The DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich/ Collaborative Research Centre 1150 “Cultures of Decision-making” starting on July 1st 2015 at the University of Münster invites applications for 2 Research Associates [Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterinnen/Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter (PhD student positions)] in the Project C02 “The Role of the Supernatural in Procedures of Imperial Decision-making in the Byzantine Empire from the 6th to the 12th Centuries” under the auspices of Prof. Dr. Michael Grünbart at the earliest possible date.

The positions will be fixed-term during the first phase of the Sonderforschungsbereich/ Collaborative Research Centre 1150 until June 30th 2019. Currently, the regular employment time is 26 hours and 33 minutes per week. All posts can, as a rule, also be filled as part-time positions if there are no compelling work-related reasons against doing so.

Project C02 will investigate, how imperial decision-making was supported and influenced by prophetic competency and supernatural expertise (“occult sciences”) in medieval Byzantium.

The scope of duties includes:

• The Research Associates participate in and contribute to the Project C02 by doing research either on the PhD-project A “Occult Sciences and Fortunetellers in Procedures of Decision-making at the Byzantine Imperial Court from the 6th to the 12th Centuries” or on the PhD-project B “Prophets and Divine Afflatus in Procedures of Imperial Decision-making in the Byzantine Empire from the 6th to the 12th Centuries”.
• The Research Associates will also take part in the interdisciplinary collaboration with other projects as well as in workshops, meetings and research groups of the Sonderforschungsbereich/ Collaborative Research Centre 1150.

The Research Associates have the possibility for further academic qualification by submitting their thesis (Promotion) and therefore participate in the syllabus of the Graduate Centre (“Integriertes Graduiertenkoleg”) of the Sonderforschungsbereich/ Collaborative Research Centre 1150.

The following requirements must be met:

• Completion of a course in Byzantine studies or similar studies with a focus on Byzantine studies with top grades (Master or Magister)
• Language skills in Ancient/Byzantine Greek
• Experience in coping with and interpreting of Byzantine sources
• The candidates should have a main area of interest in Byzantine history, Byzantine imperial history, Byzantine historiography and Byzantine scientific disciplines (esp. astrology and oneiromancy). In addition candidates should indicate an interest in Byzantine learned culture and knowledge transfer and they should be receptive to interdisciplinary methods as well.