The ERC project Linguistic Adaptation has opened two positions for postdoctoral researchers for a fixed term of 3 years, starting in the Fall of 2019.
The postdoctoral researchers will study sociolinguistic and sociohistorical environments in a large number of languages in collaboration with the other team members and visiting researchers. One of the main aims of the project is to develop new methodology for comparing sociolinguistic environments to one another by synthesizing large-scale typological approach with rich sociolinguistic and sociohistorical analyses of societies. The postdoctoral researchers will analyze these environments by transforming sociolinguistic and ethnographic data as well as data acquired from specialists into a typology of sociolinguistic environments.
The researchers’ duties include designing a sociolinguistic typology of speech communities, analyzing sociolinguistic environments in a large number of languages, presenting their research at seminars and academic conferences, and publishing the results in collaboration with the other team members.
The appointees must hold a doctoral degree in linguistics or other relevant field by the time of appointment. A solid experience in sociolinguistics and historical linguistics or language contact are essential. Experience in working on multilingualism, social network structures, or language geography are desirable; working with questionnaires, language typology, and computational methods are an asset but not a requirement (see the calls for more detailed information). The candidates should have excellent analytical and methodological skills, and be able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary scientific research community. The successful candidates are expected to have excellent skills in written and oral English, and possess the teaching skills required for the position. Skills in Finnish or Swedish are not required. Relocation costs can be negotiated and the director will offer help and information for the practicalities, if needed.
The project Linguistic Typology is functioning in the Faculty of Arts, located in the City Centre Campus of the University of Helsinki.
The salary for the position will be based on level 5 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The gross salary is EUR 41,000 – 50,000 per month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. The position will be filled with a 6 months trial period.
Further information on the position may be obtained from Kaius Sinnemäki, the PI of the project.
Applications should be submitted using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the Apply link (https://rekry.helsinki.fi/start). Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application via the SAP HR portal. The deadline for applications May 13, 2019.