The Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, School of Culture and Society, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, invites applications for an 18 month fixed-term postdoctoral position in the study of historic archaeological collections relating to, and emanating from, St Croix, USVI (former Dansk Vestindien).

The appointment begins in Summer 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The university is keen for its staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified applicants regardless of their personal background.

Research context

We are looking for an innovative and dedicated scholar with a background in heritage, archaeology and / or history with a focus on community, preferably with some experience of working in the Caribbean or a similar context.

This position is made possible by a DFF Project II grant for the project Enduring Materialities of Colonialism: temporality, spatiality and memory on St Croix, USVI (2019-2024). The project is led by Dr Laura McAtackney and includes working in partnership with a range of colleagues Dr Magdalena Naum, Aarhus University, Dr Krysta Ryzewski, Wayne State University, and Dr Meredith Hardy, National Park Service (USVI). This is a project based on co-production and knowledge exchange with the communities we are working with on St Croix and that includes a commitment to communicating the results of the research on the island and in Denmark as well as through academic outputs. It is an interdisciplinary project that has an emphasis on researching the role of material remnants of colonialism in providing new insights into the experiences of the colonial past and considering if, and how, they continue to shape memory and identity on the contemporary island.

The successful applicant is expected to participate in project activities, especially working with various communities on the island to explore what they identify as ‘their’ (individual and collective) heritage. This project will include project activities on St Croix with the expectation of spending periods of at least two weeks on the island (if not longer; this aspect is to be negotiable). They will be part of a team based at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Moesgaard Campus, Aarhus and will be expected to take an active part in departmental activities including lectures, seminars, and workshops when in Denmark.

The position

The successful applicant is expected to work with Dr McAtackney and other members of the EMoC team in carrying out their research.

Applicants are asked to submit:

• An uptodate academic CV and cover letter
• a concise statement of motivation for applying for the position indicating how their experience relates to the project aims and objectives [maximum one page]
• a maximum of five publications
• teaching portfolio

The successful applicant will be expected to:

• conduct their research independently through a collaborative ethos within the EMoC team on aspects of community heritage on St Croix.
• to maintain the project Deep Heritage Map and project website, including adding new material derived from their fieldwork.
• To work with project colleagues in creating heritage outputs, including signage and tourist interpretation that brings together documentary, photographic and oral research in interpreting the meaning of sites and places on the island.
• co-Lead on producing a public-orientated, and academically rigorous, output entitled ‘St Croix in 50 Objects’.
• Upto 10% of research time may be allocated to completing research responding to outcomes from project fieldwork on St Croix, this may include making connections between newly located material culture and pre-existing collections. 
• present their research at international meetings and publish results in peer-reviewed, international scientific journals
• contribute to the organisation of research workshops and international conferences hosted at Aarhus University and on St Croix.

Teaching

The position may involve a small amount of teaching as agreed with the Head of the Department and the project lead.

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant will be expected to exchange knowledge with various sectors of society and to contribute actively to public debate in areas related to the position.

Qualifications

Applicants for this position must hold a PhD degree in archaeology, heritage studies, museum studies, colonial history or a related field relevant to the job description.

Applicants must document:

• doctoral-level experience of working with theory and / or practice of community heritage and / or public archaeology.
• evidence of working with communities in conjunction with a public archaeology / history or heritage program.  
• an international research profile with relevant publications or potential to achieve such a profile.
• fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable attributes:

• knowledge of historic Danish colonialism, especially in the Caribbean, and the relationship between archaeology, heritage and colonialism.
• experience of disseminating research to the public, especially working with museums and heritage institutions.

The research activities will be evaluated in relation to the actual research time. We therefore encourage applicants to specify any periods of leave they may have had without research activities (e.g. maternity/paternity leave), so we can subtract these periods from the span of their academic career when evaluating their productivity.

The application must be submitted in English.

Please upload a maximum of five publications alongside your application. Only submitted publications will be assessed; a list of publications is not sufficient. As a result, applications without submitted publications will not be assessed.

Professional references or recommendations should not be included. Applicants who are selected for an interview may be asked to provide professional references.

For further information about the position, please contact laura.mcatackney@cas.au.dk

For more information about the application, please contact HR supporter Marianne Birn,e-mail mbb@au.dk.

The work environment

The Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Aarhus University is one of the largest and most active archaeology and heritage studies departments in the Nordic countries. It is a dynamic research environment that hosts a number of major research projects. The environment is versatile and cross-disciplinary with academic staff from many disciplinary foci and international backgrounds. Academic staff’s interests span topics from war and power to mobility and globalization with a particular focus on creative methodological approaches to understanding the past and how it shapes the present.

Read more https://cas.au.dk/en/about-the-school/departments/archaeology-and-heritage-studies/

School of Culture and Society

At the School of Culture and Society the object of research and teaching is the interplay between culture and society in time and space:

• From the traditional disciplines of the humanities and theology to applied social research
• From Antiquity to the issues facing contemporary societies
• From local questions to global challenges.

The school’s goal is to produce compelling research with an international resonance, as well as offering teaching and talent development of high quality. The school has a broad cooperative interface with society, both in Denmark and abroad, and contributes to social innovation, research communication and further and continuing education. 
For further information about the school, please see http://cas.au.dk/en/.
 

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

 

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Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,000 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 885 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/