Postdoctoral researcher in Egyptology

Postdoctoral Researcher in Egyptology (fixed term: 2 years, 1.0 fte)
The Faculty of Humanities and NINO at Leiden University invite applications for a fulltime postdoctoral researcher in Egyptology.

What you will do
The Netherlands Institute for the Near East (NINO) is pleased to offer a two-year postdoctoral fellowship hosted at Leiden University. This initiative is designed to foster early-career researchers in the study of the Near East (incl. Egypt). The fellowship comes with full-time employment at the Faculty of Humanities at Leiden University and with access to facilities at NINO (office space, computer, libraries and collections). The fellow is expected to reside in or near Leiden during the time of appointment and to participate in the intellectual life of the Institute. All applicants, but especially those with interdisciplinary research profiles beyond the Humanities, are encouraged to seek additional affiliation to relevant researchers or research groups in the Netherlands (Leiden or elsewhere).

The fellowship is aimed at candidates of any nationality who completed their doctorate (PhD) within the last four years and who have proven their potential to conduct and publish research at an international level. This year, we invite applications of researchers who work in the field of Egyptology.

During the fellowship, the successful candidate will work on their own research. They will design and teach a graduate course on “Methods and Concepts in Near Eastern Studies”, which is offered at a national level to advanced students from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, including Near Eastern Archaeology and History, Assyriology, Classics, Egyptology, Hittitology and Coptic Studies. In their second year, the fellow will convene an international academic conference on a topic relevant to their own research, taking into consideration the research interests represented at the NINO and/or other institutes and universities in the Netherlands. A conference budget of € 8,000 is at their disposal. The proceedings of this conference are to be published after peer-review in one of NINO’s book series.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct original research on a topic relating to Egyptology;
• Teach a graduate seminar on methods and concepts in Near Eastern Studies;
• Organize an international conference on a topic relevant to their own research;
• Disseminate the results of their research to (non-)academic parties through appropriate channels.

Requirements

• A PhD degree in a relevant field of study, completed between January 2022 and February 2026;
• A research and publication record that is commensurate with career stage;
• Commitment to high-quality research, publication, and dissemination;
• Excellent communication and organization skills;
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

Where you will work
Since its founding in 1575, Leiden University has built an international reputation for excellence in education and research. The Faculty of Humanities is an international centre for the study of languages, cultures, arts, and societies worldwide, in their historical contexts from prehistory to the present. We take culture broadly to include religions, philosophies, and worldviews as well as literature, art, and technology. We aim to contribute to knowledge, the sustainable well-being of societies, and the understanding of the cognitive, historical, cultural, artistic, and social aspects of human life. In research and teaching, we focus on “Dynamics of Diversity”, meaning the mobility of people, language, culture, ideas, art, and institutions in a globalizing world, and their interconnectivity through the ages. With over 800 staff members, the Faculty of Humanities offers 26 bachelor’s and 27 master’s programs to more than 7,200 students at locations in the historic city center of Leiden and in The Hague. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/humanities.

The Netherlands Institute for the Near East (NINO) is a research centre located at the Faculty of Humanities, as part of the Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS). NINO aims to advance knowledge of the history of the Near East (incl. Egypt), its archaeological remains and its cultural heritage. Its research community consists of researchers based in Leiden as well as at other Dutch universities. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage with this community while in residence.

The Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS) comprises the School of Asian Studies, the School of Middle Eastern Studies, the School of Religious Studies, and NINO. The Institute is committed to a contemporary approach to Area Studies, integrating disciplinary and regional-historical perspectives with a strong foundation in advanced language proficiency. LIAS faculty members bring expertise in a wide range of fields, including Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, Buddhist Studies, Film Studies, History, International Relations, Language Pedagogy, Law, Linguistics, Literary Studies, Material Culture Studies, Performing Arts, Philology, Philosophy, Political Economy, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Visual Culture Studies.

What we offer
We offer a fixed-term full time (1.0 fte) position from September 2026 through August 2028.

The salary range for a postdoctoral researcher is from € 3.546 to € 6.433 gross per month (pay-scale 10 or 11) commensurate with qualifications, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Depending on qualifications, the researcher may start at the appropriate step in scale 10 until they fully meet the requirements for scale 11 as specified by the Faculty of Humanities, particularly with regard to the number of years of relevant work experience. Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3%). Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.
We also offer:

• An employment contract for the duration of two years. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.

For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions.
Leiden University is committed to diversity, inclusiveness, and equal opportunities.

Want to apply or find out more?
Applications must be received by March 15, 2026. Interviews will be held online in April or May. Applications should be in English, with the items listed below included in this order in a single PDF document named ‘FAMILY NAME – Given name – vacancy number’:

1. CV including education, employment history and publications;
2. Letter of motivation;
3. Research proposal (c. 1,000 words);
4. Conference proposal including an abstract, a list of envisaged speakers, and a budget table explaining the expenditure of max. € 8,000 (c. 750 words);
5. Names, positions and email addresses of two referees (no reference letters);
6. One sample publication or other piece of written work.

For more information about what the job entails, please contact Miriam Müller, at m.müller@hum.leidenuniv.nl. You can apply until 15 maart 2026; You will receive a response to your application no later than two weeks after the vacancy closing date.

For general information on the application procedure, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions

Please note:

• In choosing between candidates, in case of equal suitability, preference will be given to internal candidates, women, the occupationally disabled and employees with a migration background.
• You live and are officially registered as resident in the Netherlands or are willing to relocate upon starting the position.
• A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
• We ensure that our lecturers have a good level of English competency. Lectures who teach subjects in English have a minimum level of C1 for their English proficiency.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid