Postdoctoral researcher, ANEE, Digital Humanities Approaches

Founded in 1640, the University of Helsinki  is an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers. It operates on four campuses in Helsinki and at 15 other locations. It is one of the leading multidisciplinary research universities in Europe and ranks among the top 100 international universities in the world.

The Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires or ANEE  at the University of Helsinki is a cross-disciplinary research centre that focuses on how changing imperial dynamics impact social group identities and lifeways during the first millennium BCE.

With almost 40 current members, ANEE offers a dynamic and stimulating research community on the Ancient Near East, with specialists in Near Eastern and Classical archaeology, Assyriology, ancient history, archaeological sciences, heritage studies, Biblical studies, museum studies, network studies, and language technology. In terms of empires, our researchers cover the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, and Parthian Empires. ANEE engages with methodologically varied yet integrated research on the long-term processes by which social group identities and lifeways were negotiated. Taken together, the innovations of ANEE are the integrated longue durée approach and the methodological innovativeness of each team (both separately and in collaboration).

ANEE invites applications for:

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER

To carry out a research project based on primary sources and by using Digital Humanities approaches for a fixed term until end of the year 2025, preferably starting on 1 June 2024, but a later date can be negotiated.

The successful candidate’s research projects will focus on the tasks and goals of ANEE’s Team 1 “Digital Humanities Approaches.” As the centre is deeply multidisciplinary, competence in more than one field and/or proof of successful scientific collaboration will be considered an advantage. Their main duties will include full-time research according to their research plan and in collaboration with other ANEE members, presenting their research in international conferences and peer-reviewed journals, and contributing to organizing of ANEE scientific events. Other tasks related to working in a research community, such as teaching or supervising MA or PhD students, are also involved but in a minor role.

Team 1 “Digital Humanities Approaches” develops digital humanities approaches (especially social network analysis and language technology), using these to supplement the more traditional approaches. The team is led by Saana Svärd ([email protected]) and the vice-team leader Krister Lindén ([email protected]), and it consists mostly of Assyriologists and computer scientists working in close collaboration. For more information on team 1 and its members, please click here . For more information on the three teams and the work packages, please visit the ANEE website .

QUALIFICATIONS

We are looking for a researcher with strong expertise in primary sources that shed light on social groups in Mesopotamia or the Levant in the first millennium BCE, particularly in the Neo- and Late Babylonian periods. Applicants with strong expertise in Neo-Assyrian sources will also be considered. Additionally, the chosen candidate should have knowledge of or a strong interest in quantitative methods as applied to lexical semantics (for example, an interest in applying network approaches to the study of lexemes). We are looking in particular for feasible case studies on lexemes relevant to the study of group identities in the Neo-Assyrian Empire and/or Neo-Babylonian Empire and/or later periods (based on the Neo-Babylonian corpus project in Helsinki). As a second research focus we will consider proposals that utilize social network approaches and apply them to Neo-Assyrian era and/or Neo-Babylonian and/or later material. On a general level, the applicant should have a research interest in studying identities and developing new theoretical and methodological approaches in Assyriology. The proposed project needs to contribute in some way to the main research question of ANEE: How do changing empires impact social group identities and lifeways? Excellent collaborative skills are needed.

Preferably, all this expertise and interest should be demonstrated e.g. in the form of peer-reviewed publications, organized events, or theses, but we will consider applications where such an approach is outlined in the research proposal even if the applicant does not yet have completed research results. It is not necessary to have programming skills or to develop completely new approaches.

An appointee to the position of postdoctoral researcher must hold a doctoral degree in a relevant field. The year of graduation and previous postdoctoral experience do not exclude the applicant from consideration. The appointee must have the ability to conduct independent scientific research, and possess the teaching skills required for the position. Teaching or teaching-related tasks will form 5-10 % of the position. The candidate should have a proven capability to publish in scientific journals, have excellent analytical and methodological skills, and be able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary scientific community. The successful candidates are expected to have excellent skills in written and oral English. Skills in Finnish or Swedish are not required. The candidate is expected to move to Finland for the duration of the post.

WHAT WE OFFER

We are an equal opportunity employer and offer an attractive and diverse workplace in an inspiring environment with a variety of development opportunities and benefits. ANEE is functioning in the Faculty of Arts (Teams 1 and 3) and in the Faculty of Theology (Team 2), both located in the City Centre Campus in the historic centre of Helsinki.

Finland is a member of the European Union, has high quality free schooling (also in English), generous family benefits and healthcare, and was recently ranked as the best country in the world for expatriate families. Helsinki also constantly ranks among the world’s top ten most livable cities. Finland and the Helsinki region possess top expertise in sciences in terms of a vibrant talent pool, leading research, strong support services and functioning collaboration networks. For more information about working at the University of Helsinki and living in Finland, please click here .

The starting salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be EUR 3,720–3,920 per month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. Furthermore, the University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link below. The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants of any gender, linguistic or cultural background, or minority group.

Applications should consist of the following English-language documents:

Professional references or recommendations should not be included. Applicants who are selected for an interview may be asked to provide professional references.

Deadline for applications is 15th April, 2024.

Further information on the position may be obtained from the team leader Saana Svärd ([email protected]).

If you need assistance with the University’s electronic recruitment system, please contact [email protected].