PhD position at the intersection of Science Communication and Space Research

In the Collaborative Research Center (CRC1759) "Habitability as a fundamental planetary process: Towards a paradigm shift away from our perception of the uniqueness of Earth,” the Chair of Science and Technology Communication (Prof. Engesser) is seeking to fill a 75% position as a Research Associate / PhD student (m/f/x) starting October 1, 2026.

The communication studies component of the project, led by Prof. Engesser, addresses questions such as: How do the media report on the potential colonization of Moon and Mars? How do the public and the media deal with scientific uncertainty? And what role do trust, risks, and ethical issues play in communication about the future of humanity in space?

This position offers the opportunity to develop your own doctoral project within the framework of the CRC and to collaborate in an exceptionally interdisciplinary research network with researchers from the fields of communication studies, astrobiology, space science, ethics, and many others.

Research Areas:

• Science, Uncertainty, and Risk Communication
• Trust in science
• Media coverage of lunar and martian colonization
• Content analysis & experiments
• Computational Methods & LLM-Based Research

For full details on the responsibilities and requirements, please visit: https://tu-dresden.de/stellenausschreibung/12850

We look forward to receiving your detailed application by July 15, 2026 (via email to ) and are happy to answer any questions you may have.