The Chair of Comparative European Economic and Social History at the European-University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) invites applications for

a Doctoral Researcher (Identification-Nummer 1303-14-01)
(Pay grade 13 TV-L, workload 26 hours/ week [65%])

We offer a fixed-term contract for 36 months, preferably starting in February 2015, for the research project “The Globalized Periphery. Atlantic Commerce, Socioeconomic and Cultural Change in Central Europe (1680-1850),” funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). For further information on the project, visit:
www.kuwi.europa-uni.de/de/lehrstuhl/kg/wisogeschi/forschung/Globalized-Periphery

“The Globalized Periphery” investigates the integration of Central Europe into the early modern Atlantic economy from the double perspective of production and consumption. Three distinct sub-projects will analyze the export of Central European manufactures to Western Africa and the Americas as well as the impact of products from these regions on the material culture and social fabric of the Holy Roman Empire from the late 17th to the mid-19th century. The successful candidate will focus his or her attention on the distribution of Central European merchandise (e.g. iron- and glassware) on the Atlantic market by way of French and Portuguese ports. He or she will thus need to conduct research in the archives of Lisbon, Nantes, Lorient and Bordeaux.

Your duties involve:
- Independent research in the sub-project described above, including investigations into French and Portuguese archives
- Public presentations of research findings at conferences and workshops
- Completion of a PhD thesis during the project’s run-time
- Contribution to the overall project and assistance in the organization of workshops and conferences within the project

Requirements:
- You should already have completed your MA-studies in history or a closely related subject. Minimum requirement: submission of the thesis by December 31st.
- Excellent reading skills in one of the two languages required for archival research (French and Portuguese) and good reading skills in the other; proficiency in English.
- Prior knowledge of the subject matter (French or Portuguese trade in the early modern Atlantic, West African history, slave trade, plantation economy…) is welcome.
- You will be expected to write a PhD thesis on a topic closely related to the sub-project at the European University Viadrina under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Klaus Weber, the project leader.
- Ability to work in a team.

We offer:
- Life and work at a lively university with an international profile
- The possibility of working independently in a stimulating environment that promotes innovative research
- Competent supervision of the PhD thesis and active exchange of ideas within the team
- Provision of funds for archival research, as well as conference- and workshop participation to enhance your career opportunities
- Training courses on key qualifications (soft skills) to support your future career development beyond the project’s run-time (e.g. at the Viadrina Center for Graduate Studies)
- A family-friendly infrastructure with flexible hours, as well as counseling and support from the Family Representative of the Viadrina.
- Health management (health courses or physiotherapy treatment with paid leave of absence)
- Additional pension plan through VBL (the Pension Institution of the Federal Republic and the Federal States)
- Close proximity to the German capital Berlin

Applications must include an academic CV, a letter of motivation (max. 2 pages), proof of your language skills (e.g. certificates), a copy of the MA diploma (alternatively a letter from your supervisor confirming that you have submitted your thesis including a short assessment of its quality), and a pdf-version of the MA-thesis or, if available, a publication relevant to the subject matter. With the exception of the MA-thesis or publication, all documents must be combined into one single PDF-document. All application documents must be sent electronically to wimmler@europa-uni.de by December 31st, 2014. We do not accept applications via postal mail. We invite applications in English and German. Questions about the position and the application process should be directed to Dr. Jutta Wimmler (wimmler@europa.uni.de).

The European University Viadrina pursues the goal of increasing the number of women in research and teaching and participates in the research-oriented equality standards laid out by the German Research Foundation. The university thus explicitly encourages women to apply. Applicants are invited to contact the equal opportunities commissioner (gleichstellung@europa-uni.de). The university has also received a certificate from the „audit familiengerechte hochschule“ that certifies family-friendly institutions (www.europa-uni.de/familie). In case of equal skill and capability, applicants with disabilities will be considered with priority. It is therefore advisable to point out any disabilities in the application.