Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d/x)

Position overview

Leipzig University’s Department of History, within the Faculty of History, Art and Area Studies and the Professorship for Early Modern History, is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher (m/f/d/x). The vacancy was published on 10.06.2026 and carries the reference number 68/2026.

The position is assigned a planned pay grade of 13 TV-L. It is fixed for 4 years, matching the duration of the externally funded project. The role corresponds to 100% of a full-time position. The intended start date is 1 October 2026.

Part-time work is not available for operational reasons: the research tasks cannot be split, coordination must happen within the team, and the project outputs must be delivered within the funding period.

About Leipzig University

Leipzig University, founded in 1409, is among Germany’s largest universities and has a strong reputation in research and medical education. It has around 30,000 students and over 5,000 employees across 14 faculties. The university offers an international, forward-looking working environment with broad opportunities in research, teaching, knowledge and technology transfer, infrastructure, and administration.

About the project

The project titled “Towards a natural-cultural history of the early modern period” is located at the Professorship for Early Modern History and receives four years of funding through the Volkswagen Foundation’s Momentum programme. It contributes to current international discussions about history-writing in the Anthropocene by bringing in a pre-industrial perspective that remains underrepresented. The project combines original research with knowledge transfer aimed at teacher training and continuing professional development.

Role and key tasks

• Develop and carry out an original research project on the natural-cultural history of the early modern period, with the goal of supporting further academic qualification such as habilitation or a second book.
• Help enhance the academic profile of the Professorship for Early Modern History in the field of natural-cultural history.
• Act as deputy project director.
• Contribute to the professorship’s research, teaching, and transfer activities.
• Deliver one course per semester, each with 2 semester hours.

Candidate profile

The ideal candidate should have a strong academic background in history or a closely related discipline linked to the project’s subject area. A PhD in history is required, ideally with a focus on early modern history. Applicants should also bring a suitable research agenda for further academic qualification in early modern natural-cultural history, teaching experience in higher education, and solid empirical research skills based on early modern sources.

Good command of both English and German is expected at B2 level. The role also requires openness to interdisciplinary work, a collaborative mindset, and a willingness to engage in academic exchange.

What the university offers

• A responsible position in the dynamic setting of a large university.
• Involvement in an innovative research project with clear social relevance.
• A supportive, friendly, and high-performing team environment.
• A stimulating setting for both disciplinary and interdisciplinary exchange.
• Targeted support for academic development during the postdoctoral stage.
• Flexible working hours and the option of mobile working to support work-life balance.
• Access to structured training and professional development opportunities.
• A well-equipped workplace beside the library, in an inspiring academic environment and an attractive city.
• A broad range of corporate health management services.
• Pay in line with the collective agreement for the German states, including an annual bonus and company pension scheme.
• Excellent public transport connections and the option to buy a discounted transport ticket, including a Deutschlandticket commuter pass.
• Wide-ranging food and beverage options in the cafeterias and cafés of the Leipzig Student Services Association.

Equal opportunity and accessibility

Leipzig University is committed to increasing the number of women in leadership and responsibility-bearing positions and therefore strongly encourages qualified women to apply. Applicants with severe disabilities, or those legally treated as equivalent under Book IX of the German Social Code, are also encouraged to apply and will be given preference if equally suitable.

If you need accessibility support or assistance with the application process, you may contact the university’s disability representatives at schwerbehindertenvertretung@uni-leipzig.de.

Application details

Please submit your usual application documents by 30 June 2026, including a synopsis of a relevant research project (habilitation or second book), a list of publications, and a teaching list, quoting reference number 68/2026. Applications should be addressed to Prof. Dr. Julia Schmidt-Funke, Professor of Early Modern History.

For questions about the vacancy, please contact Prof. Dr. Julia Schmidt-Funke by telephone at +49 341 97 - 37101.

Additional information

This appointment is tied to an externally funded project and is therefore limited to 4 years. The role is based in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany, and is intended for on-site work.