Vacant Research Associate Position

10 September 2025

Photo: CSMC

The Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ (UWA) is looking for a doctoral researcher in the field of Geosciences to work on a project on ‘Non-destructive Material Profiling of Clay Tablets: Thermal Stability of Mineral Constituents and Conservation History.

The position is part-time (75% of standard work hours per week) and fixed-term, with a duration of three and a half years (1 January 2026 to 30 June 2029). 

Your core responsibility is to pursue your research project, involving in situ and ex situ temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy as well as EMP and TG analyses on representative phyllosilicates typical of clays, Infrared spectroscopy and powder x-ray diffraction on clays, Raman mapping on dummy clay objects and authentic clay tablets. The goal is to develop a strategy for non-invasive determination of the firing history and determination/back-determination of the initial phase and chemical composition of unfired/fired cuneiform clay tablets. You will actively contribute to the cluster’s interdisciplinary Graduate School and collaborative research activities. Activities include participation in research meetings, organising scholarly events, and developing relevant networks.

More information on the position and how to apply is available here.

The deadline for applications is 7 October 2025.