Postdoc: Isotope Mapping and Provenance Studies

Bursar of the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University announces an open competition for the position

Postdoc: Isotope Mapping and Provenance Studies

Workplace: Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic

Type of Contract: temporary position with 2-year contract, non-academic

Working Hours: 1.0 FTE (full-time employment of 40 hours per week)

Expected Start Date: 01.01.2025 or negotiable with respect to immigration timelines for non EU candidates

Number of Open Positions: 1                       Pay: CZK 45,000-50,000 per month (based on experience)

Application Deadline: 22.11.2024                EU Researcher Profile: R2

About the Workplace

Masaryk University is modern, dynamic and the most attractive university in the Czech Republic with ten faculties, more than 6500 staff and 33 000 students, a wide range of research areas and a strong international position. We are the largest academic employer in the South Moravian Region.

Faculty of Science MU, a holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission, is a research-oriented faculty, offering university education (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs) closely linked to both primary and applied research and high school teaching of the following sciences: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth sciences. We are the most productive scientific unit of the Masaryk University generating around 40 % of MU research results.

Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Science MUNI is an academic, research- and education-oriented institution which focuses on the study of interactions between biological, social and cultural aspects of humankind. We are a modern institution oriented on current trends in education, offering Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. degrees, consistently with more than a hundred of students in the undergraduate programs and currently with eight students in the Ph.D. program. From the very beginning, students are offered intensive training in topics of biological and socio-cultural anthropology. They are encouraged to participate in department’s research projects which contributes crucially to their success in the job market after graduation. The research activities are anchored in the tradition embodying the biological and the behavioral aspect of mankind. Many of our top-tier research projects aim to apply scientific knowledge in practice – emphasis is given on developing methods for the fields of forensic anthropology or on multi-disciplinary collaboration projects which address nutritional status or modelling of human growth and development in childhood and adolescence. The department’s labs are equipped with cutting-edge technologies for 3D data acquisition of human body morphology and advanced biological data processing. In addition, advanced evaluation of nutritional status and other somatic characteristics as well as assessment of prehistorical and historical skeletal remains is conducted in our facilities utilizing state-of-the-art equipment. Currently, the Department of Anthropology includes 17 faculty members and researchers who are involved in teaching, conducting research and promoting science. For more information, please visit its website at https://www.muni.cz/en/about-us/organizational-structure/faculty-of-science/314070-deptof-anthropology.

The Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position from highly motivated and dedicated candidates to contribute to the advancement of its academic community.

Job Description

The postdoctoral research is part of the MASH Junior-funded transMUtation project led by Dr. Kévin Salesse (Moving toward a TRANSformaTive bioarchaeology of cremATION in Czech republic and beyond – https://www.muni.cz/en/research/projects/70565).

The postdoctoral research will focus on:

• Developing a country-wide, multi-isotope isoscape (strontium, oxygen and potentially sulphur) for the Czech Republic using modern samples to enhance isotope-based geographic assignments in bioarchaeology;
• Investigating mobility patterns and provenance based on isotope data for both inhumated and cremated individuals from bi-ritual and mono-ritual cemeteries, spanning various time periods across the Czech Republic.

Skills and Qualifications

The applicant must have:

• A PhD in anthropology, bioarchaeology, archaeology, geochemistry, geology, geography, or a related field;
• Proven experience with GIS modelling;
• Good communication skills, both oral and written in English;
• Driving license B.

The applicant should have:

• Knowledge of standard methodologies in isotope-based provenance studies, and/or
• Experience with strontium, oxygen and/or sulphur isotope data, and/or
• Interest or hands-on experience in sampling and sample preparation for isotope analysis, and/or
• Knowledge of Czech or Slovak.

Informal inquiries about the position can be sent to Dr. Kévin Salesse, email: k.salesse@sci.muni.cz .

We Offer

• An interesting job in a dynamically-expanding university area
• Flexible working hours and occasional home office to support personal needs in family and career compatibility
• Employee benefits such as 6 weeks of paid vacation per year, pension insurance contribution or nursery/children´s group allowance, a financial meal allowance, lunches in canteens of MU, Multisport card, vaccinations free of charge, discounted language courses, exclusive mobile tariff offer by Vodafone, childcare groups at Campus and Komenského náměstí)
• Opportunity to work and live in a modern and dynamic city (for more information on costs of living, you can refer to Numbeo)
• Welcome Office provides support with your relocation to Brno

Application Process

The application shall be submitted online by 22.11.2024 via an e-application, please find the reference to the e-application in the beginning and end of the advertisement.

The candidate shall provide following:

• A curriculum vitae (max. 5 pages);
• A letter of motivation (max. 3 pages) explaining the candidate's interest and experience in the project research topic;
• A letter of recommendation from a person familiar with the candidate's academic background;
• A copy of the PhD's degree diploma and diploma supplement.

After submitting your application successfully, you will receive an automatic confirmation email from jobs.muni.cz.

Selection Process

Received applications will be considered carefully in line with principles of the EU Charter and Code for Researchers. Selection criteria: (i) meeting qualification requirements described above, (ii) all required documents provided.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a personal or online interview.

The Faculty Recruitment Policy (OTM-R) can be seen here.

Faculty of Science, Masaryk University is an equal opportunity employer. We support diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Visit our Career page.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!