The University of Lucerne is a modern, personal and dynamic human sciences university at the heart of Switzerland and Europe. In keeping with our guiding principle 'Moving Human Sciences', we focus on people and their institutions with our six faculties, two academies and two university research centres. Our aim is to develop the University of Lucerne into a pioneering, internationally visible centre for research and teaching in the human sciences.

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, with its ten institutes and departments focuses on interdisciplinarity and innovation in research and teaching. The faculty offers its nearly 800 students a range of integrated degree programmes that are unique in Switzerland. We place great emphasis on excellent supervision and on ensuring close links between teaching and research.

As of 1 March 2026 or by agreement, we are advertising a

Postdoc position in History (80 - 100%, 4 years)

This position is part of a project funded by the Starting Grant scheme of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), titled «Matter of Distinction: Early Modern Hair, Race, Trade and Multispecies History, 1650–1820» and led by Ass.Prof. Dr. Sarah-Maria Schober. In four subprojects, the project team will analyse the early modern racialization of hair. On the one hand, this involves connecting the processes of race making to the emerging large-scale trade in human and animal hair in the early modern «age of the wig». On the other hand, hair is considered within the context of multispecies approaches.

The subproject «Hair Geographies and the Early Modern Long-Distance Trade in Hair» examines the long-distance hair trade in parts of the Atlantic World and selected European hubs. It explores the geographies, meanings and practices surrounding human and animal hair valuation, asking how different kinds of hair took on the role of “commodities of empire”. Depending on the expertise, interests, and language skills of the person working on this subproject, the focus will be on specific case studies. For instance, emphasis could be placed on particular regions of the Caribbean where wig-making and wig-care were among the most common service occupations practised by enslaved and free people of non-European origin. Connecting the situation in the transatlantic colonies to European geographies of hair valuation will be informative for the project as a whole, adding to its objective of unravelling the interrelations between the hair trade and broader processes of distinction making.

Tasks

Completing a monographic study and/or a series of journal articles and other publications in the thematic area specified above
Attending conferences, giving presentations on the subproject
Collaborating on the project's research database
Collaborating on the project's digital exhibition «Hairy Histories: A Digital Exhibition» and taking part in organising and conducting academic events within the overarching project

Requirements

PhD/DPhil in history (preferably in early modern history or the early 19th century or an adjacent relevant discipline), to be completed by the time you start the job at the latest
Research experience in archives (preferably in the Caribbean, North America and/or Europe)
Research specialization(s) in the history of early colonization, trade, knowledge, and/or critical race studies
Very good English skills, additional language skills (preferably Dutch, French, Spanish, Danish, German)
Interest in approaches focused on materiality and practices
Openness towards more-than-human/multispecies approaches
Team orientation, enthusiasm for research, and capabilities of self-organization
Regular presence

We offer

A four-year employment (80–100%) in a postdoc position salaried according to University of Lucerne standards
Regular exchange within the project team and the research colloquium of the Department of History
Highly motivated and constructive research team with opportunities for international contacts
Flexible working hours and a centrally located workplace at the university
Funding of research expenses (archival trips, conferences)

Your application

A detailed letter of motivation, describing your profile and your interest in the position and the overall project, including ideas regarding the concrete design and further development of the subproject (2–4 pages)
CV detailing your education and career path, language skills, publications
PhD-thesis and one selected article (can be work in progress)
Copies of degree certificates

Please contact Ass.Prof. Dr. Sarah-Maria Schober (sarahmaria.schober@unilu.ch) for further information.

Applications may be submitted until 3 November 2025 through the online application system

Apply now