Leverhulme Research Officer at Balkh Project, Faculty of Oriental Studies, Oriental Institute, Oxford

12-month position as Leverhulme Research Officer Faculty of Oriental Studies, Oriental Institute, Pusey Lane, Oxford
Grade 7: £29,541 - £36,298 p.a.

The Balkh Art and Cultural Heritage (BACH) project based at the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford, is seeking to fill the full-time position of Leverhulme Research Officer for 1 year (September 1, 2013 – August 31, 2014). The postholder will engage in research on the history of Balkh in the early Islamic period, and will carry out the day-to-day management tasks for the project, under the supervision of Dr Arezou Azad and Professor Edmund Herzig.

The project has the dual aim of undertaking new research on Afghanistan's early Islamic history, and in building the capacity of Afghan colleagues in cultural heritage research. Since September 2011, a team of scholars in the UK and abroad has been studying the textual and material culture of Balkh in northern Afghanistan. Historical Balkh (near modern-day Mazar-i-Sharif) was one of the oldest, largest and most important cities of Afghanistan until late medieval times. The study opens up exciting new areas of knowledge on Afghanistan's pre-Islamic past, and the way in which Islam was incorporated into historical memory. For information on BACH, see the project website at www.balkhheritage.org.

You will have, or be working towards, a doctorate in a related subject and have a track record of writing research findings to a publishable standard. You will also possess good communication, organisational, teamworking and IT skills.

The closing date for applications is 12:00 noon on July 19, 2013.

Contact Person: Head of Administration & Finance
Vacancy ID: 108316
Contact Phone: 01865 278210
Closing Date: July 19, 2013
Contact Email: thomas.hall@orinst.ox.ac.uk

For details about the position and the application, click here:
http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/jobs/research/

Also, please see EIr's Balkh entry:
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/balk-town-and-province