PhD candidate (Anthropological Linguistics, Descriptive Linguistics) Leiden University in Netherlands

Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL) at Leiden University is offering a fully funded PhD position in Anthropological Linguistics / Descriptive Linguistics as part of the NWO Vidi project Grammars of Space and Time: Language, Culture and Cognition in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. The project explores how language, culture, and environment shape the conceptualization of space and time in communities in southwestern Ethiopia.

The PhD project focuses on Aari, an Omotic language spoken in southwestern Ethiopia. The successful candidate will carry out immersive fieldwork and produce a grammatical analysis of Aari with a particular emphasis on spatial and temporal expressions. The research combines linguistic description, ethnographic fieldwork, and cognitive methods to examine spatial reference systems, deixis, frames of reference, and space-time mappings.

The position is hosted by LUCL, a research-rich environment within Leiden University’s Faculty of Humanities, with strong expertise in the world’s languages and the research profile area Language Diversity in the World. The project is collaborative and contributes to the development of the Omo Valley Space-Time Database and related outputs. The successful candidate will also present at conferences, publish research results, and complete a PhD thesis within the appointment period.

This is a four-year appointment, starting 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The salary ranges from €3,059 gross per month in the first year to €3,881 in the fourth year, plus holiday and end-of-year bonuses. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a tax break.

Eligibility highlights include a completed Master’s degree in linguistics or a related area, strong research and fieldwork skills, and good English. Knowledge of Amharic or other Ethiopian languages is considered an advantage. The application deadline is 15 September 2026.

To apply, submit your materials online via the university application system, including a motivation letter, CV, MA thesis, article or term paper, transcript, and referees’ details.