PhD in Social Networking


Department/faculty: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Level: Master degree

Working hours: 38 uur per week (Maximum of 38 hours per week (1 FTE))

Contract: Four years

Salary: From €2042 till a maximum of €2612 per month gross

.Job description


Membership in social networking communities has recently skyrocketed. Facebook adds 600,000 new users each day; Twitter’s user base grew by 752% in 2008. The average Internet user spends almost three hours per day online, more time than watching television. Teenagers and young adults (age 13-24) spend about 30% of their social life online. A survey of students at the university level showed that 89% of the students use social networking sites, 70% visit a social network at least once a day, and 84% have a personal page or profile on one or more of these sites.

The dramatic success of social networking sites has sparked significant attention in business and academia. Such platforms show great potential for ad revenue and targeted marketing efforts for businesses, while highly dynamic sites provide a rich data source for academics. Yet there is still limited research and insight into how these systems work, how users behave and interact on these sites, and resulting implications for how best to target marketing and advertising to these communities.

The objective of this project is to study and characterise various social networking sites and the interconnections and interactions among their users.

Requirements


We are looking for a candidate with an MSc degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering or an equivalent degree. The candidate is expected to publish her/his research in scientific journals and conferences. The candidate should be capable of performing independent research and working in a team on research projects. The researcher should have an open personality and good English language skills to closely cooperate with colleagues and students.

Delft University of Technology is a bilingual organisation; a good command of English (written and spoken) is essential; a good command of Dutch as well is preferred.


Conditions of employment


TU Delft offers an attractive benefits package, including a flexible work week, free high-speed Internet access from home, and the option of assembling a customised compensation and benefits package (the 'IKA'). Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.

Information and application


For more information about this position, please contact Prof. Dr. Ir. P.F.A. Van Mieghem, phone: +31 (0)15-278 2397, e-mail: p.f.a.vanmieghem@tudelft.nl.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please send to Prof. Dr. Ir. P.F.A. Van Mieghem the following PDF materials written in English:
1) Your curriculum vitae,
2) A cover letter stating your interest in the position,
3) Your grades/transcripts (BSc and MSc),
4) Your MSc thesis and list of publications and
5) The names and contact information of three professional reference persons.
When applying for this position, make sure to mention vacancy number EWI2009-27 in the subject of the e-mail. Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate has been found. Assessment will start on December 1st 2009.

For more information about Delft University of Technology, please visit www.tudelft.nl.

Closing date 01-04-2010
Enquiries from agencies are not appreciated

http://www.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.js...383&mail=apply.