The Information, Communication & the Data Society (ICDS) is an interdisciplinary research initiative on the way AI and algorithms affect the role, impact and regulation of information and communication in the Data Society. ICDS is a joint research initiative between the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) and the Institute for Information Law  (IViR) that receives Priority Area Funding from the University of Amsterdam.

At ICDS we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher with a legal background for an interdisciplinary team project on political microtargeting, funded by the Dutch Science Foundation.

Political actors use online information and digital technologies to develop new ways to communicate with citizens, for example Political Microtargeting (PMT). PMT is the targeting of individuals or small groups of voters on the basis of their susceptibility to a particular (type of) message as shown by big data analysis. In the Netherlands all political parties use microtargeting techniques, and these techniques are continually improving. The effects of political microtargeting for citizens and society are still far from clear, and currently there is no comprehensive approach to regulation for online PMT in the Netherlands, a situation that motivated the State Commission on the Parliamentary System in the Netherlands to urge for (regulatory) solutions. This project aims to answer three central research questions: to what extent, and under which conditions is PMT a legitimate form of political communication. How does it impact voters and society. And: should it be regulated, and how?

What are you going to do

You will conduct research in the ICDS team. The research is group based in Amsterdam, and you will be part of a larger community of communication science and legal scholars as well as ethicists and computer scientists.

You will:

• conduct (interdisciplinary) legal research;
• develop theoretical concepts to be tested empirically;
• work in the broader ICDS team;
• complete scientific papers on this topic;
• contribute to the public debate and organize outreach activities of the project;
• contribute to fundraising activities at the ASCoR/IViR and the project.

What do we require

• A clear research interest in the topic of the project (documented by publications and grant applications);
• a relevant background in information law & policy;
• demonstrable affinity with, and basic understanding of the use of algorithms in the media domain;
• the ability, willingness, and commitment to do autonomous work in a multidisciplinary team, including communication scholars, ethici and data scientists;
• experience with writing grant applications and project proposals;
• experience with organising workshops, lecture series, and similar events;
• strong communication skills and experience with speaking to relevant national and international policy forums and media;
• an excellent written and spoken command of English, as demonstrated by publications in English-language journals (written and spoken command of other languages, including French, German and/or Dutch is a plus);
• a relevant PhD degree. Candidates who are due to submit their dissertation before 1 April 2021 are welcome to apply.

Our offer

The position concerns a temporary employment contract of 38 hours per week for a term of one year. If the candidate proves suitable, barring unforeseen organisational developments and assuming sufficient FTE availability, we intend to extend the term of employment with one year.

Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience, with a minimum salary of €3,746 and a maximum salary of €5,127 gross per month based on a full-time appointment for a 38-hour working week (in keeping with scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary employee benefits, including a 8% holiday bonus and a 8.3% end-of-year Bonus. Because we value your continued personal development and professionalisation, we also offer excellent opportunities for study and development.

What else do we offer you

We offer a challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organisation. The social and behavioural sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

To work at the University of Amsterdam is to work in a discerning, independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

Amsterdam Law School

The University of Amsterdam’s Law School prides itself on its international orientation and strong social commitment. This is reflected by both its research and educational activities. The Amsterdam Law School offers three Bachelor’s programmes, including the interdisciplinary English-language Bachelor Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) in cooperation with two other Faculties, as well as a variety of Master's programmes, several of which are taught exclusively in English (i.e. International and European Law, European Private Law, International Criminal Law, and Law & Finance). The Amsterdam Law School prepares students for a wide variety of legal careers including law firms, government, business and industry, the national and international judiciary, public service, human rights advocacy, and academia. With 5000 students and over 450 staff members, it is one of the largest law faculties in the Netherlands.

The Institute for Information Law (IViR) is one of the leading research institutes in information law worldwide, and part of the Amsterdam Law School. The Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) is the research institute for the Communication Science department at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.