HUM-PIPF-2025-02 ERC-Funded PhD position on (Re)Constructing the Archaeology of Mobile Pastoral[...]

Organisation / Company Universitat Pompeu Fabra Department Department of Humanities Research Field History » Archaeology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Spain Application Deadline 10 Jul 2025 - 23 : 59 (Europe / Madrid) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37.5 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - ERC Reference Number 101088842 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

One ERC-Funded PhD position on ( Re)Constructing the Archaeology of Mobile Pastoralism (CAMP) Bringing the site level into long-term pastoral narratives

We invite applications for one fully funded, full-time, 3-year PhD position in the context of an ERC Consolidator Grant (101088842) project led by Stefano Biagetti titled : (Re)Constructing the Archaeology of Mobile Pastoralism ( CAMP ) - Bringing the site level into long-term pastoral narratives . The student will be enrolled at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain) and will receive a PhD degree in History at the end of the 3 years.

The successful candidate will be based at the Department of Humanities at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, which hosts Stefano Biagetti’s ERC-funded project. CAMP currently features 2 Postdocs and 2 PhD students. The project is being carried out within the Culture and Socio-Ecological Dynamics research group ( CASEs ), of which Stefano Biagetti is a member. CASEs research group approaches the study of the human past by developing research beyond disciplinary boundaries and combining visions from both archaeology and the natural sciences. The doctoral student will be integrated into the research group and exposed to a lively, international, and productive research environment.

The CAMP project aims to develop an innovative methodology for the study of ancient pastoralism. The project specifically focuses on pastoral sites and adopts a geo-ethnoarchaeological approach based on the study of different proxies from purposely collected soil samples (candidates are strongly recommended to check the project website and social media ). The successful applicant will undertake research related to Work Package 4 (Laboratory analyses) of the CAMP project. The successful candidate may participate in fieldwork in different areas of Africa and Asia.

1. Further details about the PhD topic

PhD project title : Plant Microremains and Geochemical Signatures in Past and Present Contexts : Bridging Archaeobotany, Geoethnoarchaeology, and Pastoralism.

PhD Project Description

This PhD project investigates the relationships between plant microremains (phytoliths and starches) and chemical signatures in both archaeological and ethnographic pastoral contexts, with a focus on drylands.

The PhD student will receive advanced training in :

• Extraction, identification, and interpretation of phytoliths and starches
• Soil geochemistry and elemental analysis (e.g., pXRF, ICP)
• Field sampling in archaeological and ethnographic settings
• Multivariate data integration and interpretation

The project bridges archaeobotany, geoarchaeology, and ethnoarchaeology, contributing to methodological innovation and to broader questions on subsistence, land use, and material traces of human activity in dryland pastoral landscapes.

2. Key responsibilities

The successful candidates will be expected to :

• Apply state-of-the-art methods for the study of microbotanical remains;
• Participate in geo-ethnoarchaeological fieldwork in remote areas, requiring a high capacity for adaptation;
• Attend seminars and conferences organized within the framework of the ERC project and by the CASEs group;
• Publish in high-impact journals;
• Present their research in relevant academic conferences;
• Complete a successful PhD thesis at the end of the three years.

3. Profile of candidates

Candidates must have :

• A Master’s degree in one of the following fields : Archaeology (or related subjects), Plant Biology (or related subjects);
• Demonstrable experience in archaeobotany;
• Excellent oral and written English.

We especially encourage women and minority candidates to apply. Having an interest in and experience with ethnoarchaeology and African archaeology / archaeobotany and botanical microremains will be considered an advantage .

4. Terms and Conditions

The PhD bursary is governed by a pre-doctoral employment contract for research staff at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and is subject to the regulation of UPF doctoral school. It is a fixed-term, full-time contract with a gross annual value of approximately €17,000. Thesuccessful candidate will also have access to funding for conference participation in the 2nd and 3rd years of the PhD.

A good command of English is mandatory. While knowledge of Spanish and Catalan is not a requirement, the successful candidate will have to acquire at competence in one of these languages by the end of the first year of PhD.

The successful candidate will have a working space at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in the Mercè Rodoreda building, Campus de la Ciutadella, in a shared office with other members of the group.

Starting date : 1 st of October 2025 .

5. Applications

Applicants must submit :

• A statement of interest no longer than 5000 characters (including spaces);
• A transcript of the grades obtained in the Master degree;
• The names and addresses of two academic referees.

All applications must be submitted on the Interfolio platform before 10th of July 2025 .

Shortlisted candidates will receive notifications no later than 7 days after the deadline and will be invited to participate in an online interview. The interviews will be scheduled 14 days after the application deadline, at a mutually agreed-upon time and date, between 10 : 00 and 17 : 00. Candidates will be notified of the result of the selection process 1 week at the latest after the interviews.

6. Information

For academic questions about the project and the position, please do not hesitate to contact Stefano Biagetti ( ). For practical information about the position and the application process, please contact Yolanda Pueyo Bayona ( ).

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