University Assistant postdoctoral

Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where over 7,500 brilliant minds have found a unique balance of freedom and support. Join us if you’re passionate about groundbreaking international research and academic excellence.

Your personal sphere of play:

As one of the largest research institutions in Europe, the University of Vienna supports an exceptionally wide range of disciplines and therefore offers an outstanding infrastructure for transdisciplinary research in the humanities. We are looking for an innovative and analytical researcher for the position of a postdoctoral assistant in Modern History. You will be part of the Department of History and will work closely with colleagues here in Vienna as well as with international research networks.

Your future tasks:

Active participation in research, teaching and administration, which involves:

• Researching, writing and completing a (publication-ready) habilitation thesis, a second book or a research project. A planned project in the field of transnational history of the Modern period, with a particular focus on the political and/or cultural aspects; and/or a planned project that includes global perspectives on European history. The research project should focus on a topic situated within the period 1800–1939, without necessarily addressing the full timeframe; a specific emphasis on refugees, political repression or transnational political mobilisation is advantageous.
• Strengthening an independent research profile
• Publishing in highly ranked journals / conference proceedings
• Organizing meetings, conferences, symposia and workshops
• Being responsible for submitting project applications and acquiring third-party funding
• Independent teaching of courses and student supervision in Modern History as defined by the collective bargaining agreement (two courses per semester)
• Participation in evaluation measures and quality assurance
• Involvement in department administration, as well as in teaching and research administration

This is part of your personality: 

• Successful applicants must have completed a doctoral degree in Modern History or related fields (certificate must be available by the date of employment at the latest).
• They have a sound knowledge of transnational and European history, as well as awareness of current developments and central methods in the field.
• They have experience with interdisciplinary theories and methods (e.g. Europeanisation, digital humanities, cultural and gender studies and/or global history).
• They have teaching experience in Modern history.
• They are able to work in a team and to engage actively in the social life of the department.
• They have very good English language skills (written and spoken).
• During the employment, they have or will obtain a documented fluency in German (written and spoken). Language acquisition is supported during the employment period.
• Experience abroad is advantageous as well as familiarity with procedures and structures of university administration.

What we offer:

• You will be employed for 40 hours/week.
• Employment starts on September 1st, 2025.
• Fixed-term contract and fair salary: The base salary of EUR 4,932,90 per month (14 x per year) for a period of four years will be increased if we can credit professional experience. Taxes include health insurance, social security and pension.
• The place of work is Vienna, when not traveling for research and conferences. We provide a workspace in a shared office. 

It is that easy to apply:

• Applications can be submitted in German or English and must include

  • a letter of motivation
  • a research proposal / outline of the second book or habilitation thesis (2-3 pages)
  • digital versions of the dissertation thesis and two research articles or written samples
  • a CV (including a list of publications and teaching experience)
  • degree certificates
  • names of two referees