Professorship for Early Modern History (W2)

About us

The Institute of History is part of Faculty IV – Humanities and Social Sciences. It covers all historical periods, with a regional focus on comparative and entangled history of Western, Eastern, and Northern Europe in a global context (see https://uol.de/geschichte). The Institute is distinguished by internationally recognised research projects and collaborations, including partnerships with the National Archives in London, universities in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom, as well as regional research institutions such as the Landesmuseum Oldenburg, the German Maritime Museum, the Schlossmuseum Jever or the Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege. Through several major collaborative research projects and the joint professorship in Knowledge Processes and Digital Media (based at the German Maritime Museum - Leibniz Institute of Maritime History Bremerhaven (DSM)), the Institute and especially the professorship are closely involved in the development of the field of Digital Humanities at the University of Oldenburg (https://uol.de/en/dssh) and in digitally oriented research. The advertised professorship in Early Modern History will serve as the institutional home for the Academy Project Prize Papers (2017–2037). In addition, existing projects (ProSaDi and DiViAS) provide opportunities to develop and submit follow-up funding proposals.

Your tasks

• You cover the full spectrum of Early Modern History in both research and teaching, addressing the distinctive social and cultural structures and dynamics of this period.
• You establish an independent research area within the field Early modern history supported by third-party funding.
• You actively work on the Academy-Project Prize Papers and will have the opportunity to assume leadership from 2030 onwards.
• In collaboration with the professor for “Knowledge Processes and Digital Media”, you will make a significant contribution to the development of the planned faculty research focus “Entangled Cultures: Digital and Reflexive Data Exploration” and further advance relevant methodologies from a reflexive perspective grounded in cultural methods. You strengthen the institute team-oriented in research and teaching.
• You mentor and promote the academic career development of students and employees.
• You represent the teaching subject Early modern history for all teacher education, bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in its entirety.
• You primarily offer courses in German.
• As the universities of Oldenburg and Bremen are connected by a cooperation agreement, active participation in the cooperation is expected.
• You participate in academic self-governance.
• You promote a university culture that is diverse and equitable.

Your profile

Required:

• You meet the appointment requirements specified in section 25 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG).
• In teaching and research you are specialized in the field of Early modern history and have a focus on global entanglements. You have published in journals with peer review.
• You employ historical methods grounded in Cultural Studies. You have expertise in methods, applications, and data processes of Digital Humanities/Digital History (e.g., insights into data modelling, data handling, research data management, as well as the conception, construction, and further development of digital corpora and the supervision of digital edition projects) and their critical reflection.
• You have successfully acquired competitive third-party funding.
• You have a cooperative working style that fosters a diverse and equitable working environment.
• You have experience in mentoring and promoting academic career development.
• Please outline how your profile relates to the focus areas mentioned above in research and teaching, submitting a separate concept paper of max. 3 pages for each. In so doing, please also address your contributions to the planned research area "Entangled Cultures Digital and Reflexive Data Exploration" as well as to related interdisciplinary/interfaculty collaboration.
• You have a very good command of German. If you do not currently have this level of proficiency, you are willing to acquire sufficient language skills at this level within two years of appointment.
• You have a very good command of English.

Desirable:

You have experience in developing and coordinating collaborations with national and international partners in the field of research data infrastructure.

We offer

• A creative, international and inspiring working environment. We promote interdisciplinary cooperation within the university, with universities and research institutions around the world, as well as renowned university institutes and external research institutions.
• A wide service and advisory offers, e.g. for international researchers, for reconciling family and work or for applying for national, European and international research funding.
• A diverse range of further education offered for all career levels, as well as services for occupational health promotion.
• A certified family-friendly university on a lively and sustainable campus with good infrastructure.

Our standards

The university is committed to transparent and quality-assured procedures. 

We aspire to increase the proportion of female professors and encourage women to apply. Women will be given preference in the selection process in case of equal qualifications.

Applications from people with disabilities or those with equal status will be given preference in the selection process in case of equal suitability, qualifications and performance. To protect your interests, please indicate in your application letter whether you have a disability or equal status.

Contact

For inquiries about the job posting, feel free to reach out to Prof. Dr. Almut Höfert.