Postdoctoral Researcher in Human Bioarchaeology and Isotope Analysis

Job title: Postdoctoral Researcher in Human Bioarchaeology and Isotope Analysis

Company: Masaryk University


Job description: Department: –
Deadline: 1 Jun 2025
Start date: negotiable
Job type: full-time
Job field: Science and researchBursar of the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University announces an open competition for the positionPostdoctoral Researcher in Human Bioarchaeology and Isotope AnalysisWorkplace: Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic
Type of Contract: temporary with a fixed term ending in December 2026, non-academic
Working Hours: 1,0 FTE (full-time employment of 40 hours per week)
Expected Start Date: Between 1 August and 1 September 2025 or negotiable with respect to immigration timelines for non-EU candidates
Number of Open Positions: 1
Pay: CZK 45,000-50,000 gross wage per month (based on experience)
Application Deadline: 1. 6. 2025
: R2About the Workplaceis modern, dynamic and the most attractive university in the Czech Republic with ten faculties, more than 6500 staff and 33 000 students, a wide range of research areas and a strong international position. We are the largest academic employer in the South Moravian Region.MU, a holder of the by the European Commission, is a research-oriented faculty, offering university education (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs) closely linked to both primary and applied research and high school teaching of the following sciences: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth sciences. We are the most productive scientific unit of the Masaryk University generating around 40 % of MU research results.at the Faculty of Science MUNI is an academic, research- and education-oriented institution which focuses on the study of interactions between biological, social and cultural aspects of humankind. We are a modern institution oriented on current trends in education, offering Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. degrees, consistently with more than a hundred of students in the undergraduate programs and currently with eight students in the Ph.D. program. From the very beginning, students are offered intensive training in topics of biological and socio-cultural anthropology. They are encouraged to participate in department’s research projects which contributes crucially to their success in the job market after graduation. The research activities are anchored in the tradition embodying the biological and the behavioral aspect of mankind. Many of our top-tier research projects aim to apply scientific knowledge in practice – emphasis is given on developing methods for the fields of forensic anthropology or on multi-disciplinary collaboration projects which address nutritional status or modelling of human growth and development in childhood and adolescence. The department’s labs are equipped with cutting-edge technologies for 3D data acquisition of human body morphology and advanced biological data processing. In addition, advanced evaluation of nutritional status and other somatic characteristics as well as assessment of prehistorical and historical skeletal remains is conducted in our facilities utilizing state-of-the-art equipment. Currently, the Department of Anthropology includes 17 faculty members and researchers who are involved in teaching, conducting research and promoting science. For more information, please visit its website at .The Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position from highly motivated and dedicated candidates to contribute to the advancement of its academic community.Job DescriptionThe successful candidate will contribute to the transMUtation project (Moving toward a TRANSformaTive bioarchaeology of cremATION in Czech republic and beyond) led by Dr. Kévin Salesse and supported by his MUNI Award in Science and Humanities JUNIOR ( ).Key Duties:The postdoctoral research activities will focus on:

• Collecting archaeological and, where applicable, modern samples of humans, animals, and plants, and carrying out chemical pretreatments prior to outsourced isotope measurements.
• Investigating mobility patterns and provenance using isotope data for both inhumated and cremated individuals from bi-ritual and mono-ritual cemeteries, spanning various time periods across Central Europe, including the Czech Republic.
• Conducting isotope-based analysis of diachronic dietary trends among non-cremated individuals concurrently studied for mobility.
• Contributing to the development of a country-wide, multi-isotope isoscape (strontium, oxygen and potentially sulphur) for the Czech Republic using modern samples to enhance isotope-based geographic assignments in bioarchaeology.
• Leading the development of new data collection protocols and expanding the scope of data in the IsoArcH database.

The successful candidate will lead and co-author publications in top-tier international journals. The candidate will join a dynamic interdisciplinary research environment in human bioarchaeology at the Department of Anthropology, Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic), with access to state-of-the-art isotope laboratory facilities under the guidance of Dr. Kévin Salesse. Career-advancing opportunities are available, including teaching, isotope-driven research for other projects, and outreach activities, in coordination with the principal investigator of the transMUtation project.Skills and QualificationsThe applicant must have:

• A PhD in anthropology, bioarchaeology, archaeology, geochemistry, geology, geography, or a related field;
• Proven experience with standard methodologies in isotope-based provenance and dietary reconstruction analysis;
• Strong team spirit and good communication skills, both oral and written, in English (B2 or above).

The applicant should have:

• Interest or hands-on experience in sampling and sample preparation for isotope analysis; and/or,
• Experience with relevant programming languages and statistical analysis; and/or,
• Interest or proven experience with GIS modelling; and/or,
• Knowledge of Czech or Slovak; and/or,
• Valid B driving license.

Informal inquiries about the position can be sent to Dr. Kévin Salesse, email .We Offer

• An interesting job in a dynamically-expanding university area
• Flexible working hours and occasional home office to support personal needs in family and career compatibility
• Employee benefits (such as 6 weeks of paid vacation per year, pension insurance contribution or nursery/children´s group allowance, a financial meal allowance, lunches in canteens of MU, Multisport card, vaccinations free of charge, discounted language courses, exclusive mobile tariff offer by Vodafone, childcare groups at Campus and Komenského náměstí)
• Opportunity to work and live in a

(for more information on costs of living, you can refer to ) provides support with your relocation to BrnoApplication ProcessThe application shall be submitted online by 1 June 2025 via an e-application, please find the reference to the e-application in the beginning and end of the advertisement.The candidate shall provide following:

• A curriculum vitae (max. 5 pages, in English);
• A letter of motivation (max. 3 pages, in English) explaining the candidate’s interest and experience in the position research activities described above;
• Contact information for two potential referees familiar with the candidate’s academic background, along with a brief description of the nature of your relationship with each.

After submitting your application successfully, you will receive an automatic confirmation email from jobs.muni.cz.Selection ProcessReceived applications will be considered carefully in line with . Selection criteria: (i) meeting qualification requirements described above, (ii) all required documents provided.Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a personal or online interview.The Faculty Recruitment Policy (OTM-R) can be seen .Faculty of Science, Masaryk University is an equal opportunity employer. We support diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. .We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Expected salary: 45000 – 50000 per month

Location: Brno, Jihomoravský

Job date: Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:09:40 GMT

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