Job ID: IKW028PR126

At the Institute of Culture Studies (IKW) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW), Austria’s largest non-university institution for basic research, a position is available as

Principal Researcher (f/m/x)

(40 hours per week, Vienna)

starting from January 1, 2027 (expected).

We are seeking an outstanding scholar and established expert in the field of history of science with an excellent academic track record, demonstrated by internationally visible publications in the form of monographs and articles in peer-reviewed journals. The successful candidate should have a strong cultural studies profile, a pronounced openness to interdisciplinary dialogue, team research and a willingness to actively contribute to shaping the research agenda of both the research area and the IKW.

The aim of the position is to conduct research on the history of science in Central Europe within a European and global context.

The successful candidate will have relevant publications on the history of science in Central Europe and situate their work within broader European and global frameworks. The position requires proven expertise in the history of science of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a particular emphasis on the development of research in the natural sciences and research organizations situated between imperial and nation-state science policies.

A strong familiarity with theories and methods from cultural studies and the history of science is expected, as well as international research experience and multilingual proficiency – German and English, and ideally French or Spanish – along with a willingness expressed in the application to acquire third-party funded research projects. The ability to communicate research findings clearly and accessibly is considered an asset.

Job description

The position will be awarded for a period of six years. The minimum annual gross salary for this position is EUR 76.952,12 (full-time based), in accordance with the collective agreement of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW). 

The position will make a key contribution to the further development of the research group “Knowledge Production” at the IKW, which examines Central Europe as a site of globally interconnected knowledge production and analyzes it comparatively with other regions in Europe and worldwide.

Language

Applications can be submitted in either German or English.

Required documents

Merged into one single PDF:

- Cover page with your academic title, your name, affiliation

- Motivation letter (max. 1 page)
- Research proposal including a title of your project and the methodological and theoretical approach (max. 1,200 words, incl. footnotes, excl. bibliography)
- Academic curriculum vitae (max. 3 pages) with an additional list of (selected) publications that demonstrate your qualifications of the advertised position
- Three of your publications most relevant for the advertised position
 

Please send your application including all relevant documents no later than June 5, 2026.

Please send any inquiries and your application via e-mail (as a single PDF file) to: ikw.office@oeaw.ac.at 

Austrian Academy of Sciences

Institute of Culture Studies
Bäckerstraße 13
1010 Vienna
Austria