Research Assistant in Early Modern Global History

KINGS COLLEGE LONDON; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in the UK seeks a Research Assistant for the ERC project investigating New Christian material culture from 1450-1750. The ideal candidate holds an MA in Early Modern History and has reading capabilities in either Spanish or Portuguese. You will work closely with the project team led by Professor Francisco Bethencourt. The position offers a salary range of £39,076 - £42,819 per annum, starting 1st January 2026 or as soon as possible.

Responsibilities

• Participate in building a database with bibliographical information related to New Christians.
• Collaborate with the research team on the ERC project.
• Possibly undertake a research mission to archives in Lisbon and Funchal.

Skills

MA in Early Modern History

Reading capacity of Spanish and Portuguese

Awareness of early modern Southern Europe and New Christian history

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Minimum knowledge of database operations

Capacity for preparing meetings

Job description

Overview

Organisation/Company KINGS COLLEGE LONDON
Research Field History
Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) First Stage Researcher (R1)
Country United Kingdom
Application Deadline 5 Oct 2025 - 00:00 (UTC)
Type of Contract Other
Job Status Full-time
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

About us

King’s History is an intellectual home for scholars of every region of the world, who use approaches which range from local micro-histories to large-scale quantitative analysis. We particularly value conversation between scholars of different periods and places, with different approaches. We also value the close connection between historical research and the world beyond the academy.

We are proud of our diverse, ambitious student body, and of the lively community of historians they form. Our undergraduate curriculum introduces students to world history from the early medieval period to the present; it then offers students pathways to study every continent through their second and third years. Our MA provision is similarly broad, developing students’ expertise in medieval, early modern and modern world history. Our PhD students and early career researchers are appointed to many of the top positions in their field.

We are currently (2024) the 6thbest History department in the UK, and 23rd in the world, according to QS University Rankings.

About the role

Full-time one-year Research Assistant to work on the ERC project New Christian Materiality 1450-1750 (Materia), which will start on January 1, 2026. The project is based in the Department of History, King’s College London. The RA will be expected to work closely with the PI, Professor Francisco Bethencourt, and the rest of the project team, composed in the first year by two PDRAs, and one PhD student. The purpose is to build a database with all the bibliographical information on New Christians and material culture that is relevant to the research. Research will be guided by the following question: How did New Christians use material culture to enhance their social status?

There could be a research mission to the archives of Lisbon and Funchal. The researcher must have the capacity to participate actively in teamwork while developing this line of inquiry.

This is a full-time, fixed term post starting from 1st January 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter for 1 year.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

• MA in Early Modern History
• Reading capacity of Spanish and Portuguese (at least one of these languages)
• Awareness of early modern Southern Europe and New Christian history
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Minimum knowledge of database operations
• Capacity for preparing meetings related to the expertise area

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King\'s.

It is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our‘How we Recruit' ’ pages.

Details

Grade and Salary: £39,076 - £42,819 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance
Job ID: 125045
Close Date: 05-Oct-2025
Contact Person: Professor Francisco Bettencourt
Contact Details: [e-mail]