Assistant Professor (Post-Doc) – Contractor of Research Project on Rus Chronicles and Common Law Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poland

The Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw is offering a full-time postdoctoral position (Assistant Professor) within the research project "Rus Chronicles as source of common law," funded by the National Science Centre of Poland (OPUS NCN project no.2025/57/B/HS3/02198) and led by Professor Adrian Jusupović. The project aims to investigate precedential norms and customs preserved in Rus chronicles from the 10th to 13th centuries, comparing them with later legal documents from the territories of present-day Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland. The research will unlock new perspectives by focusing on narrative sources, which have been underutilized in previous scholarship.

Key objectives include the creation of an open-access LawRus database (digital repository of legal historical sources in Mediawiki format), hosting an international conference in 2028 on Slavic law and customs, and publishing articles and case studies in renowned European journals. The project will involve comparative analysis using Cyrillic, Latin, Scandinavian, and Greek sources, with passages translated into English for broader accessibility.

The successful candidate will conduct independent studies of Latin and Scandinavian written sources, perform library and archive research in Poland and abroad, enter data into the database, prepare a chapter on Scandinavian law procedures and norms in Rus chronicles, write and publish scholarly articles, present at international conferences, participate in team meetings and public engagement activities, and support the PI in project management.

Applicants must hold a PhD in humanities or social sciences (obtained within 7 years prior to employment or in the year of employment), with the degree from an institution other than the Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History PAS, or have completed a postdoctoral fellowship of at least 10 months at a different institution and country. Required skills include expertise in Scandinavian and Latin palaeography and codicology, research aids for Old Norse sources, experience with Old Norse and modern Scandinavian languages, and active knowledge of German, English, Norwegian, Swedish, and French. The position offers access to social benefits, railway and sports card subsidies, career development support, research infrastructure, and language course subsidies.

Applications must include a cover letter, CV, diploma(s) or statement of expected PhD completion, list of academic achievements and publications, declaration of primary employment, and consent for personal data processing. Scanned documents should be sent to [email protected], with originals required upon employment. The application deadline is January 4, 2026, and the expected start date is February 1, 2026. The selection process involves formal and substantive assessment, interviews, and feedback for all candidates. For more information, visit the Institute's website or the position announcement.