Postdoctoral Position in Communication Science

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
Duration: 2 years (fixed-term)
Start Date: 1 February 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter
Department: Department of Communication, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH)
Project: FINFLUENCE (funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark, Sapere Aude Research Leader program)

Position Overview

The Department of Communication at UCPH invites applications for a postdoctoral position focused on empirical studies of finance communities. The successful candidate will conduct research on how young adults navigate new actors in the financial space—including influencers, digital platforms, and online communities—and how these actors influence investment behavior.

The position is fixed-term for two years, with the research carried out individually and in collaboration with the FINFLUENCE project team.

Project Background

Trading with financial assets—such as stocks, cryptocurrencies, and derivatives—has become widely accessible through digital trading apps. Young adults increasingly invest independently, guided not only by traditional opinion leaders (family, friends, celebrities, experts) but also by online communities and influencers.

The FINFLUENCE project aims to understand how these new financial actors influence young investors and compare their impact to traditional opinion leaders.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct empirical research on communities organized around everyday finance and household economy, which can be online or hybrid (online and in-person).

• Collect and analyze empirical material in Danish, English, or other languages.

• Use methods such as fieldwork, digital ethnography, computational analyses, or mixed methods.

• Collaborate with members of the FINFLUENCE project.

• Develop a research plan outlining scope, sample, data collection methods, and analysis methods.

Qualification Requirements

• Academic qualifications at PhD level.

• Previous experience in empirical research on communities or individuals.

• Competence in mixing qualitative and quantitative methods is preferred.

• Fluent in English (academic level).

• Proficiency in Danish is an advantage, but not required.

Assessment Criteria

Applicants will be assessed based on:

• Research qualifications, publications, and ability to conduct independent research.

• Experience in research collaboration and management.

• Motivation letter, research plan, and alignment with the FINFLUENCE project.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted online in PDF or Word format and include:

1. Letter of motivation (max 3 pages)

2. Curriculum vitae (CV) (max 2 pages)

3. Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates and PhD diploma)

4. Complete publication list, structured as follows:

   • Peer-reviewed publications: monographs/anthologies, journal articles, book chapters/anthology contributions

   • Non-peer-reviewed publications: dissemination of research findings

   • Up to 3 attached publications, numbered 1-3, with publication dates clearly marked

5. Research plan (max 1 page)

6. Documentation of teaching competencies/teaching portfolio

Only documents in Danish or English will be assessed.

Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the faculty’s strategic landmarks and the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.

Salary and Terms of Employment

• Appointment and salary in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).

• Salary starts at approximately DKK 38,700 (EUR 5,190) + 18.07% pension contribution.

• Salary supplements can be negotiated annually.

Recruitment Process

• After the application deadline, the Head of Department will select applicants for assessment based on advice from the appointment committee.

• An expert assessment committee will evaluate shortlisted applicants.

• Shortlisted applicants will have the opportunity to comment on the committee’s assessment before the appointment.

• Security screening related to international research collaboration may apply.

Equal Opportunity Workplace

The University of Copenhagen is committed to equality, diversity, and an inclusive working environment, and encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or ethnicity.

International Applicants

The University offers support for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation assistance and career counselling for expat partners.

Contact Information

• Associate Professor Jacob Ørmen (Project PI) – jacob.oermen@hum.ku.dk

• HR South (recruitment process inquiries) – HR-soendre@adm.ku.dk

• Job Reference ID: 211-2309/25-2I #2

Application Deadline

19 October 2025, 23:59 (CEST)

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

The University of Copenhagen is part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) and promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard.

In your application, please refer to Professorpositions.com