Assistant Professor in History of Knowledge Pre-1400

Applications are invited for the position of Assistant Professor in History of Knowledge Pre-1400, in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge. Please note that, owing to the terms of the donation underpinning the funding for this post, candidates whose main area of research is the history of medicine are excluded from consideration. The duties of this post will include lectures, supervisions, and administrative duties for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, as well as conducting and leading research activities at the highest level.

The position will start on 1 September 2026. The completion of a PhD (or equivalent) is required before the start date. This is a permanent post, subject to the successful completion of a 5-year probationary period. The post-holder will have standard opportunities for promotion through the University's Academic Career Pathways scheme.

For information on the Department see http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/. For more information on the University of Cambridge, see http://www.cam.ac.uk/.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

Application requirements include:

1) Cover letter (up to three pages, including research plans), curriculum vitae and full list of publications, combined into one document;

2) Two samples of original written work (articles or book/dissertation chapters, up to a total of 30,000 words). If you are unable to upload your work samples, please e-mail these as attachments to hr@hps.cam.ac.uk, ensuring that you include your surname in the e-mail subject line and the filenames.

References: Please provide the names and contact details of three referees on the online form. We will contact the referees of longlisted candidates directly. Referees will be asked to comment specifically on the candidate's suitability for this particular role.

Schedule

Longlisting by 15 January 2026

Shortlisting by 2 February 2026

Interviews by early March 2026

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to give a presentation on their research and attend an interview, in person if possible.

Terms and conditions

Please quote reference JN47745 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

The University of Cambridge is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to a pro-active and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes an inclusive culture, and values diversity.

Women and candidates from BAME backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply for this position. The University joined the Advance HE's Race Equality Charter in 2016 and received the REC Bronze award in November 2019. The full statement of the University's Equal Opportunities Policy and Codes of Practice can be found at: https://www.equality.admin.cam.ac.uk/equality-and-diversity-cambridge/equal-opportunities-policy.

The University welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities, and our recruitment and selection procedures follow best practice and comply with disability legislation. The University is committed to ensuring that applicants with disabilities receive fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. Adjustments will be made, wherever reasonable to do so, to enable applicants to compete to the best of their ability and, if successful, to assist them during their employment. We encourage applicants to declare their disabilities in order that any special arrangements, particularly for the selection process, can be made as necessary.

Please direct any queries by e-mail to hr@hps.cam.ac.uk.

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