Zooarcheology PhD Candidate: PRESERVARE project - Huygens

at  Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen

Location: Amsterdam
Max hours per week: 38,00
Max salary: 3.670
Duration of agreement: 4 jaar
Apply until: 11/03/2024
The Huygens Institute (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) is looking for a PhD candidate in zooarchaeology for the project PRESERVARE - 4 years
PRESERVARE. Large-scale conservation of perishable foodstuffs in the Low Countries, 1600-1800 is a European Research Council-funded Consolidator Grant (ERC CoG) led by Dr. Marieke Hendriksen and hosted by the Huygens Institute/NL-Lab of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) in Amsterdam.
The project researches the production and exchange of academic, trade, and lay knowledge of food preservation through a unique combination of archival research, digital techniques, archaeological finds, and historical reconstructions.
We are looking for an interdisciplinary PhD candidate with a background in zooarchaeology to join the project on 1 February 2025. This four-year position is aimed at developing a history of meat processing and meat smoking in the early modern Low Countries through preservation as an analytical category and the use of reconstructions.
The PhD candidate will be employed by the Huygens Institute, part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and will hold a guest researcher status and be awarded the PhD degree at the University of Amsterdam. The candidate will be physically be based at the Huygens Institute in Amsterdam and at the Archaeology laboratory at the University of Amsterdam, taking up a central role in the interdisciplinary research team consisting of historians, data scientists, archaeologists, and food conservation experts. The two work locations are a five-minute walk apart.
To apply, we expect the candidate to answer four questions, submit a CV, a writing sample (more details below). Close collaboration with all team members is a prerequisite. The candidate will be jointly supervised by dr. Marieke Hendriksen and prof dr. James Symonds.
The position starts on 1 February 2025.

The ideal candidate:

• Has finished their master’s degree on a related topic (at the start of the appointment).
• Is fluent in English.
• Can read Dutch and either speaks Dutch or is willing to learn Dutch fluently as soon as possible.
• Preferably can read sources in at least one other modern European language.
• Has a background in zooarchaeology.
• Has a background or a strong interest in historical research.
• Is both a team player and an independent thinker and researcher.
• Can think outside the box.
• Is interested in and willing to participate in reconstruction research.

What we offer:

• A two-year position with renumeration according to the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities
• Secondairy benefits
• An international work environment with many possibilities to collaborate
• Possibilities to organize events (outreach, symposium, et cetera)

To apply please submit:

• A 2-page CV including publication details (if any) and the contact information of 2 referees (e.g. Masters supervisor)
• A 2-page document clearly addressing each of the 4 questions below:
• Why do you want to do a PhD?
• How does this particular PhD relate to your previous work, interests and/or future aspirations?
• What is your personal relationship to food preservation practices such as fermentation, drying, smoking and pickling?
• What do you think is an important issue to research in relation to food conservation history or archaeology?
• Writing sample, e.g. a published paper or a thesis chapter

Please send all documents by November 3rd, 2024. Interviews will take place on Friday 15 November 2024. For questions about the content of the position, contact Marieke Hendriksen (marieke.hendriksen@huc.knaw.nl)

Please refer the Job description for details