Postdoctoral position in human osteology and isotopic analyses at the Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet) / the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University (fixed-term)
UrbNet and the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, School of Culture and Society, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University invite applications for a 24 months fixed-term postdoctoral position in osteology and isotopic analyses. The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to two ongoing research projects, “Samfundsbrud” and “Milestone”, both headed by Associate Professor Sarah Croix.
The appointment begins on 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Place of work: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Moesgaard Allé 20. The successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.
The university is keen for its staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified applicants regardless of their personal background.
Research context
We are looking for an innovative scholar with a background in archaeology and human osteology, preferably with a specialisation in isotopic analyses. The postdoc will be involved in two recently funded research projects, “Samfundsbrud” (2025-2027) and “Milestone” (2025-2028).
“Samfundsbrud” is a collaborative project aiming at promoting research in Danish cultural heritage and involves several partner institutions: Vesthimmerlands Museum, Nordjyske Museer, Museum Østjylland and Moesgaard. It focuses on the process of Christianization and its impact on social relations, burial customs and use of the landscape in the late Viking Age, as well as discusses how and when the new faith transformed the life and afterlife of local communities in North and East Jutland. The project is supported by the Augustinus Foundation’s “Kulturarv” scheme.
“Milestone” addresses significant change in archaeology and its impact on the lived life of past communities and individuals by tracking down milestones in the development of the burial site of Lindholm Høje throughout the first millennium CE. The project is centred around a strong research team of junior scholars based at AU and supported by collaborations with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Aarhus AMS Center, Nordjyske Museer and Copenhagen University. The project is supported by a Carlsberg Foundation’s Semper Ardens Accelerate grant.
The successful applicant is expected to participate in project activities (workshops, project group meetings) and in departmental activities at UrbNet and at the Department of Culture and Society including lectures, seminars and workshops. Additionally, tasks related to the position will be conducted at the Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen under the supervision of Senior Research Marie Louise Jørkov (approximately 12 months) and the VUB under the supervision of Professor Christophe Snoeck (approximately 3 months).
Applicants are asked to submit:
Applicants must document:
The research activities will be evaluated in relation to the actual research time. We therefore encourage applicants to specify any periods of leave they may have had without research activities (e.g. maternity/paternity leave), so we can subtract these periods from the span of their academic career when evaluating their productivity.
Please upload a maximum of five publications alongside your application.
Only submitted publications will be assessed; a list of publications is not sufficient. As a result, applications without submitted publications will not be assessed.
Professional references or recommendations should not be included. Applicants who are selected for an interview may be asked to provide professional references.
The application must be submitted in English.
Deadline: 28 February 2025.
For further information about the position, please contact PI Sarah Croix marksc@cas.au.dk
For further information about the application procedure, please contact HR (iks-hr-sag@au.dk).
The Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet) was founded in 2015 as a groundbreaking archaeological research initiative exploring the evolution of urbanism and urban networks from the Hellenistic Period to the Middle Ages. The centre is based at Aarhus University, School of Culture and Society, and is funded as a Centre of Excellence by the Danish National Research Foundation.
UrbNet aims to compare the archaeology of urbanism from medieval Northern Europe to the ancient Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean World and determine how – and to what extent – urban networks catalysed societal and environmental expansions and crises in the past. The centre is firmly rooted in the humanities but enjoys close, collaborative ties with the natural sciences.
UrbNet aims to advance the understanding of the historical process of urban evolution, and it does so by developing the ability of archaeology to characterise the scale and pace of events and processes. Recently developed scientific techniques afford the potential for archaeology to refine the precision of dates, contexts and provenance ascribed to excavated materials. UrbNet’s key ambition has been to integrate these new forms of data as a new “high-definition” approach to the study of global and interregional dynamics.
UrbNet’s work comprises projects that intersect questions and problems concerning urban development and networks in the regions from Northern Europe via the Levant to the East Coast of Africa. It involves elaborate work on empirical material from a number of existing excavation projects, and the centre aims to make substantial contributions to theoretical and methodological developments in the field.
