University Assistant postdoctoral
At the University of Vienna, over 10,000 people work together on the big questions of the future. Approximately 7,500 of them are academic staff members. These are individuals who, with their curiosity and their continuous pursuit of excellence, engage in international cutting-edge research and teaching. With us, you will also find space to unfold your potential. We are looking for a/an
University Assistant postdoctoral
45 Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies
Job vacancy starting: 10/01/2025 (MM-DD-YYYY) | Working hours: 20.00 | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 lit. b (postdoc)
Limited contract until: 09/30/2028
Job ID: 4158
The Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies ranks among the largest university centres for the philological-cultural study of South Asia and Tibet in the German-speaking world and is home of several third-party funded research projects. Through cooperation with numerous academic institutions worldwide, the Department is very well connected with the international scholarly community.
Your personal sphere of play:
We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher in the field of Indology and Himalayan Studies to strengthen our team. The tasks of the successful applicant will include contributing to research, teaching, administration and other activities associated with the Chair of the Intellectual and Cultural History of Pre-modern South Asia. In particular, they will support the research and teaching agendas related to the fields of Indology at the interface of Himalayan Studies and the development of the Centre for the Interdisciplinary Research and Documentation of Inner and South Asian Cultural History (CIRDIS) and its Himalaya Archive Vienna (HAV). We expect a research focus on aspects of the premodern cultural and/or intellectual history of the Himalayan area, with a special focus on Sanskrit culture in Nepal. Fieldwork and documentation activities will form part of the assignments.
The postdoctoral position will also be associated with the Cluster of Excellence (COE) EurAsian Transformations and contribute to relevant areas of research. The COE involves more than 30 researchers from four academic institutions (Austrian Academy of Sciences, University of Vienna, Central European University, University of Innsbruck). The COE explores original-language sources with a view towards addressing issues of contemporary relevance — diversity, mobility, identity — in historical perspective, pursuing comparative questions and stressing forms of connectivity in the realms of culture, religion, economy and politics across Eurasia.
Your future tasks:
You will actively participate in research, teaching & administration, which means:
• Developing a profile in the field of pre-modern South Asian Studies, for example in the form of preparing a monograph or habilitation thesis
• Offering courses in aspects of pre-modern South Asian history, religion and/or culture on all levels in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement
• International publication and presentation activities
• Project application and acquisition of third-party funding
• Participation in the further development of CIRDIS, HAV and COE
Your profile:
• Doctorate/PhD in premodern South Asian Studies/Indology
• Very good knowledge of Sanskrit. Knowledge of another language related to the Himalayan area is desired but not compulsory
• Ability to work with Nepalese manuscript, epigraphical and archival material
• Experience with fieldwork and documentation activities in South Asia
• Ability and willingness to contribute to engage in interdisciplinary exchange and research (particularly in the context of CIRDIS and the COE)
• Previous experience with art-historical methods and experience with working with archives is highly desired
We also expect:
• International scholarly publishing
• International lecturing activities
• Very good written and spoken English skills
• Experience with documentation of inscriptions, manuscripts and art-historical material
• Willingness to engage in interdisciplinary exchange and research work in teams
• Willingness to engage in network building
Desirable are:
• Experience in project management or project coordination
• Field-relevant IT skills
• Experience abroad
• Willingness to acquire German within the course of the position
What we offer:
Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours, remote/hybrid and/or part-time work (upon agreement).
Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.
Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the center of beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport.
Internal further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.
Fixed-term contract and fair salary: The basic salary is EUR 4,932,90 (14 times a year on a full-time basis) and increases if we can credit professional experience.
Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!
Please apply:
• With a letter of motivation
• With your academic curriculum vitae, including publications list and record of prior teaching (lectures, classes etc.)
• With a description of research interests and plans
• Contact details of two referees
• Via our job portal/ Apply now - button
If you have any questions, please contact:
Nina Mirnig
We look forward to new personalities in our team!
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We lay special emphasis on increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions among the academic and general university staff and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.
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Application deadline: 06/26/2025