The newly founded research training group “Life Sciences – Life Writing” (GRK 2015/1), starting April 1, 2017, is advertising Doctoral Fellowships in Medicine and the Humanities (m/f), Reference 797/16. As part of the German Research Foundation (DFG) funded research training group “Life Sciences, Life Writing: Experiences at the Boundaries of Human Life between Biomedical Explanation and Lived Experience” (GRK 2015/1), the University of Mainz and the Mainz University Clinic are jointly inviting applications for 3 doctoral fellowships.

At the intersection of biomedicine, individual and society, experiences at the boundaries of human life arise which pertain to the entire human life span, from technologically assisted reproduction to end-of-life decisions accompanied by intensive care. These experience at the boundaries of human life confront both biomedicine and the humanities with the necessity of reassessing their established approaches to problem solving and definitions of agency, and require an interdisciplinary dialogue.

Therefore, we invite doctoral students from a disciplinary background in

  • History of Medicine and Science
  • Theory of Medicine and Science, particularly with a focus on Science and Technology Studies (STS)
  • Ethics of Medicine, Ethics and Theory of Action;
  • American Studies with a focus on literature and culture studies, particularly Early American Studies, North-American history, Transnational American Studies, Medical Humanities, Disability Studies
to apply for one of the doctoral fellowships.

Our interdisciplinary research training group provides you with the opportunity to bring your skills and competencies to a structured doctoral program based on interdisciplinary dialogue.

Your tasks:

  • Developing an independent dissertation project within the framework of overarching questions explored by the research training group
  • Active involvement in the development of the research and training program of the group
  • Participation in interdisciplinary publication projects and co-authoring publications with other members of the research training group Presenting your research at interdisciplinary conferences

Your profile:

  • An excellent MSc, MA or equivalent in the area of life sciences or the humanities, alternatively an outstanding course performance in medicine
  • Academic curiosity and the willingness to work in an interdisciplinary team with other young researchers
  • A keen interest in working in an international team of doctoral students and in immersing yourself in a disciplinary framework
  • complementary to your own (humanities/cultural studies or natural sciences/medicine)
  • At least one first-authored manuscript in a top-tier journal
  • An excellent knowledge of English

We offer:

  • An interdisciplinary platform for exploring experiences at the boundaries of human life between biomedical explanation an the dimension of lived experience
  • Co-supervision of your dissertation project by outstanding faculty from the natural sciences/medicine and the humanities
  • An excellent possibility of transferring the skills and competences gained in the research training group to a great variety of other
  • fields and disciplines
  • The possibility of earning a doctoral degree in medicine, American studies, philosophy, history, cultural anthropology,
  • pharmaceutical biology and molecular biology
  • The opportunity to conduct your dissertation research in cooperation with outstanding international researchers from Europe,
  • The US, Australia and Asia
  • Excellent employment opportunities in academic and non-academic areas based on your research of current and highly relevant
  • topics
  • Financially attractive fellowships as well as additional pension and social security benefits
  • Excellent development and training opportunities
  • Part-time and full-time employment
  • Childcare facilities: depending on availability
  • Work-related tickets for public transport as well as good transport connections

Your contact person for academic questions are the speaker of the research training group:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Norbert W. Paul, Tel.: 0049-(0)6131 179545 and Univ.-Prof. Dr. Mita Banerjee, Tel.: 0049-(0)6131 3922250.
Closing date: January 20, 2017
Send your application, including a cover letter, CV, credentials, exposé of the planned project (1-2 pages), motivational letter (1-2 pages), reference letters by two academic instructors, and referring to job opening 797/16 to karriere@unimedizin-mainz.de (only by e-mail, ideally as a single PDF file).
The University Medical Center is an equal opportunity employer.