Postdoctoral Researcher (Post-Doc 2) in PetrIUS: Petrification of Ius Commune through Printed Paratexts Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań in Poland

Postdoctoral Researcher (Post-Doc 2) position at the Centre for Ius Commune, Faculty of Law and Administration, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, within the ERC Starting Grant project PetrIUS: Petrification of ius commune through printed paratexts (Grant Agreement No. 101162091).

This is a full-time, temporary postdoctoral appointment based in Poznań, Poland. The first contract is for 6 months, with a total project duration of 36 months. The post is part of a Horizon Europe / ERC-funded research project focused on legal history, printed legal books, and the role of paratexts in the development and transmission of ius commune.

The successful candidate will work on WP2 and WP3 together with Postdoc 3, under the supervision of the principal investigator. WP2 concerns the origins and variants of paratexts, including comparative reading of printed works, checking original sources, manuscript verification, and tracing the development of variants across late medieval manuscripts, incunabula, and later editions. WP3 addresses paratexts in printed corpora iuris, studying publishing practices, page layout, the impact of paratexts on the legal book market, printing techniques, relations between printers and editors, and the broader ‘visual turn’ of early modern legal communication.

Responsibilities include researching printed legal paratexts, reviewing literature, contributing scholarly articles, presenting at conferences and seminars, organizing project seminars, and collaborating within a research team at the place of employment. The post also involves contributing data to the IVS Commune database and carrying out case studies related to the project themes.

Applicants must hold a PhD in the humanities or social sciences, preferably in legal history, by the start date. The call seeks researchers with a strong interest in late medieval and early modern legal history, especially ius commune and the history of legal books. Familiarity with legal history methods is required; knowledge of book history, palaeography, and digital humanities is advantageous. Candidates should have research publications on historical legal sources, excellent English, good command of one additional language from Italian, German, French, or Spanish, and passive Latin supported by publications using Latin-language sources. Strong project management, organizational ability, teamwork skills, and familiarity with academic research software are also required. Experience in research and international collaboration is necessary; teaching experience is not required.

Funding information indicates a monthly salary of 7,600 PLN before tax, plus potential supplementary project remuneration of approximately 5,017 PLN before tax per month for recent PhD holders or approximately 6,450 PLN before tax per month for experienced team members, according to AMU remuneration regulations.

The application deadline is 30 September 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Warsaw). Applications should be submitted by email to karolina.pelka-gawlik@amu.edu.pl, and the subject line must include the suffix “Postdoc 2”. Selected candidates will be invited to an online interview.

The host institution is Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, a major Polish university with the Centre for Ius Commune as the research unit. The project environment emphasizes international cooperation, seminars, collegial teamwork, and support for academic development and future funding applications.