"University Assistant postdoctoral"

Your area of responsibility

As a postdoctoral university assistant (40 hours, full-time), you will work in research, teaching and administration at the Department of Near Eastern Studies of the University of Vienna.

As a center for the study of the Near and Middle East, including North Africa, the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Vienna is not only the only institution of its kind in Austria, but also one of the largest such centers in Central Europe. Our research and teaching focuses on Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Arabic and Islamic Studies, as well as Turkish and Ottoman Studies. The Department of Near Eastern Studies is part of the Faculty of Philology and Cultural Studies of the University of Vienna. Through numerous research collaborations with academic institutions worldwide, the department is well connected internationally. Staff and students appreciate the diversity of subjects taught, the interdisciplinary outlook, as well as the international and collegial nature of exchange at our department.

Your responsibilities will include supporting the Chair of Cultural and Intellectual History of the Islamic World in research and teaching, including student supervision and participation in administrative duties at the department. You will be expected to teach independently and to establish and develop an independent research profile in the field of cultural and intellectual history of the Islamic world.

Your future tasks:

You will actively participate in research, teaching and departmental administration. This means:

• Supporting the Chair in Cultural and Intellectual history of the Islamic World.
• Developing an independent research profile in the field of Cultural and Intellectual history of the Islamic World.
• International publication and lecturing activities.
• Participation in the FWF Cluster of Excellence ‘EurAsian Transformations’.
• Supporting the acquisition of third-party funding.
• Preparing a habilitation in the field of Cultural and Intellectual history of the Islamic world.
• Preparing and carrying out teaching duties (in accordance with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement of the university scientific staff).
• Supervising students.
• Participation in evaluation measures and quality assurance.
• Administrative tasks in research and teaching.

This is part of your personality:

• Completed doctoral/PhD studies in Islamic Studies or a related discipline with a focus on Islamic cultural or intellectual history
• Excellent knowledge of Arabic, as well as knowledge of another language (e.g. Persian, Turkish)
• Outstanding dissertation
• Research focus on the religious, cultural and intellectual history of the pre-modern Islamic world
• Research expertise, as demonstrated through international (peer-reviewed) publications & independent research initiatives
• Experience in research management
• Experience in organising workshops, conferences and lecture series
• Experience in independent teaching; excellent teaching skills
• Excellent English skills; a high level of written and oral communication skills
• Good German skills, or a commitment to achieve B2 level German within three years of the start date

What we offer:

Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours, remote/hybrid and/or part-time work (upon agreement).

Inspiring working atmosphere:You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the center of beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.

Fixed-term contract and fair salary:The basic salary of EUR 5.014,30 (14 times a year) for a period of 6 years increases if we can credit professional experience.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!

It is that easy to apply:

• With your cover letter (max. 2 pages)
• With your curriculum vitae
• With your list of publications
• With a summary of research interests and a short description of your project for habilitation (max. 3 pages, excluding literature)
• With your PhD dissertation, and confirmation of the completion of your PhD/doctoral degree
• Contact details of two referees
• Via our job portal / Apply now - button

If you have any questions, please contact:

Katharina Ivanyi
katharina.ivanyi@univie.ac.at

Application deadline: 03/12/2026