Praedoc (Diss) (f/m/x) at the Institute for Iranian Studies - IFI

The Institute for Iranian Studies - IFI, of the Austrian Academy of Sciences; Österreich; Vor Ort; EUR 40 000; Teilzeit

Zusammenfassung

An international research institute in Austria is seeking a Prae-doc candidate to pursue a PhD related to Persian Jewish communities. The role involves active participation in research, engaging with original sources, and collaboration within an interdisciplinary team. Candidates should hold an MA in a relevant humanities field and have excellent knowledge of Judeo-Persian. The position is part-time with competitive salary and offers opportunities for mentoring and training.

Qualifikationen

• Ability to publish academic articles in English.
• Strong knowledge of religious thought among Iranian and Central Asian Jewish communities.

Aufgaben

• Pursue a PhD dissertation project related to Persian Jewish communities.
• Engage actively as a team member in research projects.
• Participate in project activities, presentations, and publications.

Kenntnisse

Excellent knowledge of Judeo-Persian

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Persian, Hebrew, Tajik

Good written and verbal communication skills in English

Initiative and teamwork skills

Openness to interdisciplinary collaboration

Ausbildung

Completed MA in a humanities field

Jobbeschreibung

The Institute for Iranian Studies - IFI, of the Austrian Academy of Sciences

Organisation/Company The Institute for Iranian Studies - IFI, of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Research Field Anthropology » Cultural anthropology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Austria Application Deadline 16 Jan 2026 - 23:55 (Europe/Brussels) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Part-time Hours Per Week 30 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Job ID: IFI114DOC225

The Austrian Academy of Sciences - ÖAW , the largest, non-university reseach center for foundational reseach is searching for a candidate for the position of a Prae-doc (Diss) (70%).

Your Tasks

Within the framework of the ERC Project Persian Jews – History, Community, Memory, funded by the European Research Council. The research explores the history of Jewish communities in the Persian speaking world from the 19th century until today and is based on anthropological and historical methods and research questions, emphasizing original sources in Persian, Hebrew, and Judeo-Persian. It analyses the status of Jewish communities in the environment in which they lived, the circumstances of leaving and settling in new places and how the memory of the past is created in these processes. While the project emphasizes cultural, socio-economic and political dynamics, a strong focus is on the development and dissemination of religious thought among Persian speaking Jews and their interaction with other Jewish and non-Jewish communities in this regard. Besides the praedoc position, the project includes two post-doctoral researchers in addition to the PI. As a whole, the research team is committed to a fruitful interdisciplinary dialogue and seeks cooperation with the regions involved in order to promote plurilateral research perspectives.

The doctoral position is assigned to research on religious and/or literary aspects of 19th to early 20th-century Judeo-Persian communities. This includes the production and dissemination of texts, religious education and mysticism, as well as the exchange of these ideas in specific locales in the 19th century (for example between Bukhara, Tehran and Jerusalem). The focus on religious thought is envisaged not in terms of theology, but historical and/or religious studies.

The successful candidate will pursue a PhD dissertation at the University of Vienna, while being integrated in the Institute of Iranian Studies, an internationally leading research institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

Within the larger research project, the position offers the opportunity to link focused research on Persian Jewish communities to larger questions in the humanities, to develop research in continuous inter-disciplinary exchange and to thereby develop a broader outlook on the area of study. Opportunities for mentoring and training in career-relevant skills are available.

• Pursuing a PhD dissertation project within the ERC project PersCom
• Presence in Vienna and engagement in the project as an active team member
• Active participation in the project’s activities in the domains of research and knowledge transfer
• International presentations and publication of project results
• Active participation in the activities of the Institute for Iranian Studies

Your Profile

• Completed MA in a humanities field relevant to the study of modern Iran or Central Asia
• Excellent knowledge of Judeo-Persian and religious thought among Iranian and / or Central Asian Jewish communities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills the languages relevant to your research (Persian, Hebrew, Tajik)
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English, ability to publish academic articles in English
• Openness to interdisciplinary collaboration and dialogue
• Initiative and ability to work in a team

Our Offer

The position is awarded on a fixed-term basis for 36 months for an annual gross salary of € 39.208,80 paid out conditional on proof of enrolment at the University of Vienna. PhD supervision arrangements depend on the chosen focus; further information on supervision can be provided upon e-mail request to Ariane Sadjed [e-mail] .

Please apply online including a (1) cover letter, (2) academic CV and (3) outline of planned dissertation project of research interest later than January 16, 2025. Any queries may be directed to Dr. Ariane Sadjed.

The Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) pursues a non-discriminatory employment policy and places great importance on equal opportunities and diversity. In particular, individuals from underrepresented groups are expressly encouraged to apply.