Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Chaucer Studies

Description

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Assistant position to be based in the Department of English at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. The successful applicant will work on a project led by Dr Devani Singh (PI) and funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. The project’s wider aim is to recover, update, digitise, and recontextualise the work of Caroline Spurgeon (1869-1942), the first woman professor of English in England, and the author of landmark literary scholarship on Chaucer and Shakespeare. The aim of the Postdoctoral Research Assistant post is to contribute to research which will update the allusions and references contained in Spurgeon’s Five Hundred Years of Chaucer Criticism and Allusion (1925). This augmented corpus will constitute the first Open-Access database of Chaucer reception, allowing researchers to investigate new questions about Chaucer’s reputation, canon, and influence over five centuries.

Work Rate and Starting Date

The Postdoctoral Research Assistant position will be held at 80%, initially for 12 months, renewable three times (so up to four years in all). The starting date is 1 January 2026.

Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Research Assistant will work on establishing a corpus of Chaucer allusions which will inform a future database. Their primary role will be to contribute to the project by conducting research on the allusions found in Spurgeon’s U.K. archives; by collecting and verifying allusions contained in Spurgeon’s printed catalogues; and by identifying and verifying post-Spurgeon allusions published in subsequent Chaucer scholarship. The Postdoctoral Research Assistant will also present the results of the project’s research independently and/or alongside other team members at conferences and in the form of peer-reviewed publications.

Requirements

• A PhD in Middle English literature or Chaucer reception studies, defended after 31 December 2023 (i.e. no more than two years before the starting date);
• A thorough knowledge of Chaucer’s works;
• The ability to conduct archival research on English materials ranging from 1300-1950;
• Experience working with large quantities of data and/or with databases;
• Excellent organisational skills;
• The ability to work well and co-operatively within a team;
• An outstanding command of written and spoken English;
• The ability to read French, Latin, and/or German will be an advantage.

Interviews

Interviews are scheduled to take place in June 2025.

To Apply

Please complete the application form by 30 April 2025: here. Full CVs, writing samples, and references will be requested from shortlisted candidates.

Supplementary Information

Interested candidates are also encouraged to consult the supplementary information about the job available here.

Living in Geneva

This post is not available remotely. For information about living in Geneva, see here. The successful candidate will be required to obtain the appropriate visas/permits.

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