Research Associates (all genders welcome)

The Department of Musicology at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen is looking to fill the positions of three Research Associates (all genders welcome) within the European Research Council project “Vibrant Environmentality: Sonic Agentivity in the Anthropocene” [VibE] (see https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/709362.html) who implement case studies. Position (1) is for research on sonic agentivity in shamanic music-making practices in Mongolia vis-à-vis the negotiation of social relationships with spirited beings and non-human actors; (2) is for research on sonic agentivity within small-scale Indigenous fishing in sea-nomadic communities in the Southeast Asian Island world; and position (3) is for research on sonic agentivity and musical engagement with the South Asian Himalayas. As part of the project, one can advance one's academic work, for example, by writing a dissertation based on the VibE case study. The regular working hours will be 31.84 hours/week (80 %). Salary: Pay grade 13 TV-L. The contract will be initially for three years with a further two-year extension, subject to a performance review. Requirements: Successful candidates will have an excellent academic track record, a master’s degree or equivalent in ethnomusicology, music studies more broadly, or a closely related discipline, and expertise in the area of study relevant to their case study. We expect strong interest in the intersections between music and postcoloniality, a high level of interest in theoretical and methodological reflection, and willingness to both contribute to the wider research project and implement fieldwork. The applicants are willing to work as members of the ERC research group and have a high proficiency in English; a good command of languages relevant to the case studies is highly desirable. The posts are designed to support young researchers and scientists; successful applicants will be given the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. Applicants who have earned a Ph.D. are also welcome. Commencement: 1 November 2026 or soon after. The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities will be given preference. A disability or equality is to be included in the application in order to protect the interests of the applicant. Please send your application with the usual documents (also in electronic form) by 1 September 2026 to Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Dept. of Musicology, Prof. Dr. Birgit Abels, Heinrich-Düker-Weg 14, D-37073 Göttingen, E-Mail: babels@gwdg.de If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Birgit Abels (babels@gwdg.de). Please note: With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the https://uni-goettingen.de/GDPR