Senior Researcher in Native American Studies - 1220

Applications for a position as senior researcher within the fields of ethnography, cultural anthropology, ethno-archaeology or social anthropology related to the material cultures of Native North and Mesoamerica are invited.

It is the aim of the museum by means of this position to strengthen its elite research and knowledge dissemination activities within the field of North American Ethnography. By employing comparative methodologies, the senior researcher’s foremost task is to connect and study comparatively the diverse North American and Mesoamerican ethnographic and archaeological collections and the interrelations of the cultures from which they originate.

After a three-year period and if the National Museum assesses that strong interdisciplinary research environments have been created a professorship with special responsibilities (MSO) will be advertised, with focus on interdisciplinary research and knowledge dissemination within the field of Native American studies. If so, the professor (MSO) will be employed according to the terms of employment applying to academic staff at, for example, museums.

Tasks

The primary task of the senior researcher will be to head a large interdisciplinary research initiative at the museum that contributes to new scientific knowledge that continuously can be translated into different forms of knowledge dissemination initiatives. Initially, her/his primary task will be – in close collaboration with the Director of the museum, the Head of Research and the scientific and curatorial staff at the museum – to define the framework and content of the new large-scale interdisciplinary research initiative. Taking this as the starting point, the task will then be to ensure academic management and interdisciplinary coordination of the research initiative across academic disciplines and to contribute within the field of research at a high level.

Specifically, the main responsibilities of the senior researcher are:

• To establish, fundraise, and head international and interdisciplinary research projects in the academic fields of North American ethnography and archaeology.

• To be a source of inspiration and guidance for Ph.D. students and Postdocs, Researchers, and other Senior Researchers engaged in the scientific environment of North American ethnography.
• To conduct field work and to develop further collaboration between Danish and American research and other institutions including museums, archives, universities and community centres and other descendant representatives of the source communities of the collections.
• To develop projects which releases the research potential of the existing, comprehensive North American and Mesoamerican ethnographic and archaeological material within the Ethnographic Collections of the National Museum.
• To be an active part in the museum, its research environment and its popular dissemination; and by means of research to create headlines and to offer historical perspective to contemporary challenges and debates.
• To offer expert advises in connection with the North American collections at the National Museum concerning curation, research, exhibitions, and public dissemination in a wider perspective.

The senior researcher will be associated with the Department of Modern History and World Cultures and will be an integral part of the dedicated research environment at this department. Normal curatorial casework is not included in the position.

The financial administrative elements of the interdisciplinary research initiative will be handled in close collaboration with, among others, the museum’s research coordinator.

Required qualifications

The successful applicant should hold an academic degree in anthropology, ethnoarchaeology or similar at senior researcher level, should have documented experience in conducting research projects in North America, and should have published anthropological or ethnoarchaeological research at the highest international level. Experience within Digital Humanities methodology is an advantage.

Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on the ability to manage research and carry out other management functions, amongst other things through the documented ability to build a strong, active research environment and attract external funding.

Particularly, experience and/or knowledge of cross disciplinary methods within the field of digital humanities will be valued.

Also, experience and competence in public outreach and dissemination will be valued.

Since the primary working language at the National Museum is Danish, non-Danish-speaking applicants are expected to acquire the necessary Danish language skills within a short period of time (max. two years).

Terms of pay and employment

The working hours are 37 hours a week. Terms of pay and employment are determined in accordance with the collective agreement for academics employed by the Danish state and executive order of 30 October 2015 on the job structure for academic staff with research responsibilities in archives, libraries, museums etc. under the Danish Ministry of Culture (Bekendtgørelse om stillingsstruktur for videnskabeligt personale med forskningsopgaver ved arkiver, biblioteker, museer mv. under Kulturministeriet).

The applicants’ academic qualifications will be assessed by an expert assessment committee with external participation.

The position will be filled by 1 October 2020 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Application

The National Museum is actively working to promote equality among employees and encourages all qualified, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.
The application must include the following elements:

1. Curriculum vitae

2. A statement describing scholarly work relevant to the position

3. A list of publications

4. A maximum of five scholarly works, of which a maximum of two may be monographs, and at least three of the works must have been published no more than five years before the application deadline. Each publication must be submitted in three copies. Only books or similar will be returned.

If a publication has more than one author, or is the result of a collective effort, it must be clearly indicated which part of the publication the applicant is responsible for. In special cases, the National Museum may request a statement from the co-authors regarding the scope and nature of their share of the work.

Applications must be sent via the electronic recruitment system on our website www.natmus.dk / job and must be uploaded by 9 June 2020. Any publications to be included in the assessment must be received by The National Museum of Denmark, Personale, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, DK-1220 Copenhagen K on 9 June 2020.

Information regarding the position can be obtained by contacting the Head of Research and Collections Christian Sune Pedersen, Modern History and World Cultures, The National Museum of Denmark, +45 4120 6200 or [email protected]. For other enquiries please contact research coordinator Thomas Grane, +45 4120 6014 or e-mail [email protected]

Nationalmuseet er Danmarks kulturhistoriske hovedmuseum og et statsmuseum under Kulturministeriet. Nationalmuseet styrker historiebevidsthed og medborgerskab ved at belyse Danmarks og verdens kulturer og deres indbyrdes afhængighed. Ca. 655 medarbejdere er fordelt på 4 afdelinger: Forskning, Samling og Bevaring, Museer og Slotte, Nationalmuseet København samt Drift og Administration. Se mere om Nationalmuseet på www.natmus.dk

Kilde: Jobnet.dk