项目介绍

2026年6月4日

About the position

One Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1352) with a specialisation in medieval Scandinavian vernaculars is available at the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, University of Oslo, affiliated to the research project Epigraphic Centres of Medieval Scandinavia: Latinization and re-vernacularization of the linguistic landscape 1050–1550. The project is funded by the European Research Council (ERC 2025-STG, EpiCentres, 101221245) and will run between 2026‒2030. 

About the project

The project’s overarching aim is to study the development of the epigraphic written culture in medieval Scandinavia, investigating the introduction and spread of Latin and the Latin alphabet in Scandinavian inscriptions, and their relationship to the vernacular languages and to runes.

During the high and late Middle Ages, Scandinavian epigraphy was characterized by sustained coexistence and interaction between different languages and writing systems. The simultaneous presence of Latin and the Latin alphabet, and various vernacular languages and the runic script, resulted in a written culture shaped by three overlapping processes: 1) the initial spread of Latin alongside the runic tradition; 2) increased Latinization and decline of the runes; 3) ‘re-vernacularization’, the increasing use of the Scandinavian languages but written in the Latin alphabet. EpiCentres aims to investigate these processes through the study of an extensive corpus of Scandinavian inscriptions and graffiti in the Latin alphabet – largely overlooked as a source for these far-reaching cultural transformations – together with the contemporaneous runic inscriptions.

The EpiCentres team is led by Associate Professor Alessandro Palumbo and will be comprised of one PhD candidate (3 years), two postdoctoral fellows (3 years), and Professor Anna Blennow. The postdoctoral fellow will be a full member of the team aiming at successfully completing the project’s goals. The project consists of three work packages, and the candidate will contribute in particular to work package 1 and work package 2.

Work package 1 aims to geographically and chronologically map the introduction and spread of the Latin alphabet in Scandinavian epigraphy. Through geospatial analyses, the team will investigate which hubs emerge as central for the production and display of epigraphic texts, and how their linguistic and alphabetic composition changed over time.

Work package 2 aims to investigate the intersections and interactions of epigraphic traditions in different languages and writing systems. Within this work package, the postdoc fellow will contribute to examining the evolution of epigraphy in the Latin alphabet in medieval Scandinavia, focusing in particular on the relationship between the development of writing practices in the vernacular languages and in Latin. Their research will focus on how textual composition, orthography, palaeography, and text display develop within traditions in different languages, and the extent to which such practices are shared or diverge across Latin-language and vernacular inscriptions.

The fellow will have access to the dataset of Latin-alphabet inscriptions already collected by the project and are expected to contribute to it through their own research and fieldwork.

The research in both work packages will be conducted in close collaboration with the rest of the team, and the fellow is expected to co-author some of the research outputs with members of the team. The fellow will have space to develop their own scholarly profile and is encouraged to shape their research agenda in dialogue with the other project members, within the project’s broader aims and research questions.

Applicants are required to attach a research statement (Approx. 2-3 pages excluding references) describing how the candidate’s research interests align with the project and outlining concrete research topics that the candidate would like to work on.

More about the position

The position is available for a period of 3 years. There is a 10 % component of the position which is devoted to teaching and administrative duties / other career-promoting work.

The successful candidate is expected to become part of the research environment/network of the department and contribute to its development. The purpose of a postdoctoral position is for the employee to develop a research profile and competence that qualifies them to apply for an Associate Professor position. The position may also provide other competencies relevant to the postdoctoral fellow’s future career. 

A career plan shall be developed for the Postdoctoral Fellow, specifying the competencies the Postdoctoral Fellow should acquire. UiO is responsible for following up on the career plan and ensuring that the Postdoctoral Fellow has access to career guidance throughout the postdoctoral term.

Qualification requirements 

Mandatory requirements

• PhD or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialization in Old Norse philology, medieval studies or a related field relevant for the project (e.g. history, archaeology, linguistics) with a focus on medieval Scandinavian vernaculars.
• The candidate’s research project must be closely connected to the Epicenters-project. 
• Capacity for independent academic research
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English 
• Excellent reading proficiency in a Scandinavian language.
• Personal suitability, motivation for the position and excellent collaborative skillsThe doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the application deadline. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved. 

Desired qualifications

• Knowledge of the cultural and historical context of medieval Scandinavia, demonstrated through previous studies or research outputs.
• Experience with epigraphic sources and fieldwork, and with manuscript sources (primarily high and late medieval).In assessing the research proposal, special emphasis will be placed on
• Capacity to formulate original and well-defined contributions to the overall aim of EpiCentres, as demonstrated through their research statement.
• Theoretical, methodological, and source-critical competence.
• The applicant’s ability to work productively within a collaborative research group.

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

We offer

• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK from 595 000  – to 672 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway’s best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Application

The application must include:

• Application letter: A motivation letter demonstrating how your interests and qualifications can contribute to the project.
• Project proposal, A research statement (approx. 2–3 pages, excluding references) describing how the candidate’s research interests align with the project and outlining concrete research topics that the candidate would like to work on.
• Copies of academic diplomas and certificates. Diplomas, transcripts and diploma supplements that are not in a Scandinavian language or English must be uploaded in the original language. An English translation of these documents must also be attached.
• 1 academic work (e.g. article or dissertation chapter) that the applicant wishes to be considered. If the publication is co-authored, the applicant’s role must be documented with a co-author declaration.
• Names and contact details for two references, one of them is the supervisor on your PhD thesis (we do not need reference letters, only their contact details).
• Curriculum Vitae (including educational background, professional positions held, list of publications, services, teaching, if applicable).

Do not submit other certificates, articles, and the like unless specifically requested. If further documentation is wanted for assessment, you will be asked to submit it later.

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge. 

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.