Postdoctoral researcher analyzing long-term employment patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1920–2020.
Tasks include archival research, quantitative and mixed-methods analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Requires a PhD in African Economic History and experience with colonial archives.
Omschrijving
Postdoctoral researchers will work within the ERC Consolidator project "Africa @work, Transformation in Employment 1920–2020", contributing to a comprehensive long-term analysis of employment patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa. The project reconstructs occupational trends by region and gender across 33 countries from 1920 to 2020 and examines how economic transformations shaped informality, gender inequality, and labour-market stratification.
Functie eisen
- Relevant PhD degree in African Economic History.
- Demonstrated experience working with colonial archives; experience with French colonial archives and knowledge of French required for one position.
- For one position: strong background in rural development and agricultural history, with a focus on West Africa.
- For the other position: experience with labour-market and employment data and a strong background in labour and structural transformation research.
- Experience with quantitative and/or mixed-methods research.
- Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
- Be able and willing to work in Groningen in an international and interdisciplinary environment.
Taken
- Reconstruct occupational trends across regions and genders using historical and contemporary data.
- Analyze agricultural transformation and long-term labour dynamics, including shifts from subsistence to market-oriented agriculture.
- Perform quantitative analysis of census and survey data.
- Conduct qualitative research in colonial archives, including materials on land tenure, labour regulation, and rural economies.
- Investigate the relationship between informal work, economic development, and structural transformation, including urban and peri-urban non-agricultural sectors.
- Link colonial and post-independence employment patterns to study changes in work quality and social mobility.
- Collaborate within an international, interdisciplinary research team.
Werkomstandigheden
- Both positions are full-time (1.0 FTE) fixed-term contracts for four years, starting on July 1, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
- 232 vacation hours per year (based on a 38-hour workweek).
- Flexible working hours: you can work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours (for example, a 40-hour week saves 96 extra free hours; a 36-hour week costs 96 hours).
- End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
- Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
Beschrijving van de organisatie
The employer is a European research university that values interdisciplinary research and teaching, collaboration with businesses, government, and societal organisations, and preparing students for careers inside and outside academia. The institution aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate.