The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Department III (Artifacts, Action, Knowledge), Director: Prof. Dagmar Schäfer, seeks one Postdoctoral Fellow for two years, with employment contract, TVöD-Bund pay scales (E13)

Starting date: September 1, 2021

for the working group Out of Place, Out of Time.

The successful candidate will support collaborative research (50%) and conduct his/her own research project (50%) within the framework of the working group.

Requirements: Applicants should demonstrate a specific interest and experience in studying waste of human or animal bodies. Research that addresses issues about a premodern/modern division and/or East/West/North/South break in the use and conceptualization of waste is advantageous. Applicants with suitable experience in the history of science and technology holding a PhD in a historical field, STS, anthropology, discard studies, or other relevant fields are invited to apply. A PhD degree must be in hand by commencement of employment. Experience in interdisciplinary research and/or international collaborative research and publication projects is welcome.

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is an international and interdisciplinary research institute. The working language is English. Postdoctoral fellows are expected to participate in the research activities of the Institute, and Departmental activities and to present their own work.

The Max Planck Society is committed to diversity and inclusion: candidates of all nationalities, races, ethnicities, abilities, and genders are invited to apply; applications from women are especially welcome.

To apply please submit the following documents:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae, including list of publications
• Research prospectus (maximum 750 words)
• Writing sample
• Names and contact details of at least two referees.

at: https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/17301512.

Deadline for submission: January 29, 2021 (23:59 CET).

Please note that only complete electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted. Applications sent via email will not be accepted. Applications may be submitted in German, English, or French.

Applications will be reviewed in late January and short-listed candidates will be interviewed by March 2021. Only successful candidates will be notified.

Das Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte (MPIWG), Bereich Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, sucht zum 1. März 2021 eine studentische Hilfskraft (m/w/d)

mit einer wöchentlichen Arbeitszeit von bis zu 19 Stunden zunächst befristet bis zum 30.9.2021.

Aufgabengebiet: Wissenschaftliche Hilfskrafttätigkeiten in der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit (z. B. Web-Redaktion, Mediathek) und für die Kooperationen mit den Berliner Universitäten (z. B. KVV Wissenschaftsgeschichte). Die Hilfskrafttätigkeit bietet einen Einstieg in das Forschungsmanagement und in die Arbeit des MPIWG als dem weltweit größten Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte.

Anforderungen: Die Bewerberin/der Bewerber muss sich im Erststudium an einer Universität im Raum Berlin/Brandenburg befinden und sollte über Kenntnisse in einer historischen oder kulturwissenschaftlichen Disziplin verfügen (z. B. Wissenschafts-, Kultur-, Kunst- oder Musikgeschichte, Kultur- und Medienwissenschaften). Erfahrungen in wissenschaftlichen Recherchetätigkeiten, gute Englischkenntnisse (aktiv und passiv) sowie Erfahrungen im Umgang mit Datenbanken (z. B. Filemaker), Layout- und Bildbearbeitungssoftware (z. B. Adobe Creative Cloud) und der Pflege von Websites (insb. in Drupal) sind erwünscht.

Die wöchentliche Arbeitszeit beträgt bis zu 19 Stunden, die Vergütung erfolgt im Rahmen der Nachwuchsförderungs-Regelungen der MPG und beträgt entweder 11,85€ (für Studierende ohne Bachelor-Abschluss) oder 13,77€ (für Master-Studierende mit Bachelor-Abschluss).

Die Max-Planck-Gesellschaft ist bemüht, mehr schwerbehinderte Menschen zu beschäftigen. Bewerbungen Schwerbehinderter sind ausdrücklich erwünscht. Die Bewerbung von Frauen ist ausdrücklich erwünscht.

Schriftliche Bewerbungen mit Anschreiben, Lebenslauf, der aktuellen Immatrikulations-/Semesterbescheinigung sowie ggf. Zeugniskopien reichen Sie bitte bis zum 3.1.2021 (23:59 MEZ) über unser Bewerberportal ein.

Bitte beachten Sie, dass nur elektronisch über dieses Portal eingereichte Bewerbungen angenommen werden können.

Department III (Artifacts, Action, Knowledge, Director: Prof. Dagmar Schäfer) seeks one Postdoctoral Fellow for Three Years, with employment contract, TVöD-Bund pay scales (E13), Starting date: September 1, 2021, for the working group "Reclaiming Turtles All the Way Down (TAWD): Animal Cosmologies and Paths to Indigenous Sciences" in Dept. III. 

The successful candidate will support collaborative research (50%) and conduct his/her own research project (50%) within the framework of the working group.

Requirements: Applicants are expected to have experience in oral history methods and conducting archival research, and be interested in Digital Humanities methods and methods of the History of Science, Technology or Medicine. Applications that address the lasting significance and tensions generated by different cultural and geographic understandings of cosmologies in Indigenous Americas and/or Indo-Pacific regions, and which combine the studies of artifacts and orality, are particularly welcome. Finally, we invite perspectives including archaeology, heritage conservation, material culture, or museum studies. A PhD degree must be in hand by commencement of employment. 

