PhD in Science and Technology in Cultural Heritage (Research project: Reconstructing the chaîne opératoire of technical ceramics for the production of Egyptian blue from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman era)

Research position and overall project

The Cyprus Institute, coordinator of the Horizon 2020 MSCA-ETN-ITN project Training the next generation of archaeological scientists: Interdisciplinary studies of pre-modern Plasters and Ceramics from the eastern Mediterranean (PlaCe-ITN), offers a fully funded doctoral position with the above research project, based at the Graduate School of the Cyprus Institute and at the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC) of The Cyprus Institute (CyI). This high-profile Innovative Training Network aims at training Early-Stage Researchers to conduct state-of-the-art, science-based research on the provenance, use, and technology of plasters and ceramics, in pre-modern societies in different regions of the eastern Mediterranean.

The successful applicant will be admitted to the PhD programme Science & Technology in Cultural Heritage (currently undergoing re-accreditation as Science & Technology in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage) of the Cyprus Institute. The researcher will receive high quality interdisciplinary training on a broad range of topics in the fields of archaeology and archaeological sciences, and particularly plaster and ceramic analysis. Most of the research will be conducted at STARC, but the successful applicant is expected to travel to partner organisations for further training, including secondments to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) and the Centre d’ Étude Alexandrines (Egypt). The selected candidate for this project is expected to conduct experimental and analytical work on lime-clay composite ceramic systems relevant for the production of Egyptian blue. A background in mineralogy and / or process technology in oxide systems will be beneficial.

Expected starting date: 1^st of September 2021

The Institute and the Research Center

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a young and rapidly growing non-profit research and educational institution with scientific and technological focus. It is supported by the Government of Cyprus, which views its establishment as important to its overall policy of transforming Cyprus into a regional center for research and education. The Graduate School was established in 2010 and is the educational arm of The Cyprus Institute. It is a fully accredited, degree-granting institution of higher education offering exclusively postgraduate programs. It maintains a small number of students that are fully integrated into the research activities of the institute. This provides the students with the opportunity to acquire hands-on training in the use of the latest methods and techniques, have access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and conduct research with internationally recognized research teams. The Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center of the CyI is devoted to the development, introduction and use of advanced science and technologies in the field of archaeology, cultural heritage and history of the region.

Qualifications

The successful candidate is expected to have a Master’s degree in earth or material sciences, archaeology, cultural heritage, heritage science or a related field. For the particular research requirements of this fellowship, a Bachelor’s degree and/or a Master’s degree in mineralogy or related inorganic materials science will be an advantage. Good oral and written communication skills in English and the ability to work in an international, interdisciplinary research environment are considered essential skills.

Applicants should also refer to additional information about admission requirements which can be found on the website of CyI under the PhD in Science and Technology in Cultural Heritage Admissions section. When applying through the online application, in Step 2 of the application under the section Scholarship or Financial Aid: “Specific PhD Project” applicants should enter the project reference code GS-ACH-PlaCe-ITN-21-2 in the Project Code field. Applicants should also mention in their statement of intent that they are applying for the PhD position with reference code: GS-ACH-PlaCe-ITN-21-2. If the code is not entered in the online application, the applicant may not be considered for this position.

How to Apply

Applicants should follow the admission requirements for a PhD in Science & Technology in Cultural Heritage at the Cyprus Institute. When applying for this position, candidates must specify on their online application that they are applying for the PhD position with reference number: GS-ACH-PlaCe-ITN-21-2 in order to be considered for the position. Please see instructions in Qualifications section above.

Click HERE to apply for this position.

Financial Support

This Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) ITN offers competitive and attractive salary and working conditions. The successful candidate will receive a gross salary in accordance with the MSCA regulations for Early-Stage researchers; it includes living and mobility allowances, and a family allowance, if the researcher is married or with children. The exact salary will be confirmed upon appointment.

Tuition fees: covered by PlaCe-ITN

Employment basis: Temporary for specified period

Duration of the contract: 36 months without provisions for extension

Maximum hours per week: 40 (full-time)

Eligibility Criteria

According to the eligibility criteria set by the European Commission and the particular MSCA-ITN2020 call, the recruited Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) will have to comply with the following conditions:

1. not have resided in Cyprus for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date and not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Cyprus. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account;
2. be — at the date of recruitment — an ‘early-stage researcher’ (i.e., in the first four years of his/her research career and not have a doctoral degree).

Qualified applicants from all countries are welcome to submit an application, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

Deadline for applications

The deadline for applications is Friday, the 23^rd of April 2021.

Contact us

For general information about the MSCA-ITN PlaCe and the ESR positions, please contact the project’s manager at the Cyprus Institute, Dr Maria Dikomitou-Eliadou, m.dikomitou@cyi.ac.cy. For more information about postgraduate studies at The Cyprus Institute and admission requirements, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies of The Cyprus Institute at office.school@cyi.ac.cy or at tel: +357 22208614.