Research Associate for the Project Group “Turning Rock into Pixels: The Jewish Cemetery Altona” § 28 Subsection 1+3 HmbHG

Institution: Cluster of Excellence „Understanding Written Artefacts“

Salary level: EGR. 13 TV-L

Start date: as soon as possible, fixed for a period of three years. (This is a fixed-term contract in accordance with Section 2 of the academic fixed-term labor contract act [Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG]).

Application deadline: 2026-04-08

Scope of work: part-time

Weekly hours: 75 % of standard work hours per week

The Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ (UWA) and the Institute for Jewish Studies are looking for a doctoral researcher in the field of Jewish Studies. UWA offers an exciting opportunity to research handwritten artefacts across materials, periods and regions within a collaborative team of doctoral, postdoctoral and senior/professorial researchers. You will be part of an international team of researchers from across over forty disciplines in the Humanities, the Natural Sciences and Computer Science. The Institute for Jewish Studies is one of the leading institutions in the German-speaking world for the study of Jewish intellectual and cultural history, and it is part of the Department of Religions, closely collaborating with the Alevi, Islamic, Protestant and Catholic theology, the Academy of World Religions and other religion-related subjects and chairs in the Faculty of Humanities.

Your responsibilities

75% of standard working hours in the first year and 25% in the second and third year:

Duties include academic services in the project named above. Research associates may also pursue further academic qualifications outside of their work responsibilities. They may also pursue doctoral studies outside of working duties.

50% of standard working hours in the second and third year:

Research associates will be expected primarily to teach and conduct research. The research associate will also have the opportunity to pursue further academic qualifications, in particular a doctoral dissertation.

The core focus of this position is your three-year individual research project, which will form the foundation of your contribution to the interdisciplinary group “Turning Rock into Pixels”. The group aims to explore the rich cultural heritage of the Jewish cemetery in Hamburg-Altona, which features over 7,000 inscribed tombstones and includes scholars from the fields of Human-Computer Interaction, Mineralogy, Historical Research and Jewish Studies. Further information can be found on the .

You must apply with your own project proposal (3­-5 pages plus bibliography; designed for a duration of three years) with which you may pursue an approach according to your field and interest, as long as it takes into account the materiality of the sources and fits the overall research programme of the cluster UWA. The project may focus, for example, on the social, cultural, legal, or religious aspects of communities in Altona, Wandsbek, and Hamburg during the early modern period, or it may focus on a digital humanities component, employing quantitative and statistical methods to analyse tombstones, familial connections, or iconographic features. Alongside your individual research project, you will contribute to the acquisition and review of archival materials relevant to the research infrastructure being established by the group.

Furthermore, you will actively contribute to the cluster's interdisciplinary graduate school and collaborative research activities. These activities include participating in research meetings, organising scholarly events, and developing relevant networks.

During the first year of your appointment, you will work exclusively within the cluster UWA. From the second year onward, the position will be co-funded with the Institute for Jewish Studies (50%). At that stage, your role will expand to include teaching one course per semester (2 LVS), taking part in institute administration, and continuing your research and participation in the project group. There may be the possibility of extending the position.

Your profile

A university degree (Master or equivalent) in Jewish Studies or a closely related discipline is preferred. You have a keen interest in interdisciplinary and comparative research and ideally first experience in archival research.

Fluent written and spoken English is required, knowledge of German is desirable. Further preferred qualifications and experience include:

• knowledge of Hebrew or other languages relevant for the research project (such as Portuguese, Judeo-Spanish, or Yiddish)
• ability to work in a team and engage in collaboration across disciplinary boundaries
• structured and independent working style

We offer

Reliable remuneration based on wage agreements

Continuing education opportunities

University pensions

Attractive location

Flexible working hours

Work-life balance opportunities

Health management, EGYM Wellpass

Educational leave

30 days of vacation per annum

The successful candidate can benefit from a range of tailored support measures at the Cluster, which include,

• enrolment in the clusters with an interdisciplinary structured PhD programme
• additional funding for a range of research activities, including fieldwork
• doctoral mentoring programmes
• workshops to support your academic skills as well as your career planning
• promoting

Universität Hamburg—University of Excellence is one of the strongest research educational institutions in Germany. Our work in research, teaching, educational and knowledge exchange activities is fostering the next generation of responsible global citizens ready to tackle the global challenges facing us. Our guiding principle “Innovating and Cooperating for a Sustainable Future in a digital age” drives collaboration with academic and nonacademic partner institutions in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and around the world. We would like to invite you to be part of our community to work with us in creating sustainable and digital change for a dynamic and pluralist society.

The University of Hamburg is committed to equity. Diversity enriches our university life, whether in our studies, research, teaching, education, or workplace. We therefore welcome all applications, regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or social background, age, religion or belief, disability, or chronic illness.

Severely disabled and disabled applicants with the same status will receive preference over equally qualified non-disabled applicants.

Instructions for applying

Contact

Prof. Dr. Patrick Benjamin Koch

Location

Warburgstraße 26-28
22354 Hamburg

Reference number

72

Application deadline

2026-04-08

Use only the online application form to submit your application with the following documents:

• cover letter
• research proposal of the intended PhD project (3-5 pages plus bibliography)
• CV
• copies of degree certificate(s)

Applications will be reviewed shortly after the application deadline and selection interviews will take place soon after.

If you experience technical problems, send an email to .

More information on in selection procedures.