Thanks to the generous support of the Clay Foundation, the College proposes to elect a fixed-term Career Development Fellow in Sanskrit for three years with effect from 1st September 2027. The post will be renewable for a further fixed-term of two years subject to receipt of donor funding. The post will be held at the Centre for Manuscripts and Text Cultures (CMTC) within The Queen’s College, and the successful candidate will become an active member of the CMTC and will also be elected to Associate Membership of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.
The Fellowship is open to candidates who hold a doctorate in Sanskrit, or a closely related field, or are close to completing such a doctorate. The successful candidate will have a broad expertise in Sanskrit. The Fellowship is intended for early-career researchers with less than two years’ full-time postdoctoral research experience by the start date; further information about eligibility may be found below, and in the further particulars.
The Role
The successful postholder will deepen the interdisciplinary research commitment to Sanskrit manuscript and text cultures at the CMTC. They will sit on the management committee of the Centre and actively develop research on South Asian manuscript and text cultures for the journal Manuscript and Text Cultures (MTC) and the Manuscript and Text Cultures Monograph Series (MTMS), published by Liverpool University Press.
In addition to conducting original research in Sanskrit manuscript and text cultures, the candidate will develop active research links between the CMTC and South Asian research institutes. The postholder will also have the opportunity to lecture on South Asian manuscript and text cultures at the CMTC’s partner institutions in China—specifically the Centre for Manuscript and Text Cultures at Nanjing University, and the Research and Conservation Center for Unearthed Texts at Tsinghua University, Beijing—while actively fostering research collaborations in these environments.
To enhance their career trajectory, the postholder will conduct an average of six weightedhours of formal teaching per week during term time for the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES), ensuring they gain essential university teaching experience.
Administratively, the postholder will diversify and provide vital continuity for the Management Committee of the CMTC through their specialised expertise in Sanskrit. By proactively recruiting Sanskrit scholars to contribute to MTC and MTMS, the postholder will significantly broaden the Centre’s South Asian scope. They will also play a full role in the organisation of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the College, including admissions and, from their second year in post, pastoral support for students.
Salary and Allowances
The annual salary for this post is £43,690 plus a discretionary pensionable £3,335 per annum Queen’s Weighting payment which will be paid in monthly instalments. The Career Development Fellow will be automatically enrolled in the USS pension scheme unless they opt out.
A personal research allowance of £4,165 per annum is provided by the College for research activities such as conference attendance, research assistance, and the purchase of books and IT equipment.
Closing Date: 11:59pm (EST) on Monday 8 February 2027.