Digital Humanities Scholar (M, F, D)

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) is an internationally respected research institute of the Max Planck Society (MPG) with currently two research departments, several research groups, and a graduate school. At the MPIWG, around 150 scholars from all over the world investigate the sciences past and present, working together on a collective, collaborative, and transdisciplinary basis. The MPIWG is renowned worldwide as a hub for reflection on the role of the sciences in politics and society. It is located in southwestern Berlin, close to the campus of the Free University Berlin and other research institutions.

The Institute’s Digital Humanities team now seeks to appoint a

Digital Humanities Scholar (M, F, D)

Fulltime position from January 1, 2025 until at first February 29, 2028,

EG 13 TVöD Bund –

For software design and development in the field of digital humanities and digital history. Digital humanities methods are central to the MPIWG’s research and the Institute has been key in developing digital humanities for the history of science and the humanities more broadly. The MPIWG's Digital Humanities integrate digital methods with historical research to create innovative tools for scholars, and are looking for an IT specialist with work experience in developing successful digital tools/applications that interface historians with historical data and with proficiency in the fields of computer science and digital humanities.

Your responsibilities:

• Support the development and implementation of solutions for integrating and processing diverse data modalities in addition to textual data, such as visual, audio, and graph data, for the various digital humanities research projects across the units of the Institute
• Build and maintain relational databases and knowledge graphs
• Didactic experience and strong communication skills to cooperate with researchers and understand their research needs—around which to design data processing pipelines and develop web applications, platforms, and digital research tools that guide historians in exploring the computational possibilities of using digitized historical data
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams composed of historians and technical researchers to advance project goals, possibly leading to joint digital humanities publications
• Communication of project results to a variety of audiences

Your profile:

• Strong background in software design and development in the field of digital humanities and digital history
• Master’s degree in the fields of Software Engineering, Computer Science, Digital Humanities, Data Science or other relevant disciplines OR have equivalent work experience in developing successful digital humanities tools/applications
• A strong research profile
• Strong knowledge and experience with full tech stack in web application development that covers from backend to frontend, as well as data pipelines for digital humanities projects using Python, Java, and Javascript. Understanding of frontend technologies such as React or Vue is desirable
• Familiarity with relational databases and proficient in SQL; knowledge of knowledge graphs and SPARQL is desirable
• Rich experience with data processing and integration, preferably with knowledge of machine learning techniques
• Knowledge of machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch is desirable
• Familiarity with RDF, OWL, and related semantic technologies is desirable
• Proficiency in English; good German language skills (or willingness to learn German)

What we offer:

• An international setting with staff and guests from more than forty countries
• Close contact with all research and research-support units and the opportunity for direct, personal dialogue
• Flexible working hours; the opportunity to work from home as arranged with your supervisor
• Annual year-end bonus; occupational pension (VBL); subsidy for public transportation within Berlin or Germany (“Jobticket”); paid leave on Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year’s Eve (December 31) in addition to regular annual leave
• Weekly in-house yoga classes; regular information on occupational health management courses offered by our partner health insurance companies
• Access to the wide range of training courses offered by the MPG’s Planck Academy

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer that strives to foster an inclusive workplace. As an institute of the MPG, the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science supports a working community for all, free from discrimination and harassment. We explicitly encourage applications from qualified individuals who belong to groups that are often underrepresented in the workplace due to age, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender, nationality, race, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or religion.

Please follow the links to find out more about the MPIWG’s policies on gender equality and hiring practices for people with disabilities, as well as Germany’s anti-discrimination laws as outlined in the General Equal Treatment Act.

Your application:

Please submit your application in English or German with complete documents, preferably without a photograph, through our application portal. Include the following:

• A cover letter,
• Your curriculum vitae,
• Copies of your qualifications (in a single PDF file),
• Two employment references (in a single PDF file); if not available, name and contact of two referees and
• Up to three samples of your professional outputs (e.g., print media, articles, A/V, or digital content) in a single PDF file - this may include copies of print media and texts as well as links to online content.

Please note that we can only accept electronic applications submitted through the portal.

Applications must be received by September 30, 2024 (23:59 CEST)––or until the position is filled. Job interviews will start in mid-October 2024.

For any questions about the position, please contact Tanja Neuendorf (applications@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de).

Further information on the MPIWG can be found at https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/. 

Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Boltzmannstr. 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany.