Job description:

We are looking for a creative and enthusiastic Research Assistant who will work as part of the NIOD ImageLab research team, to successfully implement the "History's Darkroom" project (Imagining and Understanding War, Mass Violence & Visual Culture from WWII to the Digital Age).

Rapid developments in visual technology and digital archives continually change how we experience, see, think about, remember and represent war and mass violence. NIOD's ImageLab analyses the historical significance and affective force of images developed in the 'darkroom of history' and remediated in the digital age. The project explores how new technology relates to the visual memory of various wars and genocides in the 20th and 21st century through research that engages critically with images in the WWII ImageBank and other visual sources, such as comics.

The work of the ImageLab currently includes creating a book based on the Behind the Star project (which focuses on identifying the names of Jewish people depicted wearing the Yellow Star), working on the NIOD's collection of World War II related photobooks, and stimulating engagement with academic and wider audiences. For further information see the project website: https://www.niodimagelab.nl/

What you will be doing:

• As a Research Assistant for the project, you will assist the project researchers with contextualizing historical photographs of Jewish victims of Nazi persecution that are held in the ImageBank WWII;
• Working with the research team to realise a project on photobooks held in the NIOD collection related to WWII;
• You will also help with planning and co-ordinating of workshops and research seminars and with producing content for the project website and social media.

Requirements

• A MA degree in history, visual studies, cultural or memory studies;
  
  
• You have an affinity with the mission of NIOD and an interest in visual history and the history of the Second World War and its ongoing social significance;
  
  
• Strong research and writing skills;
  
  
• The ability to work both independently and in a team;
  
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, knowledge of Dutch would be an asset.
  
  

What we are offering

You will form part of the NIOD ImageLab team and you will work together with Senior Researchers; archival specialists and project interns. You will have the opportunity to develop your research and writing skills and to gain experience within a vibrant, professional research environment.

Fixed-term contract: 6 months.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is and the maximum salary is gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP. The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment). For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

About NIOD
The NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies was founded on 8 May 1945 to map out the history of the Second World War in the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies through independent research. During the past decades this expertise has been extended to research into mass violence and genocides in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The NIOD is a scientifically independent and at the same time strongly socially oriented institute.

Apart from scientific research, NIOD opens its collections to both professionals and private individuals. NIOD is located in a monumental building of the Dutch Government Property Department in the centre of Amsterdam. It manages in-house 3 kilometres of archives, a library with 75,000 titles and a large photo collection. NIOD has about 75 employees. It is one of the 15 institutes of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW). The Communication and Information team is responsible for internal and external communication and public activities, spokesperson management and the management of NIOD's online and social media.