Closing date     5 September 2019
Level of education     PhD
Hours     38 hours per week
Salary indication     €2,579 to €3,895 gross per month

The Amsterdam Centre for Cultural Heritage and Identity (ACHI) and the Department of Media Studies of the Faculty of Humanities are looking for a postdoctoral researcher or junior researcher for the European Time Machine project.

The Time Machine Project is an international collaboration to build a map of European history that spans thousands of years. A consortium of leading scholars in computer science, digital humanities, history and cultural heritage collaborates with partners in cultural heritage, industry and local government to digitize, extract and make available the ‘Big Data of the Past’ from the libraries, archives and museums across Europe. This open-access, living resource will aid everyone from academics to industry, sparking interest in the future generation of humanities scholars, pushing the limits of science and technology, and allowing the general public to explore their own past.

In the context of the Coordination and Support Action that Time Machine received from the European Commission (H2020 grant agreement No 820323), there is room for a Postdoctoral Researcher or Junior Researcher that assists in the research and preparation of the plans for the Time Machine Large Scale Research Initiative. The University of Amsterdam is one of the core partners in this project, with ACHI Director Julia Noordegraaf coordinating the local Amsterdam Time Machine and acting as Member of the Executive Team of the Coordination and Support Action.

Job description

The successful applicant will assist Prof. Julia Noordegraaf in her work on the contributions of the University of Amsterdam to the Roadmap of the Time Machine Large Scale Research Initiative. The tasks (agreed upon appointment) of either the postdoctoral researcher or junior researcher will be diverse depending on the expertise and qualifications of the applicant; but mostly consisting of:

• researching publications that support the preparation of the proposal for a Large Scale Research Initiative, especially in the areas of Scholarship, Education, Smart Cities and Governance;
• writing draft texts of the research agendas and implementation roadmaps for the various components of the Time Machine, such as Science & Technology (Theory on Digital History/Digital Humanities; Data), Time Machine Operation (Local Time Machines, Community Management); and Exploitation (Scholarship; Education; Urban Planning; Smart Cities; etc.);
• internal communication with existing consortium partners, including the office at EPFL in Lausanne and the dissemination office at ICARUS in Vienna;
• researching and approaching new partners and participating in meetings;
• researching and clearing materials for communication and PR;
• contributing to the organization of a pan-European Local Time Machines event;
• assisting in the preparation of public presentations on the project.

The successful applicant will oversee and document all aspects of these tasks and will work closely with prof. Julia Noordegraaf, other team members of the CREATE project at ACHI and the management team of the CSA.

Requirements

We are looking for a candidate with:

• a PhD or MA degree in a field related to the Time Machine project;
• a strong background or demonstrable interest in cultural heritage;
• a strong background or demonstrable interest in digital methods;
• project management experience, or a track record of project based work, and the ability to function in a multidisciplinary team;
• a proactive, accurate, structured, communicative and flexible attitude.

Further information

For any additional information please contact:

Prof. Julia Noordegraaf

Appointment

The appointment starts as soon as possible and ends 29 February 2020.

The gross monthly salary for postdoctoral researcher based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) will range from €3,389 to €3,895 (scale 10).

The gross monthly salary for junior researcher based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) will range from €2,579 to €3,445 (scale 8).

The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Job application

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

Applications should include:

• a letter of motivation;
• up to two letters of recommendations;
• an up-to-date CV;
• a copy of diploma.

Applications must be sent as attachments via the link below no later than 5 September 2019.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on 18 September.