Current
Job openings
Apart from joining us as a thesis student or partner (see here) we also have paid positions available with our partners. Please check below for current openings.
SOKENDAI PhD Program in Collaboration with MBG (NII, Tokyo)
MBG supports and coordinates applications to the SOKENDAI PhD program in Informatics, hosted at the National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Tokyo, for candidates working on topics related to media bias, content veracity, computational social science, and NLP. This unique program allows you to focus fully on research (with no teaching or other tasks) in an international and well-connected environment, located in the heart of Tokyo.
Applicants apply formally to SOKENDAI, while MBG provides scientific supervision, topic development, and network access, and acts as a central coordination point throughout the application and PhD process.
Location: National Institutes of Informatics (NII) in Tokyo
Type: Full-time work (40h/week)
Duration: 3- or 5-year program (program choice depends on academic background and prior degrees)
About the PhD Program:
SOKENDAI offers structured doctoral programs in Informatics in close collaboration with NII, with
full integration into NII research labs,
weekly research meetings and seminars,
close collaboration with international researchers,
long-term stay in Japan.
MBG collaborates with Prof. Dr. Isao Echizen for the program and supports PhD projects that align with MBG’s core research agenda.
Available Programs (for more information see here)
Your Profile:
A grade of "very good" (or equivalent) in Master’s graduates or PhD-level candidates in computer science, NLP, data science, statistics, or related fields
Clear interest in media bias, veracity, or computational social science
Strong academic performance (good publications and/or notable achievements)
High level of independence, research motivation, and communication skills
Willingness to engage in an international research environment in Japan
Topic Finding: Research Focus Areas (MBG)
Typical PhD topics include (but are not limited to):
Computational analysis of media bias
Content veracity, misinformation, and disinformation
NLP and large-scale text analysis
Human-centric provenance and explainability
Media ecosystems and platform dynamics
Statistical and data-driven social science
Applicants may propose their own research idea or develop a topic jointly with MBG and the host lab at NII.
Time Schedule (Indicative):
SOKENDAI typically offers two application rounds per year (dates vary by program and admission route).
Recommended MBG timeline:
Initial contact: At least 3 months before the intended SOKENDAI application date (see the latest dates on the website linked above)
- Start in Japan: Latest at the deadline given, also on the SOKENDAI website we linked. An earlier start is possible; talk to us.
Topic definition & supervision matching (with MBG)
Research proposal preparation (aligned with SOKENDAI requirements)
Formal submission to SOKENDAI via the appropriate admission scheme
Enrollment & relocation support: upon acceptance
Outcomes & Benefits:
Fully recognized SOKENDAI PhD degree
International-level research environment
Strong publication record (top-tier venues expected)
Access to MBG’s global academic network
Long-term academic and industry career opportunities
Living and researching in Tokyo 🇯🇵
How to Apply via MBG?
MBG acts as a central contact point and provides support and supervision throughout all steps of the entire application and PhD Process. This particularly includes:
Coordination with SOKENDAI and NII (Applicants communicate via MBG. You will not interact directly with NII faculty during the initial phase of the program.)
Support with application materials and timelines
Ongoing scientific mentoring during the PhD
Integration into MBG’s international research network with hundreds of partners worldwide
If you are interested in pursuing a SOKENDAI PhD in collaboration with MBG, please contact us over Dr. Timo Spinde at t.spinde@media-bias-research.org, including:
CV
Academic transcripts
Short statement of research interests (1–2 pages)
MBG will then guide you through the next steps and advise on program fit and timelines. Submissions containing obviously AI-generated content will be rejected without notice.
Internship in Tokyo (for Master's Students and PhDs)
Location: National Institutes of Informatics (NII) in Tokyo
Type: Full-time work (40h/week)
Duration: 3-12 months
Start: Typically, either October or March (see the Time Schedule and Funding section).
About the Internship:
During the internship, you will be based at the NII in Tokyo. You will be assigned to a lab (Prof. Echizen or Prof. Aizawa) that aligns with your topic (see below) and will participate in weekly research meetings. Additionally, our MBG team will provide supervision and support as you work on your topic.
Your Profile:
- Master's or PhD Student with a clear research interest in Media Bias
For Master's Students: Enrollment at one of the partner universities is mandatory. You can find the partner universities: here.
For PhDs: The doctorate must be obtained at a German university - Background in computer science, NLP, data science, statistics, or mathematics is preferred
- Strong academic performance (good grades and/or notable achievements)
- Ability to work independently and reliably
- Strong communication skills
Topic finding:
The research topic will focus on media bias. You are welcome to propose your own idea, or we can collaborate to define an exciting and relevant project. In either case, the project requires independent work and effective communication with our team. The goal is to publish an academic paper upon completion, which may also lead to a master's thesis, if desired.
