Fellowships for Postdocs

The IEG announces calls for applications for postdocs once a year, usually in August. The application deadline is October 15 for a stay beginning in April of the following year.

Current Call for Applications

The fellowship

The Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG) awards fellowships to postdocs conducting research in European history, the history of religion, and other historical disciplines (including Digital Humanities).

The IEG funds research projects on European history from the early modern period to contemporary history. We are particularly interested in projects

with a comparative or cross-border approach,
on Europe in its relation to the wider world,
on topics of intellectual and religious history,
with digital tools and methods, or
on environmental history.

The fellowship is intended to support the development of individual research projects in close collaboration with academic staff members of the IEG and to contribute to the Institute’s ongoing research activities. This offers the opportunity to develop prospects for further cooperation with the IEG.

We particularly welcome applications from women.

What we offer

Funding and accommodation for a minimum of 6 to 12 months
A monthly stipend of €2.100
A family allowance (€250 for partner, €400 first child, €100 every other child). Please contact the fellowship office for any questions regarding your family situation and how to apply for the allowance
An affordable room in our residency with shared kitchen and bathroom. Option for a partner room.
Workspace in our open-plan offices or library
Academic and international exchange

Requirements

Please also read our FAQ.

Your dissertation must be completed (submitted, accepted, and defended) by the application deadline. It is part of the application documents. Publication is not required.

The PhD should have been completed and obtained no more than three years prior to the date of application. The date of completion corresponds to the last academic achievement required within the doctoral programme (e.g., viva, or oral final examination) or the date stated on the PhD certificate. The application deadline for the call for applications is used as the cut-off date for the calculation.

A research project on European history from the early modern period to contemporary history. We are particularly interested in projects with a comparative or cross-border approach to European history, including its global networks, or topics related to the history of religion and ideas. There are no specific thematic requirements.

The working languages at the IEG are German and English. Good English skills are important for participating at all academic activities.

Fellows must live and work at the IEG in Mainz for the entire duration of the fellowship period. Depending on availability, Fellows with partners may be offered double rooms within the IEG residency. Special arrangements, subject to negotiation, are possible for fellows with children. For family-friendly arrangements, please contact the fellowship office.

Fellows are expected to be active members of the IEG’s research community and to participate in the weekly colloquia and scholarly activities. Fellows are expected to present their work in progress at least once during their stay. Fellows are welcome to attend any other academic events, such as workshops or conferences, as they see fit.

By accepting the fellowship, fellows commit to providing the Institute’s library with a copy of academic publications that have benefitted from the IEG research fellowship.

IEG fellowships are financed by federal and state funds. The research fellowships are intended solely for the purpose of working on the proposed research project at the IEG. Therefore, no other gainful employment or financial support is permitted during the funding period.

Application

Applications must be submitted online via our application portal. To apply, please fill out the online application form linked in the call for applications.

Required information: 1. CV and list of publications 2. Table of contents/structure of the research project 3. project description of the research project (max. 15,000 characters, excluding footnotes and spaces) 4. Detailed work and time schedule for the research stay at the IEG 5. Copies of university certificates 6. Electronic copy of the PhD manuscript 7. Language certificates, if applicable

Applications can be submitted in either English or German. We recommend choosing the language you are most proficient in.

Reference letters

Applications should be supported by two reference letters in German or English, the first by the main academic supervisor of the dissertation, the second by an external referee (other university or related discipline). It is the candidate’s responsibility to obtain the reference letters which should be written by academics who are authorized to supervise doctoral theses at a university.

Please inform the referees of your application well in advance.

The referees should send their reference letter in PDF format directly by email to application@ieg-mainz.de by the application deadline.

The reference letter should contain information about the research question, methodology, structure, and results of the research project and provide an assessment with regard to the current state of research on the topic. They should address the applicant’s academic qualifications as well as the exposé and the work and time schedule for the fellowship stay in Mainz.

Date of notification

The selection process may take up to 3 months due to the thorough review of applications. We kindly ask for your patience. Selection meetings for the awarding of fellowships for postdocs take place in January. After the selection meeting, candidates will be informed of the outcome by email. Please refrain from making inquiries in the meantime.

In the event of rejection, you are welcome to reapply if your project has developed significantly and differs substantially from your initial application.