The MCH Research Programme at Aarhus University has an international profile and strong research networks. The environment is versatile and cross-disciplinary, and the academic staff’s research competences span a broad range of topics and approaches to archaeology and heritage.
For a more detailed description please visit this Archaeology and Heritage Studies.
For further information about the school, please see http://cas.au.dk/en/.
If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. The application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.
The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.
With its 700 academic staff members, 200 PhD students, 9,000 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.
The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society and the Danish School of Education. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.
The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.
Read more at arts.au.dk/en
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.
Apply
The appointment begins on 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Place of work: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Moesgaard Allé 20. The successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.
The university is keen for its staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified applicants regardless of their personal background.
Research context
We are looking for an innovative scholar with a background in archaeology and human osteology, preferably with a specialisation in isotopic analyses. The postdoc will be involved in two recently funded research projects, “Samfundsbrud” (2025-2027) and “Milestone” (2025-2028).
“Samfundsbrud” is a collaborative project aiming at promoting research in Danish cultural heritage and involves several partner institutions: Vesthimmerlands Museum, Nordjyske Museer, Museum Østjylland and Moesgaard. It focuses on the process of Christianization and its impact on social relations, burial customs and use of the landscape in the late Viking Age, as well as discusses how and when the new faith transformed the life and afterlife of local communities in North and East Jutland. The project is supported by the Augustinus Foundation’s “Kulturarv” scheme.
“Milestone” addresses significant change in archaeology and its impact on the lived life of past communities and individuals by tracking down milestones in the development of the burial site of Lindholm Høje throughout the first millennium CE. The project is centred around a strong research team of junior scholars based at AU and supported by collaborations with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Aarhus AMS Center, Nordjyske Museer and Copenhagen University. The project is supported by a Carlsberg Foundation’s Semper Ardens Accelerate grant.
The successful applicant is expected to participate in project activities (workshops, project group meetings) and in departmental activities at UrbNet and at the Department of Culture and Society including lectures, seminars and workshops. Additionally, tasks related to the position will be conducted at the Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen under the supervision of Senior Research Marie Louise Jørkov (approximately 12 months) and the VUB under the supervision of Professor Christophe Snoeck (approximately 3 months).
The position
The successful applicant is expected to produce independent work as well as contribute to research activities in the framework of both research projects, about one-fourth of the position being dedicated to “Samfundsbrud” and three-fourth to “Milestone”.Applicants are asked to submit:
- An up-to-date academic CV with a complete list of publications
- A concise statement of motivation for applying for the position indicating how their experience relates to the tasks to be conducted in the position [maximum one page]
- A maximum of five publications (pdf copies).
- Conduct osteological analyses of human remains (cremated / uncremated) from multiple cemeteries in Denmark following international scientific and ethical standards, including report writing
- Select and prepare human bone samples for further analyses (radiocarbon, isotope analyses)
- Carry out C, N, O and Sr isotope analyses
- Discuss and interpret the results with focus on demographic composition and geographic mobility
- Engage in a constructive dialogue with project partners concerning the implications of the results for the interpretation of burial practices and social change at the different cemeteries.
- Present their work at international meetings and to publish their results in peerreviewed, international scientific journals in collaboration with the two projects’ teams
- Coorganize two research workshops at Aarhus University.
Teaching
The position will involve a very small amount of teaching at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies as agreed upon with the Head of the Department and the projects’ PI Sarah Croix.Qualifications
Applicants for this position must hold a PhD degree in archaeology, bioarchaeology or a related field or be able to document equal qualifications.Applicants must document:
- doctoral-level experience of conducting research on past populations from a bioarchaeological perspective
- Extensive experience in human osteology (both cremated and uncremated)
- Experience in isotopic analyses or a strong motivation to acquire the necessary skills to conduct both laboratory work, analyses and interpretation
- A good knowledge of the archaeology of Northwestern Europe in the first millennium CE, especially its burial practices
- A methodological and structured approach to work in research
- Flexibility, good collaborative skills and the ability to work independently
- An international research profile or potential to achieve such a profile
- Fluency in written and spoken English, and the willingness to acquaint themselves with Danish if they do not already have the necessary Danish skills.
