The Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology is one of the leading centres for research in social anthropology. Common to all research projects at the Max Planck Institute is the comparative analysis of social change; it is primarily in this domain that its researchers contribute to anthropological theory, though many programmes also have applied significance and political topicality.

Department 'Resilience and Transformation in Eurasia' of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology is looking forward to fill

one postdoctoral position in the new MAX-CAM Research Centre
(starting as soon as possible, at the latest 1 January 2018)

The new MAX-CAM Research Centre
The Max Planck Cambridge Centre for the Study of Ethics, Human Economy and Social Change (informally “Max-Cam”), an innovative collaboration funded jointly by the University of Cambridge and the Max Planck Society, was formally established as of 1 July 2017. The Centre will be co-directed by Chris Hann (Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle/Saale), James Laidlaw and Joel Robbins (Department of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University), and Peter van der Veer (Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen), and will be dedicated to pursuing fresh ethnographic research in fields of urgent concern to humanity today. The Centre is devoted to the study of social change of with a focus on interconnections between economic and ethical change. It is anticipated that the researcher appointed to the position in Halle will have a strong background in economic anthropology.

The postdoc is expected to manage his/her own research independently but contribute to the joint activities and outputs of the Centre, including working closely with the team of four Research Associates in the Centre in Cambridge and one Associate who will be based in Göttingen. He/she will be involved in the planning of the research, the organisation of some events, carrying out data collection (including interviews), analysing data (including some interview transcription), as well as helping with the servicing of Centre webpages and the writing and editing of research publications emerging from the Centre's research. The postdoc will be required to contribute to the presentations of seminars, conferences and workshops organised and supported by the Centre.

Your Profile
Good research skills, the ability to work in a team, and communication skills with good written and spoken English are required. Applicants should be in possession of a Ph.D. in social anthropology.

Acquisition of the German language is encouraged, especially if there is relevant literature on the research topic in German.

Our Offer
The Postdoctoral position (TVöD E13) is offered until the end of the project (31.12.2021).

The workplace is Halle/Saale (Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany), except when undertaking field research.

The Max Planck Society strives to employ more persons with disabilities and explicitly encourages applications. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society is committed to raising the proportion of women in underrepresented fields; we thus explicitly encourage applications by women.
 

Contact
Please submit your application electronically by 30 September 2017 following the link for vacancies on our homepage.

Applicants should send the following documentation:
- cover letter
- CV including a list of publications
- two-page summary of the proposed research, which should demonstrate clear links both to the applicant’s previous work and qualifications and to the respective research field
- one writing sample (e.g. a published work, or a chapter from a PhD)
- university degrees
- names of two, whom we may contact

Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
Personnel Administration
Nadine Wagenbrett

Informal enquiries may be directed to Chris Hann (hann@eth.mpg.de).

We look forward to receiving your completed online application under:
https://recruitingapp-5034.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/335/Application/New/2

Further information on the research agenda of the Max Planck Institute is available on our website: http://www.eth.mpg.de