University assistant predoctoral

Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where more than 7,500 academics thrive on curiosity in continuous exploration and help us better understand our world. Does this sound like you? Then join our accomplished team!

Your personal sphere of influence:

A 3-year PhD position is available at the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, focusing on archeofaunal analyses. The successful candidate will join the BEAM Lab (Bioarchaeology of Extinct Animals and Metagenomics), led by Pere Gelabert, and contribute to the ERC-Starting Grant-funded project “Unveiling the Shadows: Illuminating Late Pleistocene Human-Carnivore Interaction (SHADOWS).” The position includes co-supervision by Ana B. Marín-Arroyo from the University of Cantabria, Spain.

Planned analysis for the PhD-candidate:

●    Study of faunal assemblages from Pleistocene cave sites in Spain.
●    Collaboration in proteomic analyses of Pleistocene collections.
●    Identification of patterns of human and animal subsistence through archeofaunal and taphonomic analyses.

The successful candidate will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to investigate Pleistocene fauna diversity and patterns of competition between humans and carnivores. Key responsibilities include:
●    Characterizing Pleistocene faunal assemblages using archeofaunal methods.
●    Conducting ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry) analyses.
●    Performing taphonomic analyses on Late Pleistocene collections from the Cantabrian region.

This research will explore the final stages of large carnivore populations during a critical period in Earth's history. The role offers an excellent opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at the interface of bioarchaeology, paleoecology, and evolutionary anthropology.
The PhD-candidate has the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of archaeology, palaeontology, genomics and evolutionary biology.

Candidate requirements: 

Requirements for this position are a Master’s Degree in Archeology Anthropology, or similar and an interest in interdisciplinary work at the intersection of evolutionary biology, and archaeology. Experience in archeofaunal analyses is a requirement. The candidate must have a good level of both English and Spanish. Experience in proteomics is not required but is appreciated. 

The position will be based in Vienna but with substantial time spent in Santander. 
 

What we offer:

Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours and can partially work remotely. 

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 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.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 3,714,80 (on a full-time basis) increases if we can credit professional experience.

Employment duration: The employment duration is 3 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 3 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!

It is that easy to apply:

The candidate should start as soon as possible from April the 1st 2025. For the application, it is necessary to send a curriculum vitae (4 pages maximum), Motivation letter (one-page maximum), and Recommendation letter to: pere.gelabert@univie.ac.at (deadline March 20th 2025)