The postdoctoral researcher compiles a technical and critical description of relevant archives for COLFIN. The successful candidate will be expected to have a high level of competence and motivation to undertake the following tasks:

• Describing relevant archives, with an attention to their historical formation and omissions;
• Conducting interviews with archivists to understand the archives’ formation, sources and silences;
• Contributing to developing a research protocol for the COLFIN researchers with archival directions and appropriate search terms;
• Contributing to developing the COLFIN ethics protocol;
• Present intermediate research results at international workshops and conferences;
• Contribute to the organisation of research activities and events of the project, such as the launch workshop;
• Working with and helping set up the COLFIN team;
• Preparing 2 (co-authored) journal article publications;
• Contribute to the research culture of the AISSR and the Transnational Configurations research group more broadly, for example by doing guest lectures and research presentations.

It may be possible to supplement the position with 0,2 teaching in the Political Science programme, depending on the candidate’s willingness and the department’s needs.

The successful candidate will have proven affinity with archival research, critical and ethical approaches to colonial archives and an interest in political-economic and/or cultural history.

Ideal candidates:

• Have a completed PhD degree in a field relevant to the theme of the research, for example: International Politics, International Political Economy, Cultural History, or European Studies;
• Have a track record of relevant publications;
• Are persons with initiative, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work independently as well as in a team;
• Have well-developed analytical skills as well as creativity and perseverance;
• Possess good academic writing, presentation and organisational skills;
• Can demonstrate a strong interest in the topic of this research project;
• Have experience with archival research;
• Are able to communicate effectively in English both orally and in writing;
• Knowledge of multiple European languages beyond English  is an asset (in particular, Dutch or Spanish);

The Postdoctoral researcher will be appointed at the department of Political Science of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences and will conduct the research in the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) . We are offering a fixed-term, part-time contract of 30.4 hours per week (0.8 FTE) for a maximum period of 18 months, with a probationary period of 2 months.

The salary will range from € 4,728 to €6,433 gross per month on a full-time basis (38 hours per week), in accordance with salary scale 11, depending on relevant experience. This excludes an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities applies. 

In case of equal suitability, the internal candidate is preferred over the external candidate.

The start date is 1 January 2027.