Postdoctoral Researcher

STEMMA: Systems of Transmitting Early Modern Manuscript Verse, 1475–1700

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time, fixed-term position as a Postdoctoral Researcher for the project ‘STEMMA: Systems of Transmitting Early Modern Manuscript Verse, 1475–1700’, at the University of Galway, Ireland. The position is funded by a European Research Council Consolidator Grant awarded to Professor Erin McCarthy and is available for twenty-four months from 5 January 2026.

The successful candidate will focus on Work Package 2, ‘Networking Early Modern Manuscript Poems’. This work package traces the transmission of John Donne’s poems within, between, and beyond the communities traditionally associated with manuscript verse circulation. The first several months of the contract will focus primarily on data preparation and reconciliation. The researcher will then develop new hypotheses about the roles of women as well as non-elite, non-urban, non-English, and multilingual people in the transmission of English manuscript verse that will be tested in international archives.

Duties:

• Preparation of data for online virtual research environment
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of data and results
• Archival research on major collections of manuscript miscellanies held in libraries internationally
• Preparation of papers for presentation and publication
• Contribution to the project website
• Associated administrative duties
• Any other duties assigned commensurate to this level of post

Qualifications/Skills required:

Essential Requirements:

• PhD in early modern English or another relevant field
• Experience working with databases
• Expertise in early modern manuscript culture
• Significant experience in archival and historical research
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Peer-reviewed publication record
• Ability to work well both collaboratively and independently
• Highly motivated, with excellent organisational skills

Desirable Requirements:

• Research specialisation in early modern English poetry
• Experience with quantitative and/or computational humanities research
• Experience with network analysis
• Knowledge of one or more of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Latin, Spanish
• Excellent IT skills

Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 (Irish Time) on 30^th September 2025. It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date.

Please review full job description for further details and essential requirements.

To apply:

Applications should include a covering letter, CV, a sample of academic written work (e.g. published article, thesis chapter), and the contact details of three referees.

• Jobs - University of Galway. Applications must be submitted online.
• Internal Applicant - How to apply guide
• External Applicant - How to apply guide

For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Erin A. McCarthy, School of English, Media, and Creative Arts; Email erin.mccarthy@universityofgalway.ie. 

We reserve the right to re-advertise or extend the closing date for this post.

University of Galway is an equal opportunities employer.

All positions are recruited in line with Open, Transparent, Merit (OTM) and Competency based recruitment.

• All positions are recruited in line with Open, Transparent, Merit (OTM) and Competency based recruitment.

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