Research Assistant
We are recruiting a Research Assistant for Dr. Jason Silverman’s ERC Advanced Grant Project "Work without End: Informal Taxation and Forced Labor within Persian Southern Levantine Temple Economy and Society (WORK-IT)" at the University of Helsinki. WORK-IT will run from Sept 2024 to Aug 2029.
Using temples in the southern Levant under the first Persian Empire as the focus, WORK-IT explores imperial-local socio-economic interaction. The project integrates analysis of informal taxation and forced labor via Bourdieusian field theory in the analysis of Persian-era sources. The analysis of informal taxation and forced labor will be useful to both economists and sociologists via the most up to date ANE data and analyses, bridging the lingering divide between ancient historians and modern social scientists. The ultimate goal is to provide some refined perspectives for the modern theory of preindustrial socio-economic interactions. More information can be found on the website: www.helsinki.fi/work-it
We invite applications for a Research Assistant for a one-year employment contract 13.1.2025-12.1.2026 (or starting as agreed). The selected candidate must be an enrolled student at University of Helsinki.
The tasks include:
• Updating the project website, setting up and running X/BlueSky/Facebook accounts for the project
• Various research support tasks for the team members (e.g. proofreading, editing references, and bibliographies)
• Assisting in the organization of events and conferences
Working hours are flexible and paid by hour. The work is part-time, from 0 to 40 hours per month. The number of weekly hours as well as working hours can be negotiated, so it is possible to combine summer work or traineeships to the position, for example.
The salary for the position is EUR 15,31-15,58/h, depending on previous work experience.
Requirements for the position and assessment of qualifications
The task requires:
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills
• Good information retrieval skills
• Knowledge and interest in science communications/social media
The following would be considered an advantage:
• An interest in the ancient Near East
• Other language skills (ancient languages, French, German)
The work requires practical arrangements at the university, so it cannot be done remotely. The project will provide the research assistant with a shared office on centre campus.
How to apply
Applications should consist of the following English-language documents in PDF format:
- CV
- Transcript of records
- Motivation letter of why you are suitable for this position (1-2 pages in English)
Other attachments, including letters of recommendation or certificates, are not required at this point. The application deadline is 28.11.2024.
Applications must be submitted through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the link below. Please log in to our recruitment system using your personal email address (other than -@helsinki.fi). The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of genders, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and minorities.
Further information about the position can be obtained from Katri Dewald (katri.dewald(at)helsinki.fi). Further information about the recruitment process can be obtained from HR Specialist Reeta Korhonen (hr-teoltdk(at)helsinki.fi).