Research Position (PhD)(m/f/d) in Romance Linguistics

The Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies has the following job opening:

Research Position (PhD)(m/f/d) in Romance Linguistics

ID: Wiss26098

• starting: as soon as possible
• part-time 65 %
• salary according to Remuneration level 13 TV-L
• fixed-term

The position is situated in a research and teaching context that addresses questions of language contact (including Creole languages) and/or sociolinguistics (including migration linguistics) in relation to Romance varieties in the Global South. Particular emphasis – though not exclusively – is placed on three regions: the Caribbean, Central Africa and Southeast Asia (e.g. Romance languages in multilingual repertoires, intra-regional migration processes, French-, Portuguese- and Spanish-based creole languages, etc.). Beyond these thematic areas, Bielefeld University offers numerous opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and academic qualification, including the Center for InterAmerican Studies and the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre “Linguistic Creativity in Communication”. 

An overview of the research networks of the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies can be found at: https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/fakultaeten/linguistik-literaturwissenschaft/forschung/Forschung-LiLi/forschungsverbuende/ 

Your Tasks

• conducting academic research in the field of language contact and the development of Romance varieties in postcolonial language ecologies of the Global South; including participation in research projects and publications (65 %)
• research-based teaching (2.6 hours per week during the semester) in the field of Spanish and/or French linguistics (25 %)
• participation in the organisation of teaching and study programmes as well as in academic self-governance (10 %)

Employment is conducive to scientific qualification and provides the opportunity for further academic development.

We offer

• salary according to Remuneration level 13 TV-L
• fixed-term (3 years) (§ 2 Abs. 1 Satz 1 WissZeitVG; entsprechend den Vorgaben des WissZeitVG und des Vertrages über gute Beschäftigungsbedingungen kann sich im Einzelfall eine abweichende Vertragslaufzeit ergeben)
• part-time 65 %

• internal and external training opportunities
• variety of health, consulting and prevention services
• reconcilability of family and work
• 30 days holiday and additional days off on 24.12. and 31.12.
• good transport connection
• supplementary company pension
• collegial working environment
• open and pleasant working atmosphere
• exciting, varied tasks
• modern work environment with digital processes
• various offers (canteen, cafeteria, restaurants, Uni-Shop, ATM, etc.)

Your Profile

We expect

• good to very good scientific university degree in Romance Philology, General Linguistics, or a related field with a focus on linguistics
• very good proficiency in at least one of the following Romance languages: French, Portuguese, or Spanish
• knowledge of German or the willingness to acquire sufficient German for academic purposes within the first three years of employment
• sensitivity and a strong academic interest in societies of the Global South
• willingness to engage with non-European cultures and languages alongside Romance varieties
• independent, self-responsible and committed work
• pronounced organizational and coordination skills
• cooperative and team-oriented working style

Preferred experience and skills

• experience with non-European cultures and languages alongside Romance varieties (for example: Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia, Fang, Kikongo, Lingala, Tagalog, among others)
• interest in a dissertation project in the field of Romance varieties in the Global South
• interest in learning and applying empirical research methods, ranging from ethnographically oriented fieldwork and corpus creation to the statistical analysis of linguistic data
• confident command of contemporary media and presentation formats

Application Procedure

We are looking forward to receiving your application. To apply, please preferably use our online form via the application button below.  In addition to the standard application documents, you may include a copy of your master’s thesis, including the evaluation, if available and relevant to a potential dissertation project.

application deadline: 04.06.2026

Bielefeld University has received a number of awards for its achievements as an equal-opportunity employer and has been
recognized as a family-friendly university. The university welcomes applications from women. This is particularly true with regard
both to academic and technical posts as well as positions in information technology as well as the skilled crafts and trades.
Applications are handled according to the provisions of the state statutes on equal opportunity. Applications from suitably qualified
handicapped and severely handicapped persons are explicitly encouraged.

At Bielefeld University on request positions can be carried out with reduced working hours as long as this does not conflict with official needs.