Position of a Student Assistant
in the Project Coding Faces in Medicine: Promises, Pitfalls, Challenges
Student Assistant (f/m/d)
To support the project Coding Faces in Medicine: Promises, Pitfalls, Challenges (led by Paul Trauttmansdorff), located at the TUM Think Tank and the Chair for Philosophy and History of Science and Technology, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology.
Focus: Project Management | Research & Media Support | Event Organization
Conditions:
- Start date: October 2025 – September 2026 (12 months)
- Working hours: 7,5 hours per week
- Compensation: according to standard hourly rates for TUM student assistants
About the project
The position in the project Coding Faces in Medicine is funded by the Friedrich Schiedel Fellowship program for Technology in Society by the TUM Think Tank and School of Social Sciences and Technology. It is located at the Chair of Philosophy and History of Science and Technology and affiliated with the Ethical Data Initiative.
The project explores the social, political and ethical implications of facial recognition technologies in medical and healthcare contexts. It aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue, build bridges between academic and clinical perspectives, and raise awareness of the challenges and consequences of automated processing and analysis of facial data in diagnostics. Key activities include a two-day interdisciplinary workshop, the development of an ethical framework, and the production of a “data story,” an educational film on facial data in medicine.
The student assistant will support the project throughout the 12-month duration in the Friedrich Schiedel Fellowship program.
Responsibilities include
- Supporting outreach and communication with academic, clinical, and public stakeholders
- Assisting in the organization of events, e.g., a workshop at the TUM Think Tank (incl. conceptualization, logistics, scheduling, communication)
- Preparing, supporting, and documenting meetings
- Supporting the preparation of project materials and the development of a data story
- Contributing to exploratory research and literature reviews (e.g., in the fields of medicine, digital health, medical STS, biometrics)
Your profile
- You are enrolled in a Master’s program (e.g., related to STS, RESET, Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, Media Studies, Medical Ethics, or related fields)
- Independent, structured, and reliable working style
- Some experience in social scientific analysis and writing
- Strong interest in the social, political and ethical aspects of technology in health and medicine
- Excellent command of English
- Some experience with event organization or public engagement (not required but a plus)
What is offered?
- Join a dynamic project at the intersection of technoscience, diagnostic medicine, and data ethics
- Work within an interdisciplinary environment at the TUM Think Tank, Ethical Data Initiative, and the Chair for Philosophy and History of Science and Technology
- Gain insight into current debates around medical AI, biometric surveillance, and responsible data practices
- Opportunities to strengthen skills in event organization, science communication, and project coordination
- Opportunity to integrate the work into your academic studies (e.g., as a MA thesis)
Application
The Technical University of Munich is committed to promoting diversity in research and teaching and particularly encourages applications from women, non-binary individuals, and people from underrepresented backgrounds. Applicants with disabilities will be given preferential consideration in cases of equal qualification.
Please send a short letter, CV, and a recent writing example (parts of your BA thesis / essay / blop post / or a seminar paper) by July 27, 2025, via email to paul.trauttmansdorff(at)tum.de.
If you have any questions about the position or the project, please get in touch.