Post-doctorant.e Grand Programme PSL "Faire Collection"

Ecole Normale Supérieure; France; Sur place; EUR 40 000 - 60 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading research institution in France is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher in History to analyze texts and contribute to the GPR Faire Collection’s scientific activities. The ideal candidate will hold a PhD in History and have experience in research and teaching, specifically regarding the history of the book and publishing. Proficiency in French is essential, with knowledge of two foreign languages preferred. This role requires collaboration on various research projects, contributing to scientific publications, and attending seminars.

Qualifications

• PhD in History obtained within three years prior to application deadline.
• Experience in an international research context.
• Demonstrated research activity through publications.

Responsabilités

• Analyse printed and digital catalogues, loan registers.
• Collaborate on developing a bio-bibliographical database.
• Contribute to scientific events and publications.

Connaissances

Research experience

Teaching experience

Knowledge of the history of the book

Proficiency in French

Knowledge of two foreign languages

Strong communication abilities

Teamwork

Formation

PhD in History

Outils

WordPress

Omeka S

Description du poste

Organisation/Company Ecole Normale Supérieure Department IHMC Research Field History Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Postdoc Positions Country France Application Deadline 5 Jan 2026 - 18:00 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37.5 Offer Starting Date 1 Apr 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

ACTIVITES PRINCIPALES

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WORK ENVIRONMENT (host structure for the position)

The Institut d’Histoire Moderne et Contemporaine (IHMC, UMR 8066), for which ENS-PSL is one of the supervising institutions, is one of the leading research units in France in the field of modern and contemporary history. The IHMC’s mission is to study, over the long term, the historical processes that have shaped the modern world since the fifteenth century. The modern and contemporary periods are approached as a single historical cycle – that of modernity – characterised in particular by the intensification of circulations and exchanges and by the continuous expansion of interconnected spaces, both within and beyond Europe.

Its scientific activities, along with the individual and collective work carried out by its members, are organised around six major research axes collectively defined in 2023 for the new 2024–2028 five-year contract. The IHMC leads numerous research programmes and scientific collaborations at both national and international levels, including the PSL GPR “Faire Collection,” jointly conducted with EPHE-PSL, within which the advertised position is situated.

The postdoctoral researcher will be hosted in the IHMC offices located on the ENS-PSL campus at 45 rue d’Ulm.

Holding a PhD in History obtained less than three years ago, and demonstrating expertise in the history of the book and the history of education in the early modern period, the postdoctoral researcher will be recruited by the École normale supérieure / Paris Sciences et Lettres (www.ens.fr ) and affiliated with the IHMC. He/She will conduct research within the project Enquête sur les textes en traduction dans les collections patrimoniales PSL, directed by Maria Pia Donato.

The project focuses on the translation of scientific literature, its intellectual stakes and pedagogical uses, as well as the material legacy of these practices in the PSL heritage collections (specifically those of the École Normale Supérieure, the École des Mines de Paris, the École Pratique des Hautes Études, and the École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de Paris) between the late eighteenth and early twentieth centuries—an era marked by the significant expansion of editorial production, higher education, and libraries. The project offers a critical reassessment of the activities carried out within these institutions through the study of translations, understood both as texts and as objects.

The research team in which the postdoctoral fellow will be integrated will focus on the analysis of catalogues, acquisition registers and, where available, loan registers, complemented by the examination of individual copies in search of marginalia and other traces of use. Subsequently, the project will explore the involvement of members of these institutions in the international translation market—as translators, preface authors, and scientific editors—based on additional sources, including school journals and official publications, theses, as well as the personal archives and private collections of professors and scholars.

The researcher will also be expected to contribute to the activities of the GPR Faire Collection, in particular by supporting the organisation of the transversal seminar, participating in seminar sessions, and contributing to the GPR website through regular monitoring and updates on the activities of affiliated projects (News section).

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• Analyse printed and digital catalogues, acquisition registers, and loan registers of the ENS, EPHE, Mines Paris, and ESPCI.
• Contribute to the development of a bio-bibliographical database.
• Examine surviving physical copies of translated texts held in the libraries of these institutions.
• Write research posts (for the Hypothèses blog and the Faire Collection programme website) and prepare an article for a peer‑reviewed journal.
• Collaborate in the organisation of scientific events at both the GPR Faire Collection level (transversal seminar) and within the Enquête project.
• Contribute to updating and maintaining the GPR Faire Collection website.

The position is part of the PSL Grand Programme Faire Collection. As such, the postdoctoral fellow will be required to participate in and present their research at the GPR seminar, to write research posts, and—together with the project’s scientific coordinator, Maria Pia Donato—draft a contribution for the Explore PSL website.

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field History Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

COMPETENCES ATTENDUES

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EXPECTED COMPETENCIES

Degree: PhD in History (thesis defended within the three years preceding the application deadline).

Professional Experience:

• Research and teaching experience in an international context.
• Research activity demonstrated through scientific publications.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of issues and methods in the history of the book and publishing, as well as elements of library science and the history of pedagogy.
• Proficiency in French (native level or DALF C2 certified).
• Knowledge of two foreign languages; basic competence in additional modern languages is also desirable.

Technical Skills:

• Experience using tools and/or collaborative platforms for bibliographic description.
• Familiarity with Wordpress and/or Omeka S environments.

Interpersonal Skills:

• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to organise and conduct research independently.

Languages FRENCH Level Excellent

Research Field History Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Additional Information

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Position start date: 1 April or 1 May 2026
Primary workplace: Paris
Workload: 100%
Salary: According to institutional pay scale and experience

Selection process

MODALITES DES CANDIDATURES

• A curriculum vitae (including a list of publications)