3 Doct. / Postdoct. Research Fellows in "WidowsPrint - Widows in the Growing Print Industry, c.[...]

Organisation/Company University of Gottingen Department ERC StG Group WidowsPrint Research Field History » Modern history Cultural studies » European studies Juridical sciences » European law Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Positions Postdoc Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 3 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Negotiable Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - ERC Reference Number Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The University of Göttingen is inviting applications for three Doctoral or Postdoctoral Research Fellows in the ERC project WidowsPrint ( ). The positions begin March 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The positions have different tasks and are expected to take up to 36 months (3 years) to complete. It is possible to apply as a full-time Postdoctoral Research Fellow (currently 39.8 hours/week – part-time employment is possible) or as a Doctoral Research Fellow with 65% (currently 25.87 hours/week). The salary is based on the pay scale 13 TV-L.

We invite you to become part of an international and interdisciplinary research group which investigates the effects of the rapid economic change triggered by the printing press on the rights and agency of widows. The advent of the printing press spurred crucial intellectual, economic and social developments in early modern Europe. In Germany, the print industry grew faster than in most places and – what has often gone unnoticed – there was a conspicuously high number of widows involved. Yet the exact nature of the industry’s growth, and women’s contribution to it, is extremely difficult to reconstruct because the print runs of different editions of books are often unknown.

WidowsPrint will significantly break new ground by filling in these missing pieces. Based on a large array of different archival sources, the project will systematically record all known print runs to create a diverse and representative dataset for early modern Germany. Thus, we can establish which factors determined the size of the print run of an edition and survey the total output of individual print shops. The project will also analyse how widows' economic agency changed in the 16th and 17th century as book production progressively moved from single workshops to larger family enterprises.

About the Role

The successful candidate will take a leading role in one of the following Work Packages:

• A) Comparing the productivity of women and men printers, with particular emphasis on print runs
• B) Investigating the legal status of printing widows in various locations in early modern Germany as well as investigating the widows’ business strategies (e.g. specialisation in certain genres)
• C) Investigating the networks of widow printers based on their printing material (digital analysis of the used woodblocks and copper plates)

Responsibilities in all three Work Packages include:

• publishing your own academic work, i.e. publishing articles in English in peer-reviewed journals or edited volumes and, if applicable, writing and publishing your PhD thesis
• supporting the WidowsPrint project, including organising international conferences and editing the conference volumes
• collecting and processing data from archival material on print runs for early modern Germany in the 16th and 17th century

Candidate Profile

• For Doctoral Research Fellows: MA in Book Studies, History, German Studies, Theology, Digital Humanities or related fields with a focus on the early modern period
• For Postdoctoral Research Fellows: PhD in Book Studies, History, German Studies, Theology, Digital Humanities or related fields with a focus on the early modern period
• Proficiency in English (spoken and written) as the project publications will appear in English; good knowledge of German
• Experience with research on early modern printing and the book trade
• Independent, precise, and team-oriented work ethic and excellent organisation and communication skills

• Experience with palaeography
• Experience with archival material
• For Doctoral Research Fellows: Experience with publishing (small parts) of your work
• For Postdoctoral Research Fellows: Experience with publishing in English

We offer:

• Developing your own ideas in an international and interdisciplinary research environment
• Presenting your findings at national and international events (travel expenses can be covered)
• The opportunity to build an international network in the scientific community, which will help advance your career
• Collaborating in a successful and motivated team
• Support in applying for your own funding (e.g. DFG, ERC, etc.)
• Flexible working hours with the option to work from home several days a week
• Training at the start of the project
• Supervision of your work by the project manager and other project staff

Interviews via Zoom are planned for 9-11 December 2025.

The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons. Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference.

Please send your application – consisting of

• a cover letter (approx. 1,000 words)
• a brief project outline (approx. 1,500 words)
• a CV
• your degree certificates
• a digital copy of your master’s dissertation and – if applicable – PhD thesis (if not submitted yet, an outline of your work)

Please note:

Your electronic documents will be deleted after a retention period of three months after completion of the procedure.

We would like to point out that the submission of the application constitutes consent to the processing of your applicant data by us under data protection law. You can find more information on the legal basis and use of data in the information sheet on the General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO).

Where to apply

E-mail

#J-18808-Ljbffr