Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Opportunity: Postdoctoral Researcher – Sciences Po

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Opportunity – Sciences Po

• Institution: Sciences Po

• Academic Unit / Department: Centre d’Histoire

• Job Reference / Requisition ID: Not specified

• Appointment Type: Full-Time, Temporary Contract

• Academic Rank / Level: Postdoctoral Researcher

• Salary / Remuneration: Internationally competitive salary with social benefits + travel and research allowance

• Location: Paris, France

• Application Deadline: 15 September 2026

• Expected Start Date: 1 January 2027

• Contract Duration: 24 months

📋 Overview of Role

Sciences Po invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher within the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant project “The Global War on Civilians, 1905–1945.” The researcher will investigate the Soviet Union’s home front and the war on Soviet civilians during the Second World War, working under the direct supervision of Principal Investigator Prof. Sheldon Garon and collaborating with an international research team.

🎯 Key Responsibilities & Research Scope

• Conduct extensive research in Soviet archives, libraries and digital collections, including archives in former Soviet republics and potentially Germany.

• Investigate the construction of the Soviet home front, including civilian mobilization, food provision, civil defense, war production and morale.

• Research Nazi Germany’s war on Soviet civilians, including bombardment, blockades and starvation campaigns.

• Examine transnational learning and foreign models influencing Soviet civil defense and organizations such as Osoaviakhim.

• Publish at least two English-language papers, including one contribution to the project’s collective volume.

• Participate in project workshops and conferences and collaborate with researchers on transnational connections.

• Contribute to the project’s dataset and glossary and assist with the PI’s book project.

🎓 Qualifications & Candidate Profile

• Required Education: Ph.D. completed before 1 January 2027.

• Experience & Specializations: Strong expertise in historical and archival research, preferably concerning the Soviet Union in the 1930s and wartime period.

• Research Skills: Excellent archival research abilities and experience collecting and preparing historical data for datasets.

• Language Skills: Advanced English and languages of the former Soviet republics; German is an advantage.

• Additional Requirements: Ability to visit accessible European archives and familiarity with Soviet archival collections.

• Professional Skills: Excellent writing and communication skills, teamwork and collaborative research ability.

💼 Remuneration & Benefits

• 24-month full-time postdoctoral contract.

• Internationally competitive salary including social benefits.

• Travel and research expense allowance.

• International research environment at Sciences Po in Paris.

• International recruitment is encouraged; living elsewhere in the EU may be discussed.

📄 Application Checklist & Required Documents

1. Application letter — maximum 2 pages, explaining qualifications, motivation and expected contribution to the project.

2. Curriculum Vitae — including education, positions, teaching and administrative experience, qualifying activities and publications.

3. Scanned copies of relevant diplomas and certificates.

4. Final report on the doctoral dissertation.

5. Contact information for two academic referees — including email addresses and telephone numbers.

📬 Application Process

• 🔗 Application Link: https://www.sciencespo.fr/histoire/files/recrutement/ERC_Postdoc-Soviet-Union_2026.pdf

• 📧 Contact / Applications: Alexandra Shubenkova — ERC Project Manager — alexandra.shubenkova@sciencespo.fr

• 📅 Deadline: 15 September 2026

• 📅 Interview Deadline: Successful applicants will be interviewed by 15 November 2026.

• 📅 Start Date: 1 January 2027

🌐 Official Website / Domain: sciencespo.fr