Postdoctoral position in “Sociology and Blockchain" (50%)
Chair of Sociology and Blockchain, Zug Institute of Blockchain Research (ZIBR) & University of Lucerne
Start date: February 15, 2026
Application deadline: December 10, 2025
The University of Lucerne is a modern, personal and dynamic human sciences university at the heart of Switzerland and Europe. In keeping with our guiding principle 'Moving Human Sciences', we focus on people and their institutions with our six faculties, two academies and two university research centres. Our aim is to develop the University of Lucerne into a pioneering, internationally visible centre for research and teaching in the human sciences.
The Zug Institute for Blockchain Research (ZIBR) is a newly established research institute dedicated to the social study of blockchain and Web3 – thus examining these technologies beyond their purely financial and technical dimensions. It brings together nine professorships from various social sciences faculties at the University of Lucerne. The institute and its research teams deal with the social, political, legal and economic consequences of blockchain technology in a broad sense. The aim is to build a centre for financial technology research with a distinctive focus on the human sciences that is unique in its breadth and diversity.
Areas of responsibility
- Collaboration in research activities around the topic of “sociology and blockchain," broadly construed.
- Writing publications on one's own, and in co-authorship with the chair holder.
- Support in the preparation and implementation of courses and support of students.
- Support in the preparation and presentation of conferences and workshops.
- Support in the acquisition of third-party funding.
- Other organizational and administrative tasks.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in sociology (or adjacent field such as STS, anthropology, etc.), to be completed by the time the position starts at the latest.
- Demonstrated subject matter interest in, and a practical knowledge & expertise pertaining to the core topic of blockchain and sociology. Research specializations in digital economy, fintech, AI, Web3, and/or social studies of finance, also a plus.
- English proficiency. German is a plus but not required.
- Demonstrated proficiency in an applicable set of research methods. Mixed methods proficiency is a plus.
- Team orientation, enthusiasm for research, and capabilities for self-organization.
- Regular presence (i.e., not majority remote work).