CLOSED – Postdoctoral Researcher – STEMMA: Systems of Transmitting Early Modern Manuscript Verse, 1475–1700
School of English, Media, and Creative Arts
Ref. No. 010330
JOB ADVERTISEMENT
Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time, fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the project ‘STEMMA: Systems of Transmitting Early Modern Manuscript Verse, 1475–1700’ with the School of English, Media, and Creative Arts at the University of Galway, Ireland.
This position is funded by the European Research Council and is available from 1st July 2024 for 42 months.
Information on project
This project, led by Professor Erin A. McCarthy, develops and applies a data-driven approach in order to provide the first macro-level view of the circulation of early modern English poetry in manuscript. It focuses on English verse manuscripts written and used between the introduction of printing in England in 1475 and 1700, by which time the rapid changes in both literary taste and publishing norms ushered in by the Restoration had fully transformed literary culture. The project includes manuscripts circulating in England and anywhere else English was spoken and read, including Ireland, the North American colonies, and continental exile communities. It develops innovative computational models and quantitative methods for studying the social and material forces that informed literary culture.
Whereas the current state of the art has seen the scholarly community address manuscripts primarily as case studies, STEMMA seeks to open new frontiers in manuscript research by facilitating the identification of patterns and trends at scale. To that end, the project begins by synthesizing six of the most comprehensive datasets about early modern English manuscripts in preparation for advanced literary, material, and quantitative analyses. This first work package sets the stage for four further, interlocking work packages, to which the doctoral and postdoctoral positions are allocated: networking early modern manuscript poems; early modern literary communities in the English speaking world; rolling archetypes, computational text analysis, and scholarly editing; and textual circulation between manuscript and print. The research team will comprise the PI, three postdoctoral researchers, and one PhD student with expertise in literary history, textual studies, computational text analysis, and social network analysis. They will be based in the Hardiman Research Building.
Salary: Postdoctoral Researcher salary scale €43,907 – €56,202 per annum, (subject to the project’s funding limitations), and pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts.
The default position for all new public sector appointments is the 1st point of the salary scale. This may be reviewed, and consideration afforded to appointment at a higher point on the payscale (subject to the project’s funding limitations), where evidence of prior years’ equivalent experience is accepted in determining placement on the scale above point 1, subject to the maximum of the scale. (Research Salary Scales – University of Galway).
Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 (Irish Time) on 1st June 2024.
It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date.
Interviews are planned to be held on 21st June 2024.
Please review full job description for further details and essential requirements.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Description:
The successful candidate will focus on Work Package 2, ‘Networking Early Modern Manuscript Poems’. The first several months of the contract will focus primarily on data preparation and reconciliation. This work package will begin by tracing the transmission of John Donne’s poems within, between, and beyond the communities traditionally associated with manuscript verse in order to challenge received ideas about authorship and reception. The researcher will then apply their preliminary findings about the roles of women as well as non-elite, non-urban, non-English, and multilingual people in the transmission of wonne’s poems to develop new hypotheses about the circulation English manuscript verse more broadly. These hypotheses will be tested during research conducted in a number of international archives.
Duties:
• Preparation of data for online virtual research environment
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of data and results
• Archival research on major collections of manuscript miscellanies held in libraries
internationally
• Preparation of papers for presentation and publication
• Preparation of joint-edited essay collection
• Contribution to the project website
• Associated administrative duties
• Any other duties assigned commensurate to this level of post
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Essential Requirements:
• PhD in early modern English or another relevant field
• Experience working with databases
• Expertise in early modern manuscript culture
• Significant experience in archival and historical research
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Peer-reviewed publication record• Ability to work well both collaboratively and independently
• Highly motivated, with excellent organisational skills
Desirable Requirements:
• Research specialisation in early modern English poetry
• Experience with quantitative and/or computational humanities research
• Experience with network analysis
• Knowledge of one or more of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Latin, Spanish
• Excellent IT skills
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Continuing Professional Development/Training:
Researchers at University of Galway are encouraged to avail of a range of training and development opportunities designed to support their personal career development plans. University of Galway provides continuing professional development supports for all researchers seeking to build their own career pathways either within or beyond academia. Researchers are encouraged to engage with our Researcher Development Centre (RDC) upon commencing employment – see HERE for further information.
Further Information/Links
• To apply:
Applications should include a covering letter, CV, a sample of academic written work (e.g. published article, thesis chapter), and the contact details of three referees.
• Jobs – University of Galway. Applications must be submitted online.
o Internal Applicant – How to apply guide
o External Applicant – How to apply guide
• For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Erin A. McCarthy, School of English, Media,
and Creative Arts; Email erin.mccarthy@universityofgalway.ie.
• University’s Strategic Plan
• Working in Research at University of Galway
• Moving to Ireland (Euraxess)
• We reserve the right to re-advertise or extend the closing date for this post.
• University of Galway is an equal opportunities employer.
• All positions are recruited in line with Open, Transparent, Merit (OTM) and Competency based
recruitment.