Vacancy: Doctoral contract in 18th-century French literature and/or intellectual history as part of the ERC-funded project ModERN
Host: Sorbonne Université (Paris)
Vacancy specifications: The ERC-funded project ModERN: Modelling Enlightenment. Reassembling Networks of Modernity through data-driven research, hosted by Sorbonne Université, is inviting applications for a 3-year doctoral contract to explore the notion of authorial and textual ‘influence’ over the long 18th-century in France.
As a member of the ModERN project and CELLF research laboratory (Centre d’étude de la langue et des littératures françaises UMR 8599), the doctoral candidate will be primarily based in Paris. He/She will work under the supervision of the Principal Investigator of the project, Glenn Roe and his/her degree will be delivered by the École doctorale III (Littératures françaises et comparée) of Sorbonne Université.
In keeping with the scientific objectives of the ModERN project, which aims to establish a new data-driven literary and intellectual history of the French Enlightenment and its aftermath, the doctoral candidate will engage with new data-intensive methods and large-scale digital collections in order to identify and explore the ‘mechanisms of influence’ at play in 18th-century communication and print-culture networks.
The doctoral student will join an interdisciplinary team of international researchers and research engineers with whom he/she will liaise regularly. He/She will be expected to complete his/her doctoral thesis (in French) within three years, to communicate his/her results widely to academic and non-academic audiences, and to take part in the events convened by the project team, including seminars, workshops, and colloquia.
The candidate chosen for this position should hold a Master’s degree in French literature and/or intellectual history, preferably with a specialist knowledge of Enlightenment studies.
Required materials:
- Cover letter in English or French addressed to the project’s principal investigator explaining the candidate’s interest in the project and presenting what skills he/she will contribute to ensure its successful completion.
- CV containing detailed information about the candidate’s academic career.
- A copy of the document confirming the candidate’s Master’s degree (or evidence of its imminent completion: date of viva, composition of committee etc.).
- A sample of written work, on a relevant topic, of maximum 8,000 words (this may be, for example, a part of their Masters’ dissertation or an article).
- The names and email addresses of two referees.
Selection criteria:
- A Master’s degree or equivalent in French literature or literary/intellectual history to be completed before September 2022.
- A specialist knowledge of the literary and/or intellectual history of the French Enlightenment.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent written and spoken French and a working knowledge of English.
- High level of organisational skills and of time management.
Terms and conditions of employment:
– workplace: Sorbonne Université (Paris)
– start date: October 2022
– type of contract: full-time, fixed term contract (36 months)
– salary: 1,866 € gross/month
Selection process:
The required documents should be submitted electronically to the ModERN PI: glenn.roe@sorbonne-universite.fr with the mention ‘Application for ModERN doctoral contract’ in the subject of the email.
All documents should be submitted by 19 May 2022.
Required documents should be attached in PDF format. Incomplete applications that do not meet the formal requirements and/or submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Candidates will be informed by email of the outcome of their application by June 5, 2022. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to take part in interviews held in Paris or remotely in early July 2022.
For more information about the ModERN project and the CELLF research laboratory, see https://modern-project.eu/ and https://cellf.cnrs.fr/.
