2 PhD positions Linguistics and Language variation - Meertens

Meertens Institute’s Linguistics and Language Variation group is seeking two PhD students. The research in the Variation Linguistics Group focuses on language variation in all its forms—grammatical, social, historical, and multimodal—to better understand how language both constrains variation and change and creates openings for identity formation.

The group’s four core domains are:

• Limits to variation (grammatical & social; dialects; natiolects)
• Youth language, social media & migration (identity, home, mobility)
• Historical Dutch (17th century, colonial contexts, migration)
• Ecolinguistics & multimodality (human–animal relations, climate discourse)

Position Information

The department aims to expand its permanent research staff by regularly appointing PhD students, who will dedicate four years to a specific research project under the supervision of one or more researchers in the Variation Linguistics Group. The PhD will be awarded by the university where the supervisor holds a professorship. Currently, there is an opening for one PhD candidate (x/f/m) (1.0 FTE) for a four-year period.

Who are we looking for?

Candidates should have an MA or RMA degree in linguistics or a closely related field, with demonstrable interest in and/or experience with scientific research in variation linguistics, particularly from a computational, formal-linguistic, sociolinguistic, and/or historical-linguistic perspective.

What should you bring to the role?

Applicants should have an excellent academic track record at the BA and MA levels, a curious, enterprising, and creative mindset, and the ability to communicate fluently in Dutch and English, both orally and in writing. Strong analytical skills and the ability to connect complex linguistic data with innovative theory development are expected. The capacity to work independently as well as collegially within a close-knit, highly interdisciplinary team is highly valued.

Additional Information

For more information about this position, please contact Marjo van Koppen (head of the Variation Linguistics Group) via email marjo.van.koppen@meertens.knaw.nl.

About Meertens Institute
The Meertens Institute, together with the International Institute of Social History and the Huygens ING, is part of the KNAW Humanities Cluster. This is a partnership in which research in the humanities (history, ethnology, literature, linguistics) is carried out using advanced methods, in which computer science plays an important role. The Meertens Institute is a national institute for research and documentation of the Dutch language and culture, and language and culture in the Netherlands. It consists of the research groups Ethnology and Variational Linguistics, both of which hold leading positions in international research on everyday language and culture.

Terms of Employment
Depending on education and experience, the minimum salary is €3,059 and the maximum salary is €3,881 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale P cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance, and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle, or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment).

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.