fields

code and network analysis

visualisations / multimedia renderings

theory / criticism

disciplines

• computer scientists, software engineers, programmers, scholars from applied digital media studies can trace and provide insights with their ability to analyse source code, data and networks!

• animators, visual artists, game designers, scholars from computational visualistics and visual computing can expand our imagination and provide insights into connected structures with their visual or multimodal productions!

• scholars from software & critical code studies, media studies, digital humanities, art history, visual studies and Internet studies can enrich our understanding of how to critically look at the latest phenomena in the digital arts and their cultural contexts!

targets & tasks

• study and document processes of program mechanics on the source code level
• develop strategies on how to convey the relevant issues to a more general academic public (humanities)
• summarise network and traffic analysis
• prototype and conceptualise internet topologies around specific artworks

• develop experimental visualisations or gamified experiences of software art for epistemic, heuristic and communicative purposes

• depict software/ hardware/ user complexes 
• prototype processual, network-related and conceptual facets of artistic online projects in their technological environment

• develop broad research strategies to address diverse online subcultures and to crowdsource relevant information
• conduct interviews with programmers, artists etc.
• engage in theory building on various topics related to networked art in COSE
• expand enhanced cross-disciplinary, cutting-edge methods for (digital) humanities

skills

• analysis of web development, network structures, protocols and applications
• programming skills
• tinkering abilities and intuition how to trace and revive severed systems

• fluency in a variety of tools for graphics, animation, rendering, game development or visualization
• have a sense for basic research including critical self-reflection

• strong interest in the technical facets of online culture and an affinity to the software dimensions of cultural practices
• interlace theory building and historiography with  original data acquisition

general

• you hold a university degree (Master's or PhD degree or equivalent) in a relevant subject area
• you will contribute to the team’s goal of merging the methods from the fields of visual design, computer science, software studies and art history and discussing their theoretical limits and possibilities.
• you engage in a close cooperation with your team members to conceptualise novel visualisations of unseen software processes/structures
• you support the organization of workshops and project meetings and contribute to the joint MediaWiki
• you engage in your academic/creative contexts and present the research results in workshops and conferences worldwide
• ideally you have overlapping interests across the complementary fields outlined above, for instance: as a programmer-artist, a historian-hacker, or as tinkering-theorist

context

In our ERC research project "Coded Secrets" (COSE, 2022-2027) at KIT Karlsruhe (Germany), internet artworks and their environments are examined complementarily on the levels of user interface, code, network protocols, as well as technical and cultural contexts from interdisciplinary perspectives.

team

Our international team will consist of 5+ specialists from the fields of computer science/ code and network analysis, information visualization/multimedia, art history/media or software studies. COSE will be part of the exciting Karlsruhe new media art landscape!

we offer:

• an attractive and modern workplace with access to the excellent equipment of one of the most distinguished technical universities in Germany (current "excellence status")
• a varied and responsible job
• a wide range of further training opportunities
• the world-renowned ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe is our cooperation partner

salary

Internationally competitive remuneration on the basis of the wage agreement of the German civil service TV-L (depending on your qualification level).

qualification – flexibility

You can apply as pre- or post-doctoral researcher, and seek full-time or part-time employment (we simply look for the best talent!)

affiliation / location

Institute of Art and Architectural History
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Englerstr. 7
D-76131 Karlsruhe
Germany

contract duration

up to 5 years

starting date

September 1st, 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter

application up to

August 15th, 2022, open until filled

contact the PI

For further information please contact Prof. Dr. Inge Hinterwaldner
e-mail: Inge.Hinterwaldner∂kit.edu

application

Please submit your application

• CV
• Portfolio (if applicable)
• cover letter with motivation statement

to Helga.Lechner∂kit.edu

inclusion

• we cherish diversity and internationality. Therefore, we kindly encourage applicants from all backgrounds and identities to apply.
• if qualified, handicapped applicants will be preferred.
• researchers from Ukraine are especially encouraged to apply.

services

KIT is certified as a family-friendly university and offers part-time employment, leaves for family-related reasons, dual career options, and individual coaching for family-work balance.