PhD Position – Electricity supply and risk communication

The successful candidate will work at the science-society interface and will analyze and develop research-informed risk communication and public engagement strategies for deep geothermal and hydro power. These strategies will be based on the quantitative assessment of electricity supply risks, monitoring of public perception, development and testing of different communication strategies, and exploration of the role of mass media. The PhD thesis will thus include mixed methods, such as quantitative modeling, interviews, focus groups, psychological experiments and media analysis. In return, the SCCER-SoE Risk Governance team offers a stimulating multi-disciplinary, cutting-edge research environment at the university that is consistently ranked among the top universities in the world and offers a competitive salary. The city of Zurich rates as one of the most attractive cities worldwide.

In order to qualify for the position, candidates are required to have the completed Master’s degree. The candidates can come from (i) engineering, natural sciences or mathematics background with keen interest in social sciences and commitment to work at the science-society interface, or from (ii) social sciences or humanities background with proven quantitative skills (advanced statistics and/or modeling of social systems). Familiarity with the energy field and social processes of contested infrastructures is a plus. Candidates shall be interested in working in a multi-disciplinary team and interacting with stakeholders and the wider public. Excellent English skills are mandatory; German or French skills are important for empirical work.