Researcher in History for the Genealogies of Old Wealth (GLOW) Project

Lunds Universitet · Full-time

Box 192, Lund, Sweden

We are seeking a researcher in history for the research project GeneaLogies of Old Wealth (GLOW) About the Workplace The position is located at the Department of History at the History Institution, Lund University, and is part of a larger research project with two principal investigators and a student assistant. The majority of the work will be conducted at the History Institution in Lund, though some activities may also take place at archive institutions within Sweden. One of the project members works abroad, which means project meetings are held both in-person in Lund and digitally. About the Research Project The research project GeneaLogies of Old Wealth (GLOW) is multi-year and funded by the Swedish Research Council. The project focuses on wealthy families and analyzes the significance of inherited property across multiple generations. Based on Sweden's richest families at the beginning of the 20th century, the project has mapped their economic conditions by combining family trees spanning four generations with economic data from estate inventories. The main data collection phase is now complete, and the project is entering a phase of processing, analysis, and writing. The project offers new perspectives on economic inequality from a historical standpoint, which is a major research field both in Sweden and internationally. GLOW is part of the research node HEIRS at the History Institution, which is specifically focused on research on household economics, wealth, and inheritance. There is also an established seminar series in collaboration with the Institute of Economic History in Lund (the seminar "Work & Livelihood"). What We Offer Lund University is a state authority, which means you receive special benefits, generous vacation, and favorable occupational pension. Read more on the university's website about working with us: Work for us | Lund University. Responsibilities and Tasks Processing of collected source material and analysis Authoring of two scientific articles within the framework of the research project, one co-authored and one independently authored Presentation of the research project and research results at conferences Development of ways to disseminate project results in more popular forms, such as blog posts, newspaper articles, or similar Active work in developing the HEIRS research node and its activities Development of new project applications linked to HEIRS As a researcher in the project, you will need to work independently but in constant dialogue with other project members. Your work is conducted within the project's framework, but within these parameters you have the opportunity to influence the direction of the analysis, particularly for the independently authored article. This should be based on collected data, but its thematic focus can draw on your specific expertise and research interests. Qualifications Required qualifications: Doctoral degree in history or economic history Experience working with quantitative and qualitative methods Published research relevant to the GLOW research project Very strong English language skills, both spoken and written Ability to work independently and in a structured manner Strong collaboration skills Meritorious qualifications: Experience reading and interpreting handwritten historical sources in Swedish or another Scandinavian language Published historical research in English Demonstrated ability to identify historical research questions and develop a research design suited to answer them Clear ideas on how you can develop your own research profile within the research themes of HEIRS Other Information The position is a permanent employment with a start date of 2026-11-01 or by agreement. The position is for 80 percent of full-time. How to Apply Applications for the position should be submitted through the university's recruitment system and must be written in English. Your application should include a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position and how your qualifications match the role. The application should also include a CV, list of publications, doctoral degree certificate, and contact information for two references. If you have previous publications relevant to the project and/or the research themes of HEIRS, these should also be attached to your application. Candidates who best meet the stated qualifications will be invited for an interview. Before the interview, you will be provided access to the project description and examples of the research data collected by the project. Based on this material, during the interview you will have the opportunity to develop your own research profile within the project by identifying research questions that you particularly can and wish to work on, and to discuss how that work can contribute to completing the project. We welcome your application! About the History Institution The History Institution is one of seven institutions within the Faculty of Humanities and Theology. It is a large institution with three departments: the Department of History, the Department of Human Rights, and the Center for East and Southeast Asian Studies. It has approximately 100 teachers and researchers. We decline all inquiries from advertising sales, recruitment, and staffing firms due to government procurement regulations.