The research activities will be evaluated in relation to the actual research time. We therefore encourage applicants to specify any periods of leave they may have had without research activities (e.g. maternity/paternity leave), so we can subtract these periods from the span of their academic career when evaluating their productivity.
Please upload a maximum of five publications alongside your application.
Only submitted publications will be assessed; a list of publications is not sufficient. As a result, applications without submitted publications will not be assessed.
Professional references or recommendations should not be included. Applicants who are selected for an interview may be asked to provide professional references.
The application must be submitted in English.
Deadline: 28 February 2025.
For further information about the position, please contact PI Sarah Croix marksc@cas.au.dk
For further information about the application procedure, please contact HR (iks-hr-sag@au.dk).
International applicants
International applicants are encouraged to check Family and work-life balance and Attractive working conditions for further information about the benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see Taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.The work environment
About UrbNetThe Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet) was founded in 2015 as a groundbreaking archaeological research initiative exploring the evolution of urbanism and urban networks from the Hellenistic Period to the Middle Ages. The centre is based at Aarhus University, School of Culture and Society, and is funded as a Centre of Excellence by the Danish National Research Foundation.
UrbNet aims to compare the archaeology of urbanism from medieval Northern Europe to the ancient Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean World and determine how – and to what extent – urban networks catalysed societal and environmental expansions and crises in the past. The centre is firmly rooted in the humanities but enjoys close, collaborative ties with the natural sciences.
UrbNet aims to advance the understanding of the historical process of urban evolution, and it does so by developing the ability of archaeology to characterise the scale and pace of events and processes. Recently developed scientific techniques afford the potential for archaeology to refine the precision of dates, contexts and provenance ascribed to excavated materials. UrbNet’s key ambition has been to integrate these new forms of data as a new “high-definition” approach to the study of global and interregional dynamics.
UrbNet’s work comprises projects that intersect questions and problems concerning urban development and networks in the regions from Northern Europe via the Levant to the East Coast of Africa. It involves elaborate work on empirical material from a number of existing excavation projects, and the centre aims to make substantial contributions to theoretical and methodological developments in the field.
The Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies
At the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies and its associated Research Programme Materials, Culture and Heritage (MCH), we are concerned with people and the environment and culture and society from the earliest to modern times. On the basis of fieldwork and library and laboratory studies, including anthropology, history and a variety of scientific approaches, the programme investigates and challenges our understanding of the past and its role in the present.The MCH Research Programme at Aarhus University has an international profile and strong research networks. The environment is versatile and cross-disciplinary, and the academic staff’s research competences span a broad range of topics and approaches to archaeology and heritage.
For a more detailed description please visit this Archaeology and Heritage Studies.
The School of Culture and Society
At the School of Culture and Society, the object of research and teaching is the interplay between culture and society in time and space:- From the traditional disciplines of the humanities and theology to applied social research
- From Antiquity to the issues facing contemporary societies
- From local questions to global challenges.
For further information about the school, please see http://cas.au.dk/en/.
Qualification requirements
Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualifications.Formalities
The Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).- Appointments shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
- Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
- Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
- The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than five examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.
If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. The application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts: shortlistingFaculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts is one of five main academic areas at Aarhus University.The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.
With its 700 academic staff members, 200 PhD students, 9,000 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.
The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society and the Danish School of Education. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.
The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.
Read more at arts.au.dk/en
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.
Aarhus University
Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/
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Deadline: 28 February 2025
Academic contact person:
Sarah Croix
Lektor
marksc@cas.au.dk
+4587162541
+4587162541
Vacant positions: 1
Hours per week: 37
Number of months: 24
Expected date of accession: 01 May 2025
AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Nordre Ringgade 1
8000 Aarhus
Email: au@au.dk
Tlf: 8715 0000
CVR-nr: 31119103
Nordre Ringgade 1
8000 Aarhus
Email: au@au.dk
Tlf: 8715 0000
CVR-nr: 31119103