Postdoctoral Research Associate

Are you passionate about early medieval Britain? Do you have advanced knowledge of Old English and proficiency in Medieval Latin? If yes, then you may be interested in this fixed term full time postdoctoral Research Associate role.

The School of Humanities is seeking to appoint a postdoctoral Research Associate for 32-months to undertake close analysis of Old English letter-writing in early medieval Britain. The position will entail analysis of vernacular materials alongside the Latin epistolary corpus, data collection and dissemination of findings as part of a multi-person team, led by Dr Robert Gallagher (University of Kent) and Professor Francesca Tinti (University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU).

As a postdoctoral Research Associate you can expect to be involved in:

• Archival research to identify manuscript witnesses to letters composed in and sent to Britain in the early medieval period
• Analysis of linguistic and literary features of Old English epistolary texts
• Palaeographic analysis of letters extant in early medieval forms
• Reconstruction of historical contexts to epistolary activity in early medieval Britain

What will you bring to the role?

• PhD in Medieval Studies, or equivalent
• Advanced knowledge of Old English
• Demonstrable knowledge of early medieval communication and literary cultures
• Excellent understanding of the history of early medieval Britain and its neighbours

What we can offer in return:

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing. You'll enjoy a range of great staff benefits including:

• Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working (to be agreed in line with business needs)
• 43 days' leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• Corporate employee-funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health

For more information about what you can look forward to if you join us, visit our dedicated webpage: Working at Kent

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Please see the links below to view the full job description and to apply for this post. For further information regarding the application process, please contact quoting reference number SOH

• Occasionally we may need to close a vacancy before the published deadline due to a high number of applications being received, therefore we strongly advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. (All vacancies will be open for at least one week.)

PLEASE NOTE: We prioritise applications from current University of Kent redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.

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Applications must be made via the University's online application system; CVs or details sent directly to the department or via email cannot be considered.

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Section

History

Location

Canterbury

Salary

£39,906 to £44,746 per annum

Grade

Grade 7

Post Type

Full Time

Contract Type

Fixed Term - 32 Months

Release Date

Wednesday 10 December 2025

Closing Date

23.59 hours GMT on Friday 16 January 2026 (unless otherwise stated*)

Reference

SOH-013-25