Full-time post-doctoral researcher in media and communication sciences
Mid-level Communications role at Université Catholique de Louvain. BE.
Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Design research strategies with the CLAIM team on communication and discourse in climate litigation
- Collect media, digital, and other communication materials for a research corpus
- Apply quantitative or qualitative methods to discursive and multimodal material
- Help build a database of international climate cases involving marginalised actors
- Co-author research outputs and help coordinate the project team
What you bring
- A PhD in media and communication sciences, language sciences, or an equivalent field
- Experience managing large data collections and extracting online, especially social media, data
- Interest in ecology, climate litigation, and decolonial issues, with sensitivity to marginalised people
- Strong writing, interdisciplinary collaboration, software learning, and independent working skills
- Fluency in English and French; Spanish is an advantage
Who this fits
This role suits a postdoctoral researcher who can work independently while contributing to a multidisciplinary team across law, political science, and communication studies. You must relocate to Belgium and meet the international-mobility condition, including not having lived or mainly worked or studied there for more than twenty-four months during the previous three years. It is a full-time, fixed-term position based at Louvain-la-Neuve, starting in January 2027.
From the employer
Offer
UCLouvain is hiring a Full-time post-doctoral researcher in media and communication sciences
Job Id : SF 38745
Internal and external job posting until...
For institute Institute for Language and Communication of Social sciences and humanities sector
Main campus : Louvain-la-Neuve
Fixed-term, full-time (100%) contract, until 31 December 2027
Starting date : 1st January, 2027
Description
The CLAIM project – Climate Litigation Actions by the Internationally Marginalised – is an ARC project (Concerted Research Action, UCLouvain) situated at the intersection of law, political science, and communication studies. CLAIM aims to analyse the role and practices of marginalised actors in international climate-change-related litigation. It draws on three disciplines – law, political science, and communication studies – to go beyond a purely technical legal analysis and to consider power dynamics and the way discourses and practices are constructed before, during, and after cases. Climate change particularly affects marginalised stakeholders, and climate-related litigation has been widely used by these actors. Beyond the litigation itself, these actions trigger a range of related strategies in the fields of law, politics, and communication.https://sites.uclouvain.be/CLAIM/
For more information: https://sites.uclouvain.be/CLAIM/
Recruitment
Continuing this research requires recruiting, from 1 January 2027 (the exact start date of the contract will be fixed with the selected candidate), a postdoctoral researcher holding a PhD in media and communication sciences (or language sciences, or an equivalent field). The postdoctoral fellowship is awarded for one year, in accordance with UCLouvain's pay scales.
This call is aimed in at researchers in a situation of international mobility, who have not resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 24 months during the three years preceding the start date of the contract.
Main tasks
- Within the CLAIM project, develop research activities to analyse the communicational and discursive dimensions of international climate litigation. This will involve defining specific research strategies in collaboration with the CLAIM team; collecting a corpus of publications and communication materials, particularly media and digital content; applying appropriate analytical methods, including quantitative and/or qualitative analysis of discursive and multimodal materials; and, where relevant, conducting interviews and observation.
- Collaborate in producing a database listing international climate litigation cases, particularly those initiated by marginalised actors.
- Produce scientific publications and presentations in collaboration with the other CLAIM project researchers.
- Participate in coordinating the research team.
Application requirements
- A PhD in media and communication sciences or language sciences, or an equivalent degree;
- Experience handling large data corpora;
- Experience in online data extraction (particularly digital social media);
- Interest in issues related to ecology, the environment, and climate litigation;
- Interest in decolonial issues and sensitivity to marginalised actors;
- Strong writing skills, openness to interdisciplinary work, availability and interest in learning to use software tools useful for research;
- Ability to work both independently and within a multidisciplinary team;
- Fluency in English and French; knowledge of Spanish is an asset;
- In addition, the candidate must meet the conditions set by UCLouvain for the award of postdoctoral fellowships;
- Willingness to relocate to Belgium for the duration of the fellowship.
How to apply?
The application file, comprising a cover letter and a CV (including the list of publications and a summary of the doctoral thesis), must be sent by email before 31 October 2026:
- to Professor Sophie Del Fa (sophie.delfa@uclouvain.be) and
- Professor Andrea Catellani (andrea.catellani@uclouvain.be).
Please apply online only, until ...
Contact: Sophie Del Fa - sophie.delfa@uclouvain.be
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