Research Assistant in Quantitative Social Science
The Public Policy Group at ETH Zurich invites applications for a research assistant in quantitative social science.
The positionis part of a larger project on online discourse. In this project, we study the dynamics of public discourse online, including, but not limited to, hate speech and its targets, deliberative discourse, opinion formation, as well as the effects of online discourse on citizens’ and elites’ attitudes and perceptions. To answer this question, we collect data from a variety of media partners, whose data we automatically process, analyze, and report.
Your task will be to support the project in a variety of ways. This includes tasks such as the cleaning and processing of incoming data, visualization and preliminary analyses, and potentially the support in the training of Large Language Models. In addition, you might support the team in smaller tasks, such as the annotation of texts, literature searches, and more.
The ideal candidate will, at the time of appointment, be enrolled in a social or economic discipline at a Swiss university / ETH Zurich. In addition, the candidate is independent and reliable and has a structured, precise working style. A strong command of English, good knowledge of R, experience with handling data, and a solid background in quantitative methods are essential requirements for this position. Knowledge of Python, familiarity with Natural Language Processing, Large Language Models, or Machine Learning, experience with version control tools such as Git, interest in social media and/or public discourse, as well as a good command of German are desirable skills for this position. Candidates should provide evidence of successful completion of courses relevant to the position or other documentation that they have the required skills.
We offer hands-on experience in a social science research project and professional supervision by experienced researchers. The position is secured for 6 months starting September 2024. You will be integrated into a dedicated research team and remunerated in accordance with ETH guidelines.
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