King's College London

About us

King’s History is an intellectual home for scholars of every region of the world, who use approaches which range from local micro-histories to large-scale quantitative analysis. We particularly value conversation between scholars of different periods and places, with different approaches. We also value the close connection between historical research and the world beyond the academy.

We are proud of our diverse, ambitious student body, and of the lively community of historians they form. Our undergraduate curriculum introduces students to world history from the early medieval period to the present; it then offers students pathways to study every continent through their second and third years. Our MA provision is similarly broad, developing students’ expertise in medieval, early modern and modern world history. Our PhD students and early career researchers are appointed to many of the top positions in their field.

We are currently (2024) the 6th best History department in the UK, and 23rd in the world, according to QS University Rankings.

About the role

The Department of History at King’s College London invites applications for one 2-year (24 month) Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to work on the project ‘ECOMEDS: Economic and cultural connections within Mediterranean ecosystems, c.1250-c.1550’ (a UKRI Frontier Research Grant, previously ERC).

The primary objective of PDRA (Arabic and Hebrew Sources) is to collect information regarding the production, consumption and trade of four target commodities (coral, honey, citrus and cheese), especially with regard to Muslim and Jewish communities, through research as part of a team that includes the Principal Investigator and two other Research Associates working on archival sources in Italy and the Crown of Aragon.

The ability to work with primary sources and related secondary literature in at least one the target languages is essential, although both languages is preferred. Ability to work with related materials in other languages is an advantage. The PDRA will expand their research skills through working with multiple sources across the study region and its zones of contact as feasible. They should have knowledge of the relevant history and historiography of the Mediterranean region, and the ability to connect this to the wider research questions of the project. An understanding of, and ability to use Islamic and/or Jewish legal texts and to be able to relate these to economic and social history would be an advantage, as is an interest in economic and environmental history.

In addition, the post-holder will be expected to attend project meetings, seminars and conferences related to the project, give conference papers, and publish research papers. They will also undertake any other reasonable duties associated with the project as required by the PI, or within the Department as required by the Head of Department.

Abstract of project:

The medieval Mediterranean was home to diverse religions, ethnicities, languages, and political entities spread across innumerable landscapes and seascapes—on land inhabiting a shared biome defined by fire and resistance to it, and encompassing a sea of enormous biodiversity, in a complex and dynamic ecosystem.

ECOMEDS examines the interrelationships between economy, environment and culture in the Mediterranean, c.1250-1550. The project combines the history of the plant and animal life of the Mediterranean with the production of highly sought-after location-specific commodities whose trade in the Middle Ages drew together networks of producers, merchants, processors and consumers from different places, polities and communities. Four commodities will be examined: coral, honey, citrus, and cheese, each representing a different facet of this environment, each embedded in the cultural and economic life of the Mediterranean and beyond, and each traded over long distances.

Together, ECOMEDS will tie the environmental history of the Mediterranean to its economic activity and cultural exchange, shedding light on the long-term genesis

This is a full time (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 24 months starting from 1st September 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD qualified in relevant subject area
2. Good research skills in historical methods e.g. the ability to carry out relevant research, including the relevant linguistic, bibliographic, and, if necessary, palaeographic skills
3. Ability to work with late medieval/early modern sources in Arabic and/or Hebrew and an understanding of the relevant communities under study, their history and historiography
4. Good interpersonal skills
5. Ability to work individually and as part of a team
6. Good writing and communication skills
7. Ability to think flexibly with regard to research

Desirable criteria

1. Knowledge and/or interest in economic/environmental history
2. Ability to work with materials relating to Muslim and/or Jewish communities in other relevant regions
3. Enthusiasm for research and departmental life

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

More about the project

The project is centred on the production, trade and consumption of four indicative Mediterranean commodities – citrus, coral, honey and cheese – through the compilation and analysis of timeseries data on prices, trade volumes, and indications of production capacities. Two PDRAs are currently developing these time series from unpublished manuscript sources based largely in the Crown of Aragon and Italy. The PDRA (Hebrew and Arabic sources) will complement this work and develop a new strand of research into the place of these commodities within Jewish and Muslim populations within the Mediterranean, including its southern shores. In addition to producing high-quality research publications, the project feeds into a number of strands of research within the Department of History and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, including increasing provision for economic and environmental history, interdisciplinary studies, and particularly the growing interest and importance of environmental humanities. It is also envisioned that the project will create further avenues for networks of collaboration and exchange with other universities.

The project covers three centuries and a large geographic area. Two PDRAs will have regional responsibility for collecting the data and other relevant information: PDRA (Crown of Aragon) and PDRA (Italian sources), while the third PDRA will examine qualitative material relating to key themes of the project through Arabic and Hebrew sources. The work to be carried out is highly skilled. In addition to an ability to carry out primary source research (e.g. relevant palaeographic and linguistic skills) through extensive research trips to archives and libraries, the PDRAs will also contribute to the project through their subject-specific knowledge of the historical contexts of the regions for which they have primary concern (e.g. economic, cultural, political, environmental). They will be able to work independently and collaboratively, producing single- and co-authored work in English and other relevant languages of publication.  The language of the project, although not all publications to be derived therefrom, is English.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community. We are committed to working with our staff and unions, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’  pages.

Interviews are due to be held in June.

We area able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK