Doctoral Researcher in Geography (1.04.2025) TV-L E 13, 75% (Prof. Dr. Sandra Jasper) - AHRC-DFG funded project

Institut für Geographie der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

The Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany, invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher (75% FTE) for the AHRC-DFG funded project Networked through Sound: Listening to 20th Century Wildlife Sound Archives , supported by the UK-German Funding Initiative in the Humanities. In the twentieth century, wildlife sound archives emerged as new sites of specialist scientific data sets, primarily as repositories of recordings for bioacoustics research, which is the study of animal sounds, and as reference libraries for the identification of species by scientific taxonomists and wildlife enthusiasts. These archives and their recordings are of contemporary relevance, from their commercial application in Apps, films, and computer games, to their ongoing use in ecological monitoring for environmental conservation. Networked through Sound: Listening to 20th Century Wildlife Sound Archives investigates the emergence of a network of seven wildlife sound archives initiated in the mid 20th century across Europe and South Africa. The primary objective of the project is to understand how this network of wildlife sound archives, and the sound recordings they are composed of, are produced and consumed across different social and cultural contexts.

The PhD project will focus on The British Library s Wildlife and Environmental Sound (WES) collection (London, UK) and the Animal Sound Archive (ASA) at The Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin, Germany). Besides the predominant role of natural scientists in contributing sound recordings to the collections, these two archives hold numerous collections of hobbyists and enthusiasts, especially female sound recordists, who contributed to the two archives but have thus far gained little recognition. Furthermore, local experts guiding European wildlife sound recordists to find unknown places and species on their recording expeditions have been erased in the re-telling of wildlife sound recording. The doctoral researcher will carry out a distinct research project on these hidden and marginalized forms of expertise within both archives.

Your responsibilities:

• Work as a doctoral researcher on the AHRC-DFG funded project Networked through Sound: Listening to 20th Century Wildlife Sound Archives , co-led by Prof. Dr Sandra Jasper (FAU) and Dr Jonathan Prior (Cardiff University)
• Write a doctoral dissertation in the aforementioned research area
• Collaborate and conduct research within the UK-German team and independently
• Analyse written archival documents, including correspondence letters of archivists, curators, and sound recordists, and internal archival documentation; conduct interviews with key experts, including personnel at the archives and sound recordists; analyse selected wildlife sound recordings held at the WES and ASA
• Co-author and single author peer-reviewed publications in international academic journals
• Present research results at international conferences; co-organize project workshops and an international conference in the final year of the project

Notwendige Qualifikationen:

We are looking for a PhD candidate who:

• has graduated with excellent results on a research-based MA thesis in human geography, environmental history, environmental humanities, sound studies, media studies, landscape philosophy, or a related field
• has excellent written and spoken English language skills
• enjoys critical and independent thinking and has a keen interest in exploring ideas and archival collections
• is able to work independently, as well as collaboratively within an international research team
• takes initiative and enjoys organizing and engaging in international academic exchange
• has proven knowledge of qualitative social science research methods (e.g. successfully completed methods seminars)

Wünschenswerte Qualifikationen:

Ideally, the PhD candidate also has:

• experience in working with archival collections
• experience and interest in listening methods, sound recording, sound composition or sound analysis
• good verbal communication and reading skills in German

Befristetes Forschungsvorhaben

We offer you:

• 3-year doctoral researcher position (75% FTE) with German salary (according to TV-L E 13) to begin on 1 April 2025
• Co-supervision by the project co-leads Prof. Dr Sandra Jasper (FAU) and Dr Jonathan Prior (Cardiff University)
• Research travel and conference budget
• If desired, teaching experience
• Collaborative and international team committed to your career development
• Extensive training opportunities, for example through the FAU Graduate Centre
• Fully equipped workplace at the Institute for Geography
• Flexible working hours, remote work options, and excellent family-work compatibility