Postdoctoral position in radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies
The Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, School of Culture and Society, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University invites applications for a 21 months fixed-term postdoctoral position in radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling. The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to an ongoing research project, “Milestone”, headed by Associate Professor Sarah Croix.
The appointment begins on 1 April 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. Place of work will be Aarhus University, Moesgaard Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg.
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.
“Milestone” (2025-2028) 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, Denmark, throughout the first millennium CE. The project is based at Aarhus University, School of Culture and Society, and supported by collaborations with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Aarhus AMS Center, Nordjyske Museer and the Anthropological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen. 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 the Department of Culture and Society including lectures, seminars and workshops. Additionally, tasks related to the position will be conducted at the Aarhus AMS Center, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, under the supervision of Jesper Olsen.
Applicants are asked to submit:
The successful applicant will be expected to:
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 two 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.
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.
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
For further information about the position, please contact Sarah Croix (marksc@cas.au.dk)
For further information about the application procedure, please contact HR supporter Gerd Bech Thomsen (gebeth@au.dk)
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 website.
- 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
The school’s ambition is to produce compelling research with an international resonance as well as to offer teaching and talent development of the highest quality. The school has a broad cooperative interface with society as a whole, both in Denmark and abroad, and contributes to social innovation, research communication and further and continuing education.
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.
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The appointment begins on 1 April 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. Place of work will be Aarhus University, Moesgaard Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg.
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 radiocarbon dating, preferably with experience in Bayesian modelling. The postdoc will be part of a research group with other postdoctoral researchers and associated senior scholars.“Milestone” (2025-2028) 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, Denmark, throughout the first millennium CE. The project is based at Aarhus University, School of Culture and Society, and supported by collaborations with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Aarhus AMS Center, Nordjyske Museer and the Anthropological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen. 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 the Department of Culture and Society including lectures, seminars and workshops. Additionally, tasks related to the position will be conducted at the Aarhus AMS Center, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, under the supervision of Jesper Olsen.
The position
The successful applicant is expected to produce independent work as well as contribute to research activities in the framework of the research project.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 two publications
- Documentation of any teaching experience
The successful applicant will be expected to:
- Conduct analyses pertaining to radiocarbon dating on multiple types of materials, though predominantly human and animal bone (both cremated and uncremated bone) from Lindholm Høje, following international scientific and ethical standards and the procedures at AARAMS
- Produce a refined chronology of the site using Bayesian modelling, including radiocarbon dates as well as other types of chronological evidence (stratigraphy, site formation, stylistic dating of artefacts)
- 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 site
- Present their work at international meetings and publish their results in peerreviewed, international scientific journals as well as in the site monograph in collaboration with the project group
- 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 (or equivalent) in archaeology, bioarchaeology or a related field.Applicants must document:
- Doctoral-level experience of conducting research on chronology, temporalities and dynamics in past societies from an archaeological perspective
- Extensive experience in radiocarbon dating methods (sample preparation and interpretation of radiocarbon results)
- Experience in Bayesian modelling or a strong motivation to acquire the necessary skills to conduct both 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 two 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.
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.
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
For further information about the position, please contact Sarah Croix (marksc@cas.au.dk)
For further information about the application procedure, please contact HR supporter Gerd Bech Thomsen (gebeth@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
The Department of Archaeology and Heritage StudiesAt 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 website.
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
The school’s ambition is to produce compelling research with an international resonance as well as to offer teaching and talent development of the highest quality. The school has a broad cooperative interface with society as a whole, both in Denmark and abroad, and contributes to social innovation, research communication and further and continuing education.
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 Finance 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 two 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: 05 January 2026
Academic contact person:
Sarah Croix
Lektor
marksc@cas.au.dk
+4587162541
+4587162541
Vacant positions: 1
Hours per week: 37
Number of months: 21
Expected date of accession: 01 April 2026