Research assistant (praedoc) (m/f/d) With 65% part-time job limited to 31.12.2028 salary grade [...]

Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 35.000 - 50.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading research university in Berlin is seeking a candidate for a research project focused on the linguistic history of the Indo-Iranian Frontier. The role includes conducting linguistic fieldwork in Pakistan and contributing to historical-comparative studies. Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field and demonstrate willingness to work under challenging conditions. This position offers a unique opportunity to pursue a PhD thesis related to Yidgha language description.

Qualifikationen

• Master’s degree or equivalent in linguistics, Indo-European studies, Iranian studies, or indology.
• Willingness to conduct fieldwork under challenging conditions.
• Interest in historical linguistics and ability to work in a team.

Aufgaben

• Conduct linguistic fieldwork on Yidgha in Pakistan.
• Work with archival materials on Munji.
• Contribute to historical-comparative work, including etymological coding.

Kenntnisse

Linguistic fieldwork

Teamwork

Historical linguistics

Intercultural communication

IT skills

Ausbildung

Master’s degree in a relevant field

Jobbeschreibung

The research project "The Linguistic (Pre-)History of the Indo-Iranian Frontier," funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the Emmy Noether Program, examines the modern languages of the Indo-Iranian Frontier (present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan). It aims to gain a more comprehensive picture of the region's linguistic history and prehistory through a close integration of field research and empirical‑descriptive work with historical‑comparative studies. One subproject each focuses on representatives of the Indo‑Iranian subbranches Iranian (Yidgha‑Munji), Nuristani (Prasun), and Indo‑Aryan (Kunar group). Next to descriptive work in the modern languages, historical comparison with earlier‑attested stages of Iranian (Old and Middle Iranian) and Indo‑Aryan (Old and Middle Indo‑Aryan) is another important component of the project.

Job Description

• Doing linguistic fieldwork on Yidgha in Pakistan.
• Working with archival materials on Munji.
• Contributing to historical‑comparative work as part of the project team (e.g., etymological coding of word lists, constructing databases on historical phonology).
• The third‑party‑funded research project provides an opportunity to do a doctorate: Writing a PhD thesis on a topic related to Yidgha language description or the history of the Yidgha‑Munji group.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., linguistics, Indo‑European studies, Iranian studies, indology).

Desirable

• Willingness to conduct linguistic fieldwork under potentially challenging conditions.
• Interest in historical linguistics.
• Ability to work in a team.
• Previous experience with ancient and/or modern Indo‑Iranian languages.
• Communicative competence in / willingness to acquire basic knowledge of one of the regional contact languages (Persian, Pashto, Urdu, Khowar).
• Familiarity with the methods of historical linguistics (comparative method, linguistic reconstruction).
• Previous experience or theoretical familiarity with the methods of linguistic fieldwork.
• Competence and experience in intercultural communication.
• Experience working with digital databases and other IT skills.