PhD Student (Doctoral Researcher) Position in News Media Framing with LLMs F/M

Job Description

The Social Computing Group at Idiap Research Institute seeks qualified candidates for a PhD student position at the intersection of human-AI interaction and natural language processing. The position is supported by the DEMO-AI interdisciplinary project, as part of the Hasler-Mercator Digitalization and Democracy Program.

The DEMO-AI project brings together a team of researchers in computing, law, journalism, and media and information literacy to design AI-based media tools that align with democratic values, journalistic practices, human rights, and regulatory frameworks. The project will develop human-centered methods to analyze media framing and detect manipulation of audio-visual media, while advancing legal research on regulatory frameworks for AI and disinformation, and engaging the public and professionals through participatory activities.

The PhD student will investigate LLM-based methods to characterize framing in news and shows, including methods to improve interpretability of LLM inferences and to expand the range of framing insights that can be extracted from news media. The resulting tools will be designed and evaluated engaging the two target groups (public and professionals.) The PhD student will interact with other researchers and impact partners, including Swiss media companies.

The successful candidate will be supervised by Prof. Daniel Gatica-Perez and will become a doctoral student at EPFL (https://www.epfl.ch) conditional on a parallel application to, and acceptance by, the EPFL Doctoral School.  Appointment for a PhD student (Doctoral Researcher) position is for a maximum of four years, provided there is successful progress. Start date is expected to be March 2026. All queries related to the position can be sent to Prof. Daniel Gatica-Perez (gatica@idiap.ch).

Application deadline: December 31st 2025

Profile

Suitable candidates will hold a master’s degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, or related fields. They will have a background in natural language processing, machine learning, human-AI interaction, or social computing. In addition, candidates will have strong programming skills and interest in participatory methods.

Given the focus of the project on media and democracy in Switzerland, an interest in or knowledge of the Swiss political context would be highly valued. 

Required languages: English

Other languages: Proficiency in French is valued. German is a plus

How to Apply: 

Step 1 – Submit this application.

Step 2 – Apply to the EPFL Digital Humanities doctoral program: https://www.epfl.ch/education/phd/eddh-digital-humanities/

Start of the selection period

December 31st 2025

About Idiap

Idiap is a research institute of national importance that engages in fundamental research, education, and technology transfer in artificial intelligence. PhD students are formally registered at EPFL, one of the leading Technical Universities in Europe. 

Idiap offers competitive salaries and conditions in a dynamic and multicultural environment. Idiap is located in Martigny, Valais, a scenic region in the south of Switzerland, surrounded by the highest mountains of Europe, and offering exceptional quality of life, exciting recreational activities, including hiking, climbing, and skiing, as well as varied cultural activities. English is the official working language. 

At Idiap we place great emphasis on diversity, and we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. Employment at Idiap is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications.

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