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is an international and interdisciplinary research institute. The working language is English. Postdoctoral fellows are expected to participate in the research activities of the Institute, and Departmental activities and to present their own work.

The Max Planck Society is committed to diversity and inclusion: candidates of all nationalities, races, ethnicities, abilities, and genders are invited to apply; applications from women are especially welcome.

To apply please submit the following documents:

• Cover letter (in which candidate indicates interest in Departmental project(s))
• Curriculum vitae, including list of publications
• Research prospectus (maximum 750 words)
• Writing sample (5000-8000 words)
• Names and contact details of at least two referees

To https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/17301509.

Deadline for submission: January 15, 2021 (23:59 CET).

Please note that only complete electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted. Applications sent via email will not be accepted. Applications may be submitted in German, English, or French.

Applications will be reviewed in late January and short-listed candidates will be interviewed by early March 2021. Only successful candidates will be notified.

Department III is looking to employ Two Student Assistants/Research Assistants (up to 80 hours per month). 

Dates: April 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022 with the possibility of extension.

Duties: Student assistants/research assistants support both the Publications Office and selected research projects. Their tasks range from assisting with editorial work on scientific texts (especially in English, German, and/or Chinese), to supporting project members with the organization of scientific events, the maintenance and updating of the department website, and helping to maintain databases, reference management software as well as digital repositories.

Native English speakers with a good command of German and native German speakers with a good command of English are encouraged to apply. Familiarity with the Chinese language is considered an advantage. Applicants must be in at least their third semester of study at a university in Berlin or Brandenburg. They should have a good working knowledge of modern information technology and the ability to work both independently and in a team.

The hourly rate is calculated according to the Max Planck Society’s program to support junior scholars, 11,85 € for bachelor’s students, 13,77 € for students enrolled in a master’s program who already hold a bachelor’s degree.

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer; the Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply.

Please apply via our Online Application Portal attaching a letter of application, CV, and a scan of your current certificate of enrollment (Immatrikulations-/Semesterbescheinigung) by December 15, 2020.

Only electronic applications (through the portal linked above) will be accepted. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin (Department III, Artifacts, Action, Knowledge, Director: Prof. Dr. Dagmar Schäfer) offers one Postdoctoral position, starting date May 1, 2021, for three years, with employment contract, working in close conjunction with the research project “Agriculture and the Making of Sciences” of Department III.

Remuneration is based on the TVöD-Bund pay scales (E13).

Candidates should hold a doctorate in Sinology, Chinese Studies, Middle and Near Eastern Studies, History, Art History, History of Science, STS or other relevant fields at the time the position begins, and be able to show evidence of scholarly excellence in the form of initial international publications.

Candidates should be proficient in either Classical Chinese or one of the following languages: Arabic, Persian and Ottoman Turkish. Priority will be given to candidates who can work with more than one of the aforementioned languages. For candidates with knowledge of Arabic, Persian or Ottoman Turkish, they should have experience working with manuscripts or archival records. We especially encourage candidates whose research addresses the multilingual and transregional nature of the project.

Successful applicants are expected to participate in the project’s working group dedicated to the study and translation of primary source materials from between 1100 and 1700, as well as other research activities of the Institute. They are expected to present their own work and discuss that of others in English. 

Candidates of all nationalities are invited to apply; applications from women are especially welcome. The Max Planck Society is committed to promoting individuals with disabilities and encourages them to apply.

Candidates are requested to submit their applications online using the following link: https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/17301505

Deadline for submission: January 3, 2021 (23:59 CET)

Please note that only complete electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted. Applications may be submitted in German or English. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.

Your application should contain:

1. cover letter

2. curriculum vitae

3. research prospectus in which you outline your planned contribution to the theme and questions of the project (maximum 1000 words)

4. A published piece of research in English

5. names and contact details of at least two referees

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Department III (Artifacts, Action, Knowledge, Director: Prof. Dr. Dagmar Schäfer) offers one Predoctoral position, starting date 1 May 2021, for three years, with employment contract working in close conjunction with the research project “Agriculture and the Making of Sciences” of Department III.

Remuneration is based on the TVöD-Bund pay scales (E13/65%).

Outstanding graduates holding a Master’s degree in Sinology, Chinese Studies, Middle and Near Eastern Studies, History, Art History, History of Science, STS or other relevant fields are invited to apply.

Candidates should be proficient in either Classical Chinese or one of the following languages: Arabic, Persian and Ottoman Turkish. Priority will be given to candidates who can work with more than one of the aforementioned languages. For candidates with knowledge of Arabic, Persian or Ottoman Turkish, they should have experience working with manuscripts or archival records. We especially encourage candidates whose research addresses the multilingual and transregional nature of the project.

Successful applicants are expected to participate in the project’s working group dedicated to the study and translation of primary source materials from between 1100 and 1700, as well as other research activities of the Institute. They are expected to present their own work and discuss that of others in English. 

Candidates of all nationalities are invited to apply; applications from women are especially welcome. The Max Planck Society is committed to promoting individuals with disabilities and encourages them to apply.

