Jewish History Postdoctoral Fellowship at the London Institute of Historical Research

Thanks to generous benefactions from the Wolfson Family Charitable Trust, and from the Dorset Foundation in memory of Harry M Weinrebe, the IHR is seeking to appoint a post-doctoral fellow in Jewish History in any period.

The successful applicant will join a thriving programme for post-doctoral historians in the IHR. The Institute is home to a large cohort of stipendiary doctoral and post-doctoral fellows at any one time, the IHR Jewish History Fellow will have access to all the facilities of the Institute

The successful applicant will be expected to take up the position on or before 1 October 2024.

AIM OF OUR FELLOWSHIPS

We aim to help early career historians to take the next steps in their careers, whatever those careers may be; as scholars, or professionals in other sectors. Our fellowships offer a period in which our Fellows can enrich their research experience, and fulfil the potential of their doctoral project and other relevant work.

ELIGIBILITY

Applications from specialists in medieval, early modern or modern history of Jewish people or communities are welcome. Candidates should have a doctorate or should have completed their doctoral thesis by 1 October in the academic year in which the Fellowship is to be commenced. It is a strict condition of the Fellowship that the thesis should have been submitted by that date. Applicants may be of any nationality, and their PhD (or equivalent) may have been awarded in any country. Those who have previously held a full-time university lectureship of 24 months or more, will be ineligible. The Fellowship cannot be held in conjunction with any other substantial maintenance grant, nor can it be used to fund a sabbatical leave for the holder of a permanent academic position.

A condition of the award is that Fellows should undertake further historical research and writing. The Fellowships are envisaged as an opportunity for Fellows to develop their doctoral research for publication and/or to work on a postdoctoral project; applicants should clearly indicate their plans in both respects. Fellows should be resident in the United Kingdom but will not be required to be resident in London. They should participate fully in the activities of the Institute, by regular attendance at and presentation of papers to appropriate seminars and by giving information and help to fellow scholars working in the same field. Fellows are expected to develop their own ideas for collaborative activities while at the Institute.

At the discretion of the Director of the Institute, Fellows may engage in teaching or other paid work for up to six hours a week (note, however, that some categories of non-national may need to obtain a work permit in order to undertake this).

STIPENDS

The Fellowship stipend will be worth £25,000. It will be payable in four instalments over a year, through the Institute.

WHAT WE OFFER

Fellows will be offered the mentorship of the IHR’s academics and other staff across the School of Advanced Study. This will include help in planning the future, through: career advice; assistance with applications for jobs, postdocs and fellowships; mock interviews; and guidance with publication plans and research grant applications. Augmenting our close connections across academia, the IHR’s extensive partnerships will be open to those Fellows who are interested in working in sectors outside of the academy. Fellows will have the support of our Fellowships Officer throughout the fellowship. At the IHR they will have access to our world-renowned Wohl Library, extended electronic resources, and our extensive seminar and events programme.

Our Fellows’ seminar programme provides an opportunity for each Fellow to present their research in a collegial atmosphere, before their peers, senior historians, and others. Fellows have free access to the IHR’s research training courses (https://www.history.ac.uk/study-training/research-training), and are offered a number of exclusive, tailored training workshops. Fellows will also be given administrative support to host workshops and colloquia.

VISAS

Fellows, if they do not already have the right to reside and take up a fellowship in the UK, will require a visa, and must ascertain what category of visa is most suitable for them.

The University of London is licensed to issue sponsorship certificates for Tier 5 visas. If Fellows need to enter the UK under a Tier 5 visa, they should apply for a sponsorship certificate through the IHR Fellowship Office, which they can then use in their visa application to the Home Office. Further details of visa categories can be found at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visitingtheuk/

DEADLINES

• Complete applications must be received at the Institute of Historical Research no later than 31st January 2024 (at 11:59pm London time). Incomplete applications or applications arriving after this date will not be considered.
• Interviews will be held in April 2024 .

APPLICATION FORMAT

• Hard copy applications will be deemed ineligible. Only applications made using the IHR’s online application system will be considered.
• Applications for which the requested supporting documents (one-page CV, thesis summary, written work, and research proposal) are not uploaded will be deemed ineligible.

REFERENCES

Applicants will be asked to supply the names and contact information for two referees at time of application. However, these referees will only be contacted at offer stage.

THE SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDY

Applicants are strongly advised to investigate the resources that are available to them within the University of London, and particularly at the School of Advanced Study, to which the IHR belongs. Details can be found at www.lon.ac.uk and www.sas.ac.uk

FINAL REPORT

Within three months of the end of the Fellowship period, the Fellow will send to the Institute of Historical Research (by email) a written report on the Fellowship experience, detailing the activities undertaken during the period of his/her Fellowship and an outline of future career plans.

SELECTION POLICIES

A committee of senior historians will draw up a shortlist of interview candidates from eligible applicants. The committee will assess the quality of applications with reference to the following criteria:

• The significance and originality of the research project: The panel will look for a clear articulation of the significance of the research. This may be expressed with reference to the candidate’s specialist field, although we would encourage applicants to relate their findings beyond their specific sub-discipline. The panel will expect candidates to identify clearly their key research questions. We expect applicants to be able to articulate the ways in which their research makes an original contribution to knowledge in their field.
• The quality of the research accomplished and the way it is presented in the application: It is recommended that candidates describe clearly the programme of research carried out to date and how that programme of research relates to the research questions set out in the thesis and any other relevant research. Candidates may wish to reflect on their methodology and how this relates to the questions posed in the research. Candidates should present their research in a clear and coherent manner, so that it may be understood and assessed by non- specialist historians.
• The standard of the applicant’s academic qualifications: The panel will be most interested in your  research project and the quality of your research, although they may take other factors into consideration. You should indicate any prizes, awards or scholarships you have received, any publications accepted or submitted for consideration, and any papers delivered at conferences or seminars (if there are many of these, please simply indicate the highlights).
• The presentation of a viable timeline: Applicants should include a detailed timeline, which offers realistic prospects for completing research within the time projected and funds awarded;
• Plans for career development (where appropriate): Candidates are invited to reflect on how the fellowship will assist in the development of their careers within or beyond the academy.
• All other considerations being equal, the likelihood of active participation in the academic life of the IHR, as indicated by a history of involvement in conferences, workshops, seminars, public engagement, and/or other initiatives associated with good academic citizenship, will be taken into account.
• The quality of the submitted written work.

APPLICATION CONTENTS

As well as completing the ‘Personal Details’, ‘Education’ and ‘Referees’ sections of the online form, applicants should also upload the following four documents:

• A two-sheet CV (maximum of either one double-sided page or two single-sided pages), listing any educational details, publications, research papers and other relevant academic information not submitted elsewhere in the application.
• A summary of the doctoral thesis (no more than 750 words). Your name and page numbers must be included on all pages.
• A postdoctoral research proposal with timetable for completion (no more than 1,000 words). Your name and page numbers must be included on all pages.
• A sample of the applicant’s written work, in English (between 8,000 and 10,000 words). This is often a thesis chapter or journal article. Your name and page numbers must be included on all pages.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010, as part of our commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity for all.

The University was founded upon the principles of equality and established to provide education on the basis of merit. Since then we have amended our Statutes to include the following statement from the University of London Statutes:
"The University shall not discriminate against any person on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, religion, social background or political belief. (21.1)"

We are committed to preserving and promoting fellowship opportunities to individuals whose lives are incompatible with the normal established patterns of work. This could be due to personal or domestic circumstances, physical or mental disabilities, or interests and aspirations.

Flexible fellowship requests could include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Part-time working
• Temporary suspension of the fellowship
• Commencing or completing the fellowship at an earlier / later time than that advertised

We will give sympathetic consideration to all fellows’ requests for flexible terms, whether the request is for a permanent, short-term or trial adaptation in the terms.

Please see further details of the University of London’s Diversity and Inclusion policy and strategies

here: https://london.ac.uk/about-us/equality-diversity-and-inclusion