Postdoctoral Fellow in Coastal Archaeology
Job description
The University of Stavanger hereby invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in coastal archaeology at the Museum of Archaeology, Department of Cultural Heritage. The position commences 01/01/2025 and is a 100% research position with a fixed-term period of two years.
The objective of the position is to strengthen research, and to give researchers/scholars holding a doctoral degree the opportunity for further qualification toward top academic positions.
The position is externally funded by the Research Council of Norway and associated with the project Marine Resource Gathering and Infrastructure in the Norse North Atlantic (MARGAIN).
The postdoctoral project will be carried out at the University of Stavanger. It is assumed that the appointee will work full time on the project and will participate in the academic community.
Research topic
The PhD research fellow will be affiliated with the research project Marine Resource Gathering and Infrastructure in the Norse North Atlantic (MARGAIN), funded by the Research Council of Norway (project no. 343147) and led by Dr Dawn Elise Mooney. Further information about MARGAIN can be found on the website of the Norwegian Research Council, including links to publications connected to the project.
MARGAIN aims to explore coastal archaeological sites from the viewpoint of the people who inhabited them. Many coastal sites in the North Atlantic region have been excavated with the aim of exploring (commercial) fishing and marine mammal hunting. However, gathered marine resources such as driftwood, seaweed, drift whales, shellfish, coastal plants, eiderdown and bird eggs were also of great value to coastal communities, and are often overlooked in archaeological investigations. MARGAIN works towards a holistic picture of past human-ocean interactions, with a focus on the so-called “long Viking Age”, ca. 750-1500 CE, through four research objectives:
The Postdoctoral Fellow will be responsible for leading the survey and/or excavation of coastal sites in western Norway, to help answer two of the project’s research questions: "How did the exploitation of marine gathered resources affect settlement patterns and seasonal movement in Viking Age and Medieval western Norway, northern Norway and Iceland?", and "To what extent can exploitation of specific marine gathered resources be inferred from archaeological remains at these sites?" Fieldwork is envisaged to include e.g. survey (including approaching/exploring sites from the sea), test-trenching and/or open area excavation of (seasonal) coastal sites, and sampling for zooarchaeology, archaeoentomology, soil micromorphology and geochemistry, eDNA, archaeobotany, and radiocarbon dating. The Postdoctoral Fellow will, in collaboration with the project leader, prepare both technical reports and academic publications on the results of this fieldwork.
MARGAIN also emphasizes the potential of archaeology to fight “shifting baseline syndrome” by inviting the public to compare long-term trends in human interactions with coastal and marine environments. The relationship between driftwood and plastic pollution, which follow the same ocean currents and are cast up on the same beaches, will be a key part of this research communication. The Postdoctoral Fellow will contribute to this communication, including working towards a touring exhibition which will use art and archaeology to explore human-ocean interactions. The core project team, including the Postdoctoral Fellow, will work towards this during two month-long retreats, one in Norway and one in Iceland.
Project proposal
You must submit a description and plan for carrying out a research project within the subject area specified. The project proposal must demonstrate how you would carry out the proposed research work, what the key issues and hypotheses will be, what theories and methods you will apply, the publication channels, and a timetable for carrying out the work. It must be clear from your application in what way the project will support the aims of MARGAIN, and in what way it will further develop your skills and competence. The project proposal will be included in the assessment of your competency. Applications without a project proposal will not be considered.
The appointee will work full time on the project and participate in the academic community at the Museum of Archaeology. The final project description and progress plan will be drawn up in consultation with the supervisor(s) during the first three months of the Postdoctoral period. It is a prerequisite that you complete the project during the employment period.
Qualification requirements
We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who hold a Ph.D. in archaeology or a related discipline. Your doctoral thesis must have been submitted for examination by the application deadline for the position and defended before taking up the position.
As the main purpose of the Postdoctoral Fellowship is to lead research excavations, the successful applicant must have a strong track record in archaeological fieldwork, ideally including supervision of excavations.
English is the main working language of MARGAIN, and applicants must therefore have a good command of both oral and written English. Applicants who also have knowledge of a Scandinavian language will be prioritised.
The following attributes are desirable:
The assessment will emphasise the relevance, quality and feasibility of your proposed project, your submitted scientific work, and your personal skills for completing the project within the timeframe, as well as the attributes listed above.
Diversity
Diversity is a resource in the working and learning environment at UiS. When we have different backgrounds and experiences, we can approach challenges from multiple perspectives and find better solutions.
At UiS, we are committed to showing respect for each other's differences and accommodating employees with disabilities. We take into consideration your needs and your situation in various life phases.
If you find this position interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, cultural background, or whether you have been out of the workforce for a period.
If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in their CV, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups for an interview. If you fall into any of these categories, feel free to indicate it when applying for the position.
Learn more about the criteria for being considered an applicant in these specific groups here.
We offer
Contact information
Enquiries regarding further details about the position and project should be directed to the project manager Dr. Dawn Elise Mooney (dawn.e.mooney@uis.no) or Head of Department Krister Scheie Eilertsen (krister.eilertsen@uis.no).
Enquiries regarding the application process should be directed to HR Advisor Janne V. Endresen, tel: +47 51831216, email: janne.v.endresen@uis.no.
Application
To apply for this position please follow the link "Apply for this job". Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In the application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.
The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:
Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.
The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.
Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act. If your request is not granted, you will be notified.
UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.
General information
The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. If your application is considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter legislation, it will be rejected without further assessment.
Employment as Postdoctoral Fellow is regulated in "Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow and research fellow, research assistant and resident".
We put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).
Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee.
Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.
UiS has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.
It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.
The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the Norwegian text takes precedence.
UiS - challenge the well-known and explore the unknown
The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for green and sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.
In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants.
The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.
The museum of Archaeology is an interdisciplinary institution with responsibilities for research, dissemination, cultural heritage management, and conservation together with documentation and collections.
The museum employs scientific staff conducting research in archaeology, conservation, various natural sciences, and early-modern cultural history. Additionally, staff at the museum cover a variety of fields in conservation, natural science laboratories, photographic services, archives and scientific collections, cultural heritage management in relation to cultural heritage laws, exhibition development, graphic design, school services, public engagement and venue hire. The museum also runs a publishing house, which publishes two academic series through which publications can be awarded points in CRIStin, the national research information system of Norway.
The museum currently has 80 permanent employees across four scientific departments and one administration department.
Questions about the position
Dr. Dawn Elise Mooney
Prosjektleder // Project manager
+ 47 51834073
Krister Scheie Eilertsen
Avdelingsleder // Head of Department
+ 47 98826959
Janne V. Endresen
HR-rådgiver // HR advisor
+ 47 51831216
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