PhD Position in Medieval Manuscript Studies

1. Introduction

As a PhD candidate, you will be part of an international research project, applying innovative computational methods to the study of the transmission history of the Latin Physiologus and the Bestiary, one of the richest textual traditions of the Middle Ages.

2. Job description

As PhD candidate, you will be responsible for one of the three subprojects within the NWO-funded project ‘Unlocking the transmission history of the Physiologus and the multimodal nature of medieval manuscripts with AI-driven digital methods’. This project studies the vast and multilingual manuscript tradition of the Physiologus, a late-antique collection of animal stories that later morphed into the medieval Bestiary. The project employs various computational methods in intelligent imaging, text processing and metadata federation to understand how the manuscript as a medium influenced the evolution of texts.

Your subproject deals with the textual evolution of the Latin Physiologus. In no other language has the Physiologus inspired more creative adaptations than in Latin. From the rewriting of selected chapters in Phys. Lat. B, to versification in the Phys. Theobaldi, to 12th-century Bestiaries which quadruple the number of chapters of the Greek original, this overabundant and complex tradition offers a unique window into the medieval mindset. The aim of the PhD project is to map and interpret the development of the Latin Physiologus with specific attention to the impact of its reception and transmission context on the evolution of the text.

The main output of your work will be your doctoral dissertation, but you will also be expected to present work in progress through conference papers and contribute to outreach activities. There will be opportunities to gain experience in the organisation of scientific meetings and working in an interdisciplinary team. You will be expected to undertake a small amount of teaching, either in the Medieval History programme or in another programme depending on your background and interests.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile

• You have an MA degree in a relevant field (or can provide the assurance that you will have obtained your degree by the time of appointment).
• You have demonstrable experience in the field of medieval manuscript studies.
• You have demonstrable experience with computational methods applied to the study of medieval manuscripts.
• You have good/excellent knowledge of Latin (your language proficiency should be in line with the direction you propose for the research)
• You are keen to collaborate as part of a research team.
• You are willing to travel for archival research and to attend international scientific meetings. 

4. We are

The Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH) is a research institute dedicated to exploring the present and past through the lenses of culture, history, literature and art. Our researchers collaborate with academic and societal partners to deepen our understanding of the dynamics of an interconnected world and provide context for pressing societal challenges such as inequality and climate change.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• There may be an opportunity for Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Shari Boodts. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application.

The first interviews will take place on 12 February. You will preferably start your employment on 15 April 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.