The position is part of the Observatory of Spanish in Europe at the Heidelberg Center for Ibero-American Studies (HCIAS), Heidelberg University, Germany. The Observatory is an interdisciplinary research unit for the innovative and evidence-based analysis of the outcomes of migration-induced contact between Ibero-American communities, European societies, and the Spanish-speaking world, against the backdrop of digitalization and new communication technologies. By bringing together linguistics, human geography, sociology, and cultural studies, the Observatory aims to provide information, monitoring, and empirical analyses that address central issues and emerging trends of the Spanish language, its speakers, and cultures in Europe.

The postdoc research associate will develop their own project in the field of Spanish as a heritage language in Europe, linked to one or more of the following research areas of the Observatory:

• Mobility and the construction of Spanish-speaking transnational communities;
• Education and the dynamics of intergenerational transmission and maintenance of Spanish;
• Communication and spaces for the reception and circulation of culture and knowledge created by the Spanish-speaking communities and their transcultural linkages.

Within these three research areas, we are particularly interested in the way mobility patterns, educational spaces, and the interaction of communities and cultures on the move are affected and transformed by digitalization, information technologies, and artificial intelligence.

Your tasks:

• The conception, management, and implementation of an original project in the field of Spanish as a heritage language;
• Making contributions to the development of the Observatory’s monitoring instruments;
• Providing support for joint project proposals and grant applications;
• Writing scientific papers for peer-reviewed publications, presenting papers at conferences and seminars, and the organization of conference panels.

Your profile:

• Completed Ph.D. in social sciences, humanities, or cultural studies (e.g., linguistics, sociology, communication studies, human geography);
• Experience of empirical research and the handling and management of digital data;
• Very good knowledge of English and Spanish, both written and spoken;
• Experience in interdisciplinary academic contexts;
• Prior experience in writing grant proposals is highly desirable.

We offer:

• Work in a nationally and internationally connected research context;
• A pleasant and productive working atmosphere;
• A wide range of opportunities for further training and career development (e.g., heiTRACKS).

Remuneration for the position is based on pay group 13 TV-L. The contract is limited to 24 months and starts preferably in October 2024.

Further information on the project and the research institution can be found at https://ose-hcias.de/
For further questions regarding the position, please contact Dr. Héctor Álvarez Mella (h.alvarez@uniheidelberg.de).

We look forward to receiving your application, which should be submitted no later than June 24, 2024, including (1) a cover letter, (2) a two-page exposé of the research project (in English), (3) a CV with a list of publications, (4) references (university degrees only), and (5) contact information of two people who can send a reference, all together as one coherent PDF file addressed to Prof. Dr. Francisco Moreno-Fernández and sent by email to sekretariat@hcias.uni-heidelberg.de. Selection interviews will take place shortly after the application deadline.

Heidelberg University stands for equal opportunity and diversity. Qualified female candidates are especially invited to apply. Persons with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are equally qualified. Information on job advertisements and the collection of personal data is available at www.uniheidelberg.de/en/job-market