Research Group Leader for the Research Group “Computational Dependencies and Cultural Data Studies”

The successful candidate will lead the Research Group “Computational Dependencies and Cultural Data Studies”, and design and conduct independent projects in the field of Historically Informed Dependency Studies (HIDS) that relate to the BCDSS’ Research Area E “Alternative Archives and Life Writing”. The proposed project may address any issue relevant to the study of Strong Asymmetrical Dependencies, from any discipline respective to the chosen Research Area. Topics can therefore be of a wide variety – from micro studies to wide scale approaches, in any historical period or geographical region. A Research Group at the BCDSS is an independent research unit led by an early-career researcher to pursue an original research agenda while supervising a small team of researchers. Furthermore, the successful candidate will be part of the interdisciplinary and international research community. The BCDSS also offers opportunities for mentoring coaching and career development support.

Deadline:

September 15, 2026

Reference number:

2026/388

Working time model:

full-time

Starting date:

from 1 January 2027

Duration:

temporary

Pay grade:

TV-L EG 14

Applications to:

application@dependency.uni-bonn.de

Job posting (pdf)

Your responsibilities:

• Designing the research and technological profile for the Research Group, focusing on the computational analysis of strong asymmetrical dependencies (SADs) in societies of the past,
• Recruiting and supervising one doctoral researcher and one software developer,
• Conducting an independent research project resulting in a high-impact monograph or substantial digital/computational outputs,
• Developing and implementing custom software pipelines for the processing of historical source materials, utilizing methods such as HTR/OCR, Knowledge Graphs, LLMs, Geospatial Analysis, or Network Analysis as required by your research focus,
• Proactively addressing technical challenges such as algorithmic biases, model reliability, and the identification of marginalized or "invisible" actors in historical sources,
• Leading the Research Group to drive empirical and computational research objectives,
• Organizing hands-on technical workshops, hackathons, and seminars to foster digital competencies within the BCDSS and the Bonn academic community,
• Teaching at least two seminars per year, contributing to the curriculum in Computational Humanities and Data Studies.

We offer

• Participation in the international research hub "Bonn Center of Dependency and Slavery Studies" and integration into the Bonn Center for Digital Humanities (BCDH),
• The opportunity to conduct independent research with robust technical support,
• An interdisciplinary environment where software development is valued as a core scientific contribution,
• Personnel resources to build your team (1 PhD position, 1 software developer position),
• Mentoring by two experienced professors from the Cluster of Excellence,
• Occupational pension (VBL),
• Many options available for university sports,
• Excellent access by public transport thanks to Bonn’s central location as well as the opportunity to take advantage of low-cost parking,
• Flexible working hours and the ability to work from home,
• Remuneration in accordance with TV-L pay grade 14.

Your profile

• A postdoctoral researcher with a strong academic track record in Computational Humanities, Computer Science, Data Science, Digital Archaeology, Digital History, or a closely related field,
• Proven, hands-on programming expertise (specifically Python or R) and familiarity with professional software development workflows (e.g., Git, containerization, and data pipeline optimization),
• Demonstrated experience in applying computational methodologies—such as HTR/OCR, NLP, Knowledge Graphs, or Network Analysis—to historical or cultural datasets,
• A "data-critical" mindset: You possess the ability to deconstruct and quantify biases in AI models and are dedicated to making "invisible" historical actors visible through innovative algorithmic approaches,
• Strong interest in utilizing and further developing the Bonn Center for Digital Humanities (BCDH) research infrastructure,
• The administrative and personal aptitude to lead a small, agile team and act as a technical bridge between humanities and computer science.

Your application needs to include

• Cover letter stating your motivation to work at the BCDSS (max. 1800 characters including spaces),

• Curriculum Vitae,

• A copy of your PhD certificate,

• An outline of the proposed Research Group (max. 10.000 characters including spaces). Please include information on:

• Key research questions and hypotheses,

• originality of the proposed project vis-à-vis existing scholarship and key publications in the field (with bibliography),

• alignment of the project with the BCDSS’ research goals in general,

• relevance of the project to Research Area B in particular and, if applicable, cross-connections to other Research Areas; concise ideas for two PhD projects,

• The name and contact of two referees (position, professional address, and e-mail).

Diversity and equal opportunity

The University of Bonn promotes an open, respectful, and non-discriminatory academic culture and is actively committed to equal opportunity and family friendliness. We aim to eliminate structural disadvantages and to strengthen diversity in research, teaching, and administration. Therefore, we welcome all applications, regardless of ethnic or social background, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability, or age.

Applications from women and people with a documented severe disability (or equivalent status) will be given preferential consideration in accordance with the State Equality Act (LGG) NRW and Social Code (SGB) IX.

Contact

BCDSS Managing Director Jeannine Bischoff

E-Mail: dependency@uni-bonn.de