The University of Valencia invites applications for a full-time PhD Student position. The selected candidate will join the area of Archaeology of the Department of Prehistory, Archaeology, and Ancient History at the University of Valencia, under the supervision of Dr. Carmen Cuenca-Garcia. Top candidates will be invited for an interview, either via Zoom or in person. The chosen candidate will be guided to apply through the official admissions process of the University of Valencia, with the official call expected in November/December 2023 and a starte date in January 2024.

Research Opportunities

The selected candidate will develop a PhD project focusing on remote/proximal sensing approaches to investigate Iron Age archaeolandscapes. The candidate will be an integral part of the research team for the project "SENSING IBERIANSCAPES - Revealing Iron Age Sites and Landscapes in the Iberian Peninsula", funded by the GenT program. This initiative is focused on investigating protohistoric communities in the western Mediterranean, aiming to identify, characterise, and digitally model structures found in both the built environment and excavated subsoil. The scope of research will encompass diverse urban, production (e.g., metallurgy), and funerary sites. The methodology integrates a wide array of non-destructive prospection methods, including remote sensing and near-surface geophysics, complemented by more invasive techniques such as coring and targeted excavations for data validation, as well as comprehensive soil analyses.

The candidate will devote a minimum of 90% of time to scientific research as part of doctoral thesis preparation and 10% to contribute to the research and other service tasks of the area of Archaeology.

Duties

• Explore, collect and archive remote/proximal sensing imagery/datasets.
• Apply statistical methods to analyse multivariate spatial data.
• Enroll in the doctoral program in the area of Archaeology and successfully complete a doctoral thesis at the end of the 4 years.  
• Partake in the seminars and conferences organised around the project.
• Publish in high-impact journals.
• Candidates will also be encouraged, during their PhD, to participate in other relevant events at UV, participate in relevant academic conferences in Spain and/or elsewhere.

Necessary Qualifications

Master’s degree in archaeology, remote sensing, applied geophysics, or any relevant discipline related to the project.

Required Skills

• Proficiency in research methodologies and techniques associated with remote/proximal sensing, along with the ability to effectively acquire, analyse, and interpret relevant data.
• Experience working with Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
• Good English language skills.
• Self-motivated and a team player.
• Good time management skills

Desired Skills

• Artificial intelligence/machine learning methods.
• Other programming skills.
• Experience in research (e.g publications or conference contributions).
• Certifications: drone pilot, car license.

Conditions

• 4 years fixed-term contract, full-time.
• Gross salary: 17,680.68 EUR/year (during the first three years).
• Mobility package: 6500 EUR.

Submission

• Motivation letter (in English or Spanish) explaining their suitability for the announced position.
• Curriculum Vitae in English or Spanish.
• Copies of University degrees.
• Grades transcripts.
• Names and contact details of three (preferably academic) referees.

All the above should be emailed to carmen.cuenca@uv.es (subject: SI-PhD) no later than 15th November 2023, at 23:59 Spain local time (GMT+1).

For more information, potential candidates may contact Dr. Carmen Cuenca-Garcia, Distinguished Researcher (CIDEGENT), Department of Prehistory, Archaeology, and Ancient History, University of Valencia (carmen.cuenca@uv.es).