Time Schedule and Funding:
Option 1 (for Master's students and PhDs from partner universities): NII Internship Program
Duration: 3-6 months (6 months is typical)
Compensation: ¥171,000 per month (Please note the current exchange rate.) If you have a PhD income from another university or program, this income goes on top of your income.
Planning: The NII offers two application periods each year (usually April and October). Check the exact deadlines on the NII website: here
Step 1: Contact MBG at least 3 months before the NII deadline. We will then decide on a suitable topic.
Step 2: You will write a research proposal (4-6 pages) for your project at least 1 month before the NII deadline. You will only receive the following needed confirmations based on your proposal:
- Confirmation from MBG
- Confirmation of contact with the NII professor (via MBG, not directly)
- Confirmation from your university’s professor, who will submit your proposal and the completed NII application form to the internship program.
Step 3: Upon NII acceptance, MBG will assist you with all further organizational steps, which will take approximately 3 months.
Option 2 (for PhD only): DAAD IFI Scholarship
Duration: 3-12 months
Compensation: ~2.300€ per month (plus a fixed amount for travel expenses)
Planning: As you apply for a scholarship to support your stay, we recommend starting the application process well in advance. There is no fixed deadline for the DAAD IFI scholarship, but we suggest the following schedule to ensure a smooth process:
Step 1: Contact MBG approximately 10-12 months prior to your planned start date for your stay abroad. We will then discuss a suitable topic.
Step 2: We will support you in preparing your DAAD IFI scholarship application, which also includes a research proposal. This should take a maximum of 5 months.
Step 3: After being accepted by the DAAD (which may take some time), MBG will assist you with any remaining organizational steps, which will take around 3 months.
Benefits:
- For master's students: Consider your project as a paid master's thesis.
- The internship offers you access to an international research network and enables you to gain experience in a motivated and productive environment.
- MBG offers a strong platform for collaboration, feedback, and career advancement. Usually, a top-tier paper is the outcome of every such collaboration.
- The opportunity to experience Japan 🙂
For all other information, experience reports and examples, as well as information on visa, housing, arrival, and all administration, please contact us.
PhD / Postdoc Position: Data Scientist for Media Bias Analysis
Location: We offer offices in Göttingen and Passau; remote work outside of Göttingen is possible given you have a German home address (employment under TV-L 13)
Duration: 36 months (with the possibility of extension, up to 9 years)
Start: Anytime from May 2026 or later, given at least a 4 month period between the first contact and the start of the job.
About the Project
The Bias Analysis Research Infrastructure (BARI) is a research project MBG coordinates with the University of Göttingen (SUB and Computer Science Department) and the University of Passau. BARI will build a scalable bias analysis platform. The platform combines machine learning, large language models, and human-in-the-loop feedback to establish a new community-driven standard for media bias research.
Your Role
We are looking for one motivated data scientist (PhD student or postdoc) with both technical and social skills. Your tasks will include:
Supporting the development of classifiers and platform components (training and evaluating bias detection models).
Designing and running data quality pipelines and measurement frameworks.
Collaborating with international partners and presenting research at conferences.
Organizing workshops for the Media Bias Group and external stakeholders.
Engaging with a multidisciplinary community of researchers and industry professionals.
Your Profile
Master’s degree (for PhD) or PhD (for Postdoc) in computer science, data science, information science, computational linguistics, or a related field.
Experience in machine learning / NLP (e.g., PyTorch, HuggingFace, LLM fine-tuning).
Interest in data quality, transparency, and reproducibility.
Social and communication skills for community building, workshop organization, and presenting results.
Interest in researching media bias as a topic with great societal importance.
Employment & Benefits
The position is funded according to German public sector salary scale TV-L 13 (50%).
- During a possible 6-12 month research stay at the NII Tokyo, you will be paid separately, around 2500€ after taxes, flights will be paid for you.
Employment is with the University of Göttingen.
You will be embedded in the Media Bias Group (MBG) – an international network of researchers across computer science, journalism, psychology, and linguistics.
MBG provides a strong platform for collaboration, feedback, and career development, with opportunities to co-author publications, co-organize international workshops, and connect to leading researchers and institutions worldwide.
You will benefit from close collaboration with SUB Göttingen, GWDG, and the University of Passau, giving access to high-performance computing (GPU clusters), infrastructure, and interdisciplinary expertise.
Travel funding is included for conferences, project meetings, and exchange visits.
Why this position?
This is an excellent opportunity for a PhD or Postdoc who wants to combine machine learning research with real-world impact in journalism, social science, and digital humanities. You will not only develop models but also shape an international research infrastructure with long-term visibility.
Interested?
Please send a CV and a convincing non-AI written letter of motivation to t.spinde@media-bias-research.org. Submissions containing obviously AI-generated content will be rejected without notice.
More about BARI on this blog article.