Post-doctoral Candidate in the field of Geophysics

The Department of World Archaeology, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, is looking for a

Post-doctoral Candidate in the field of Geophysics

to join a project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and carried out at the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University.  

Project Description 

The Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, seeks to appoint a full-time Postdoctoral researcher to carry out research at the thematic intersection of Geophysics and Paleolithic Archaeology. The successful candidate will join the Department of World Archaeology of our Faculty. The research appointment is for a two-year timeframe (1.0 FTE). Part time work is negotiable (e.g. 0.8 FTE).
The Postdoctoral position will be supervised by Dr Wei Chu (PI), Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University. The postdoctoral researcher’s research is part of the ERC-funded Consolidator grant: HOME: Palaeolithic shelters in East-Central Europe. 
 
The HOME project is divided into four interconnected Work Packages (WP): 

1. WP1: To investigate the diversity of forager shelters and establish the main factors that dictate their location and design 
2. WP2: to locate remnants of Palaeolithic shelters and their associated furniture through a systematic open-air geomagnetic survey 
3. WP3: to ascertain if and how one of the mammoth bone structures at the site was used as a shelter in the Late Pleistocene 
4. WP4: will collect primary data on shelter use from karstic deposits

The successful researcher will be expected to lead WP2, under the supervision of the PI and in collaboration with other team members and make substantive contributions to Work Packages 1 and 4

• Coordinate and lead geophysical fieldwork campaigns in East-Central Europe lasting up to eight weeks each.
• Oversee the full workflow of magnetometry-based prospection, including daily planning, data collection, and team supervision.
• Collaborate with the PI to prepare fieldwork logistics, including landowner coordination and technical readiness of survey equipment (e.g., GPS, field computers, drones).
• Manage and process geomagnetic data; contribute to refining data analysis workflows.
• Integrate geophysical results with spatial datasets (e.g., DEMs, sediment maps, archaeological site records) using QGIS and other open-source tools.
• Supervise and participate in test excavations of identified anomalies, including sediment screening, artifact recovery, and feature documentation.
• Organize and oversee detailed small-scale excavations of promising test pits, using 3D recording methods and coordinating sample collection for specialist analyses.
• Maintain daily field documentation, including data backup, georeferenced recording, and artifact cataloguing, in collaboration with local museums and partners.
• Support collaborative work with local colleagues, student volunteers, and international project partners in a team-oriented research environment.
• Contribute to the interpretation and publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at relevant conferences.
• Contribute to the overall aims of the HOME Project, including other fieldwork projects.

Selection criteria

• PhD degree completed by the time of the appointment in Archaeology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or related field; 
• Demonstrable ability and enthusiasm for innovative and inter-disciplinary research at the intersection of conceptual and policy-oriented research in one or more of the above fields;
• Experience with quantitative research methods; 
• Availability to travel and conduct fieldwork outside the Netherlands; 
• Demonstrable good time-management, organizational, and communication skills; 
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in an organized and results-oriented fashion; 
• An excellent command of English is required.

Our faculty
The future of the past begins at Leiden University. The Faculty of Archaeology is internationally leading for its research, home to a broad array of specializations and notable for its strong connection between teaching and research. Home to over 500 students in the multidisciplinary world of Archaeology, the Faculty, and its researchers from all areas of the archaeological field, determine the future of archaeological research. More information about our university and our faculty can be found at: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/archaeology

We offer 

• The selected candidate will be appointed for 2 years in total: initially for a 1-year trial period, followed by an extension of 1 more years, in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities. 
• The salary is the standard offered to Postdoctoral researchers in the Netherlands in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (scale: 10-0 to 10-3 = € 3546,- / € 4075,- gross per month).
• Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions.
• Foreign applicants moving to the Netherlands may qualify for the 30% ruling.

Diversity 
Leiden University attaches great importance to diversity and therefore welcomes applications from people who are currently under-represented at Leiden. 
Applications are particularly welcome from minority ethnic candidates.  
 
Information 
For more information about the content of this vacancy, please contact Dr Wei Chu w.chu@arch.leidenuniv.nl  
For other matters, please contact Human Resources HR@arch.leidenuniv.nl
More information about Leiden University can be found at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en.
 
Apply 
You can apply via the 'Apply' button. The deadline for applications is October 2, 2025.
Applications must be submitted via SuccessFactors. The position is envisaged to start in January 2026, but a later or earlier start date is possible. 
 
Please attach the following additional documents as PDF file, stating the job number above: 

• Motivation letter, including your relevant interest and experience in the subject matter and in doing advanced research (max 1 page) 
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications 
• A writing sample (postgraduate thesis or publication) 
• The names and addresses of two potential referees (no actual recommendation letters required at this stage). 

Selected candidates will potentially be invited for an online interview. We kindly request that you be available (online) following the closing date of the position.