part of the Cluster of Excellence “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science” and involves working in an interdisciplinary team comprising researchers from digital anthropology/STS (Prof. Dr. Christoph Bareither), computer science (Prof. Dr. Carsten Eickhoff and Dr. Harrisen Scells), psychology (Prof. Dr. Sonja Utz) and Neuroscience (Prof. Dr. Kerstin Ritter), and will collaborate with several other disciplines like linguistics, economics, and physics. Using ethnographic approaches, the doctoral position will study and support the development and implementation of AI-based systems in the context of the automation of scientific workflows. In particular, it examines how ethnographic perspectives can contribute to the development of AI-based models for agentic science, to their productive implementation in scientific contexts, and, at the same time, to the necessary critique of the automation of scientific work. The goal is to demonstrate how ethnographic analysis and critical reflection on human-technology relationships can help shape the application of human-centered agentic science.
• Expansion/establishment and co-supervision of an interdisciplinary “Hub for Human-Centered Agentic Science,” in which activities in the field of agentic science within the Cluster of Excellence “ML for Science” are consolidated and networked with other institutions.
• Participation in regular events organized by the Cluster of Excellence “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science” as well as in the “Digital Anthropology Lab” at the University of Tübingen

Requirements:

• A master’s degree with a very good grade in cultural anthropology/European ethnology, or
• A master’s degree with a very good grade in related subjects and fields, such as science and technology studies (STS), sociology, ethnology, or media studies.
• Strong expertise in ethnographic and/or qualitative social science research
• very good English language skills

Advantageous are:

• Previous experience in the research field of digital anthropology and/or science and technology studies
• German language skills

The University of Tübingen is committed to the goals of equality and diversity and actively promotes equal opportunity. Equally qualified applicants with disabilities will be given preference. The university seeks to raise the number of women in research and teaching and therefore encourages qualified women to apply for these positions. Employment will be carried out by the central administration of the University Tübingen.

Application documents

• Cover letter with curriculum vitae (Tabular Format)
• Graduation certificate (high school or similar), BA certificate, MA certificate (university), transcript of records.
• MA thesis

Application

Please send your application via email in one PDF document by October 1, 2026 to:
Prof. Dr. Christoph Bareither
Institute of Historical and Cultural Anthropology
University of Tübingen
Burgsteige 11
72070 Tübingen (Germany)
07071-297-2373
christoph.bareither@uni-tuebingen.de