Postdoc in Prehistoric Archaeology

The Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics within the School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for a postdoctoral position in prehistoric archaeology. The postdoc position is affiliated with the EU ERC Consolidator project ‘The Evolution of Early Symbolic Behavior – eSYMB’, awarded to associate professor Kristian Tylén.

The postdoc position is a full-time, four-year, fixed-term position. The position begins on 01/09/2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

Project

The eSYMB project aims to establish a novel integrative framework for the investigation of early symbolic evolution, using records from archaeology in behavioural experimental investigations and computational modelling. Starting from the assumption that symbolic artefacts evolve adaptively over time to better fulfil their intended symbolic functions, the project investigates structural changes to symbolic artefacts and their cognitive implications to inform inferences about their past use. The project will thus establish transparent, data-driven methods and criteria to test concrete hypotheses about early human symbolic behaviour from archaeological sites across the world focussing on the later part of human evolution (~150,000 – 12,000 years ago), based on measures critical to symbolic cognition and behaviour. You can read more about the project here.

Postdoc position

The successful applicant will have a background in prehistoric and/or cognitive archaeology preferably in combination with training in quantitative methods, for instance related to morphometrics, formal image analysis or computer vision. Your main tasks will be to inform the selection and curation of case materials from the archaeological records used as experimental stimuli throughout the project, and to be involved with structural analyses of symbolic artefacts. More generally, the successful applicant will help ensure maximal integration of insights from the field of archaeology.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD degree or must document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to prehistoric and/or cognitive archaeology. Applicants must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile within archaeology, documented by a PhD dissertation and/or research publications in relevant peer-reviewed outlets
• in-depth knowledge of Pleistocene art from at least one part of the world
• experience in the self-directed management of research projects
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, in order to engage productively both within the research team and with external organisations and institutions

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document

• a track record of research publications of a high international standard, commensurate with the length of the applicant’s academic career
• training in quantitative methods such as programming and statistics
• experience of participation in national and international research networks

Please note that applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum five) will not be considered.
Although the Aarhus University application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, please do not include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references. 

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark. 

Deadline: 07 June 2022

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