Postdoctoral Research Position, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

Berlin Natural History Museum
Current vacancies

Researcher – “Berlin’s Brachiosaurus as a Scientific Object”

Our Mission: Discovering and describing life and earth – with people, through dialogue.
The Berlin Natural History Museum is an integrated Research Museum of the Leibniz Society recognized for its excellence, international presence, and globally networked research infrastructure. It is active in three closely linked fields: collections-based research, collections development, and research-based public outreach and education.

Job Category: Researcher (m/f)
Hours: Full time
Time Period: Third party funding (subject to grant approval) starting at earliest possible date, limited to 36 months
Pay: E13 TV-L Berlin

Background
The Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, together with the Institut für Kunstwissenschaften und Historische Urbanistik at the Technical University of Berlin, the Institute of Asian and African Studies, and the Bild Wissen Gestaltung excellence cluster of Berlin’s Humboldt University, is carrying out the research project “Dinosaurs in Berlin! The Brachiosaurus Brancai as an Icon of Politics, Science, and Popular Culture” sponsored by the German Ministry of Education and Research. This cooperative project studies the history and presentation of world-famous palaeontological discoveries made in the early twentieth century in what today is Tanzania. Brachiosaurus brancai is the representative example of these finds. The hundred-year history from its excavation to the present day forms the focus of this project (http://www.naturkundemuseum-berlin.de/en/forschung/panperspektiven- auf-natur/dinosaurs-in-berlin/).

Role description:
The post holder will develop and implement a research project addressing the subject “Berlin’s
Brachiosaurus as a Scientific Object”, in which the finds and their political and cultural context will
be studied from a science history perspective. The project will analyze the finds as elements of a
material scientific culture and study the processes of their investigation and presentation.

Essential criteria:
• Degree in the History of Science, History, cultural studies, media studies; PhD preferred
• Basic knowledge in the history of palaeontology and contemporary German history and its international context
• Familiarity with the relevant archives
• Experience in planning and organizing international conferences
• Experience in planning and editing publications
• Knowledge of written and spoken German equivalent to at least upper intermediate level

Desirable criteria:
• Experience in interdisciplinary work and well-developed teamwork and communications skills
• The post holder is expected to cooperate closely with the other sub-projects.

For inquiries please contact:
Ina Heumann, PAN – Perspektiven auf Natur, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
ina.heumann@mfn-berlin.de

To ensure equality, we specifically welcome applications from qualified women. Severely disabled
applicants with equivalent qualifications will be given preferential consideration.

Applications with the usual documents (cover letter, CV, certificates of credentials and an abstract
of a case study related to the topic described above (max. 270 words)) are to be sent by
18.03.2015 with the reference number 07/2015, addressed to Museum für Naturkunde, Personalreferat,
Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin. As we are unable to return application documents,
please include only copies in the application.

See also: http://www.naturkundemuseum-berlin.de/fileadmin/startseite/institution/stellenausschreibungen/07_2015_Wiss_MA_Dinosaurier.pdf