Reference number 61/2025
In the Department of Religious Studies of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Erfurt, professorship of Religious Studies with a focus on Religious Media Practices, the following position with 40 hours per week is available as of 1 March 2026:
Research Assistant (post-doc) (f/m/x)
Pay category E 13 TV-L (100 %)
Re-founded in 1994 as a reform university, the University of Erfurt considers itself as a research-oriented university that is highly committed to international cooperation as well as innovation in teaching and learning, with a special focus on teacher-training programs. With its strong profile in the humanities, cultural studies as well as social sciences and education, it is a cosmopolitan place for academic debate on key social and cultural challenges.
Current research of the professorship of Religious Studies with a focus on Religious Media Practices at the Department of Religious Studies systematically examines processes of convergence in Muslim religiosity and media usage. Texts, images and videos of contemporary Muslim actors on social media platforms as well as their reception are currently a particular focus.
Area of Responsibility
* Research on the entanglements of religious and media practices of contemporary Muslims
* Independent academic qualification (post-doc / habilitation)
* Collaboration in research contexts of the professorship, particularly the Research Group Islam and Digitality and the Graduate Centre Glocal Religiosities
* Teaching (4 semester hours / 2 courses per semester)
* Preparation of a third-party funding application in the above-mentioned field
* Collaboration on publications and other knowledge transfer tools
* Participation in the organization of guest lectures, workshops, and conferences
What we expect
* an academic university degree and an above-average doctorate in Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, or a related field
* academic visibility through publications, guest lectures, organisation of workshops, etc.
* proficiency in ethnographic methods, particularly participant observation and media ethnography methods, or the willingness to quickly acquire these skills
* ability to work in a team/collaborative project-oriented approach, a strong commitment to collaborative research in the Department, and a high degree of intercultural and social competence
* experience in acquiring third-party funding appropriate to your career stage
* knowledge of German at C1 level
* knowledge of English at C1 level
* proficiency in the source languages relevant to the own research
* a commitment to equity and inclusivity
Preferred Qualifications
* experience with qualitative online research
* experience in interdisciplinary research collaborations
* experience in academic management
What we offer
The University of Erfurt promotes the compatibility of career and family/private life and supports flexible working hours. For academic staff, it offers a wide range of further training opportunities as well as coaching and mentoring as part of academic staff development (). In addition, there are a number of health and prevention offers as part of the company health management programme.
Comments/Remarks
The German version of this job advertisement alone shall be legally binding.
The position is initially limited to up to four years, depending on the legal and personal requirements of the successful candidate.
The advertisement is addressed to applicants who fulfill the requirements of the German Act on Temporary Scientific Contracts (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz). The general requirements for employment according to § 91 section 5 Thuringian Higher Education Act (Thüringer Hochschulgesetz) apply.
If you have a foreign university degree, it is necessary that you apply for a certificate application at the Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen, ZAB). We recommend that you attach the corresponding certificate to your application documents, but you can also provide this certificate at a later stage of the process. Please note that this is a chargeable service provided by the ZAB. For more information, please visit.
The University of Erfurt sees itself as an open-minded employer that values diversity. It is committed to diversity and gender equality and welcomes applications that contribute to this. The University of Erfurt has successfully passed the "shaping diversity" audit, has been audited as a "family-friendly university" and regulary participates successfully in the female professor programme of the federal and state governments. One of the university's strategic goals is increasing the proportion of women in re-search and teaching. Severely disabled persons and those with equal status are given preference in the case of equal suitability, professional performance, and ability. It should be noted that even in the case of a repeated application or previous employment at the University of Erfurt, explicit reference must be made to the severe disability or equal status in the application, as this information is not automatically taken into account in the present procedure for data protection and organizational reasons.
Part-time employment is possible in principle. The extent to which a part-time request can be met, particularly with regard to the location and scope of the part-time work, must be examined on a case-by-case basis.
For questions regarding content, please contact Prof. Dr. Christoph Günther (e-mail: christoph.guenther[at]uni-erfurt.de).
Application and Deadline
Please send your application with the supporting documents (a cover letter and a brief research statement outlining current and future projects, curriculum vitae, copies of certificates, list of publications and university courses, if applicable) and two journal articles or chapters from your dissertation exclusively online by 25 September 2025 via the application management system of the University of Erfurt. Please also specify two references who can be contacted in the course of the selection process.
Reimbursement of Expenses
The University of Erfurt does not refund any costs incurred in the application process.