Candidates are requested to submit their applications online using the following link:

https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/17301506

Deadline for submission: 3 January 2021 (23:59 CET)

Please note that only complete electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted. Applications may be submitted in German or English. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.

Your application should contain:

1. cover letter

2. curriculum vitae

3. research prospectus in which you outline your planned contribution to the theme and questions of the project (maximum 1000 words)

4. English writing sample

5. names and contact details of at least two referees

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin—Department III, Artifacts, Action, Knowledge, directed by Prof. Dr. Dagmar Schäfer—offers several Visiting Scholarships (residential, 3–12 months) to take place in the period January 1 to December 31, 2021.

We invite scholars to apply for participation in the project “Agriculture and the Making of Sciences (1100–1700)” of Department III. In 2021, the project’s focus will be on the broader theme of “soil”. We welcome researchers working on practices related to soil, such as its classification, fertilization, maintenance, and commodification, as well as how these practices were in relation to fields of knowledge and practices other than agriculture, in the history of East and Southeast Asia, Inner Asia and the Middle East and North Africa.

We welcome applications from candidates in every field within history, the history of science and technology, archeology, philology and art history, and with some preference for research addressing the multilingual and transregional nature of the project. The MPIWG hosts many academic activities: conferences, workshops, brown bag seminars, and colloquia. Visiting scholars are encouraged to combine their research stay with collaborative work. 

Visiting scholars receive a stipend commensurate with experience for their period of residence, and reimbursement for a return ticket to and from their place of residence. 

The successful candidates are expected to take part in the scientific life of the Institute, to advance their own research project, and to actively contribute to the project group activities during their period of affiliation. 

Candidates are requested to submit:

1.  a cover letter (indicating your preferred period of residence)
2.  curriculum vitae (including a list of publications)
3.  a research prospectus on a topic related to the project (1000 words maximum)

Applications must be submitted via our online application portal: https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/17301507

Please note that only complete electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted. Applications sent via email will not be accepted. Only successful candidates will be notified.

Review of application will commence from December 15, 2020, and continue until the positions are filled. 

Applications may be submitted in German or English. Candidates of all nationalities are encouraged to apply; applications from women are especially welcome. The Max Planck Society is committed to promoting individuals with disabilities and encourages them to apply.

Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG), Berlin, Department III is looking to employ a Student Assistant up to 19 hours per week.

Starting date: as soon as possible, until September 30, 2021, with the possibility of extension.

The ideal candidate should be fluent in Persian and Arabic, and be able to help with research tasks in conjunction with the project “Agriculture and the Making of Sciences.” In addition to that, the successful candidate will also support the department with research-related organizational, and documentation tasks.

The candidate should have a good working knowledge of modern information technology and the ability to work both independently and in a team.

Duties: Supporting project members with the organization of scientific events, editorial work on scientific texts in Persian and Arabic, as well as English, maintenance/updating of the department website, and helping to maintain databases and digital repositories.

Applicants must be in at least their third semester of study at a university in Berlin or Brandenburg.

The salary is paid according to the rates for student employment in the frame of the Max Planck Society’s program to support junior scientists.

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer; the Society is committed to promoting underrepresented groups as well as people with disabilities and encourages them to apply.

Please apply here by attaching a letter of application, CV, and a scan of your current Immatrikulations-/Semesterbescheinigung.

Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2020, and continue until the position is filled.

Please note that only complete electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted.

“First Research Article” Fellowship Program at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin

September 1, 2021–February 28, 2022

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin (MPIWG), Department III Artifacts, Action, Knowledge (Director: Prof. Dagmar Schäfer), is offering two fellowships for outstanding graduate students.

The fellowships are open to graduate students based at Asian, African, or Latin American institutions. Applicants should demonstrate their commitment to a research topic related to the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, or Science and Technology Studies and a need to work with an international community at the MPIWG in Berlin in order to prepare and publish their first single-authored research paper in the English language. Eligible are students in good standing through the grant period of  February 28, 2022.

Candidates are expected to have already completed the archival research for their thesis and be in a position to devote six months to writing and preparing an article in English for journal publication. Regular meetings will be held to support both the writing process and academic development.

The fellowships will run from September 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022.

Applicants should submit the following materials in English through our online application portal:

1. Official proof of enrollment and good standing in an accredited graduate program from your PhD thesis/or confirmation of your university
2. Brief description of dissertation
3. Curriculum vitae and list of publications
4. Title, abstract, and outline of intended essay (maximum 750 words)
5. English writing sample
6. A letter of recommendation from one supervisor

Applications will be accepted until March 15, 2021 (23:59 CET), and must be uploaded to https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/16384004.

Please note that only electronic submissions uploaded to this link will be accepted. Only successful candidates will be notified.

Descriptions of the research projects of Department III are to be found under https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/dept-three.

Fellowships are endowed with a monthly stipend according to the guidelines of the Max Planck Society. Applications from women are especially welcome. The Max Planck Society is committed to promoting underrepresented groups as well as people with disabilities and encourages them to apply. Finalists may expect a decision by April 23, 2021.