Saarland University is a campus university that is internationally recognized for its strong research programmes.

Fostering young academic talent and creating ideal conditions for teaching and research are a core part of the

university’s mission. As part of the University of the Greater Region, Saarland University enables students and staff to

share and exchange knowledge and ideas between disciplines, between universities and across borders. With over

17,000 national and international students, studying more than a hundred different academic disciplines, Saarland

University is a diverse and dynamic learning environment. [Saarland University is officially recognized as one of

Germany’s family-friendly higher-education institutions and with a combined workforce of more than 4,000 it is one

of the largest employers in the region.

The CEUS | Cluster for European Research is inviting applications for the following position commencing 01 October

2026

3 Doctoral Research Positions (m/f/x)

Reference number W2857, salary in accordance with the German TV-L salary scale1, pay grade: E13 TV- L, duration

of employment: 3 years, volume of employment: 65 % of standard working time.

Workplace/Department:

Saarland University’s unique Franco-German roots and its special location close to Germany’s borders with France,

Luxembourg and Belgium give the university a genuinely European dimension, with a strong European focus in its

research and teaching that has great scope for development. The CEUS ⅼ Cluster for European Research is a central

academic organization that brings together initiatives and projects from cross-faculty and interdisciplinary

European research in the areas of humanities, cultural studies, linguistics, social sciences, spatial sciences and law

under the overarching research theme “Europe-World(s) – projections, reflections, transformations”. With its

interdisciplinary Graduate School for European Research, the CEUS provides support for doctoral students and

postdocs with European-focussed dissertations and postdoc projects in an international academic environment.

Job requirements and responsibilities:

As part of this position, you will work on a doctoral research project with the focus area “Europa er|fahren:

Relationale Räume alltäglicher Europäisierung zwischen Distanz und Nähe”. This transdisciplinary focus area within

Saarbrücken-based European research incorporates approaches from human geography, literature and theatre

studies as well as European cultural anthropology using three doctoral research projects and explores spaces (both

created with this in mind and those that happen by chance) where Europe becomes tangible. This includes a variety

1 TV-L = collective agreement on remuneration of public sector employees in the German Länder

The pay grade assigned to an employee depends on their professional qualifications and the number of years of service. Each pay grade is

further subdivided into levels. Entry-level employees with no previous experience will initially be assigned a level 1 rating. After one year at

level 1 of the E10 pay grade, an employee will move up to level 2. After a further two years, the employee will move to level 3, etc.

of areas: (1) movement and mobility (petrol stations, train connections, alliances between educational institutions,

(2) spaces where community is orchestrated or negotiated (museums, theatres, events), (3) practices of Doing

Europe (such as in plenary sessions of EU institutions).

More information about the research programme is available here.

https://www.uni-saarland.de/forschen/nachwuchskolleg-europa/forschungsprogramm

If you are interested in participating in the programme, please send us your topic suggestion for a

potential research project.

In addition to working on your doctoral research project, you will also teach two hours per week during

the lecture period and will participate in the qualification programme of the Graduate School as well as in

other activities related to the CEUS and the University’s European focus.

Your academic qualifications:

 University degree (or equivalent): state-examined degree programme, Diplom, Magister or master's degree or an

internationally equivalent degree in the areas of literary studies, theatre studies, empirical cultural studies, cultural

anthropology, human geography or a related field

The successful candidate will also be expected to:

 Language skills (according to GER): Upper-intermediate to advanced German skills (B2/C1)

 Excellent academic performance,

 Interest in and willingness to participate in interdisciplinary collaboration,

 Willingness to participate in work-related travel,

 Interest in academic research and publication,

 Previous stays abroad (preferred)

 Language skills (according to GER): intermediate to advanced English language skills (min. B2) and good language

skills in an additional European language (French preferred)

What we can offer you:

 A flexible work schedule allowing you to balance work and family, among other things the possibility of

teleworking

 Secure and future-oriented employment with attractive conditions

 A broad range of further education and professional development programmes (for example language courses)

 An occupational health management model with numerous attractive options, such as our university sports

programme

 Supplementary pension scheme (RZVK)

 Discounted tickets on local public transport services (‘Job-Ticket‘ of the saarVV)

 Job bike leasing (JobRad)

We look forward to receiving your meaningful online application (in a PDF file) by 23.06.2026 to ceus@unisaarland.

de. Please include the reference number W2857 in the subject line of the e-mail. The following documents

are required to be submitted as part of the application: a letter of motivation, an exposé (max. 5 pages, accepted

languages: German, English, French) for a doctoral research project within the required focus area of “Europa

er|fahren” as well as a timeline for 36 months in table form, your most recent subject-related degree thesis, a CV and

copies of relevant degrees.

For research-related/academic questions, please get in touch with the designated college contact persons:

Jun. Prof. Dr. Simone Egger, simone.egger@uni-saarland.de (European cultural anthropology)

Jun. Prof. Dr. Carola Fricke, carola.fricke@uni-saarland.de (Human geography with a focus on Europe)

Prof. Dr. Romana Weiershausen, romana.weiershausen@uni-saarland.de (Francophone German studies)

For organizational questions, please get in touch with:

Dr. Kristina Höfer

Coordinator for European Research and Promotion of Junior Researchers

ceus@uni-saarland.de

Pay grade classification is based on the particular details of the position held and the extent to which the applicant meets the

requirements of the pay grade within the TV-L salary scale. Part-time employment is generally possible.

If you have obtained a foreign university degree, a proof of the equivalence of this degree with a German degree by the

Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB) is needed before hiring. If necessary, please apply for this in time. You can

find more information at https://www.kmk.org/zeugnisbewertung.

Unfortunately, neither costs for attending an interview at Saarland University nor costs for any certificate evaluation by the ZAB

can be reimbursed in principle.

We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, and sexual

orientation and identity. In accordance with its policy of increasing the proportion of women, the University actively encourages

applications from women. Applications from severely disabled persons will be given preferential consideration in the event of

equal suitability.

When you submit a job application to Saarland University you will be transmitting personal data. Please refer to our privacy notice

for information on how we collect and process personal data in accordance with Art. 13 of the Datenschutz-Grundverordnung. By

submitting your application you confirm that you have taken note of the information in the Saarland University privacy notice