The ERC Synergy Grant project “The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo)” at The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) / KWI –Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities is seeking to fill a position at the next possible date as a Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d, salary group 13 TV-L, 100%, ~5 years) in Geography, History, Cultural Studies

Start of employment: as soon as possible
Duration of employment: until 2030-08-31
Working time: 39 hours 50 min. (100 %) (part time is possible)
Application deadline: 2025-06-19

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) with a background in history, cultural studies, geography or STS and expertise in cartography and critical mapping. The ideal candidate has a strong interdisciplinary profile with qualifications in history of technology, digital cartography or methods of critical or collaborative mapping as well as a proven record of engaging with concepts and theories of technology and space. The research will primarily concentrate on the spatial and cultural aspects of artificial cooling since the Cold War, including mappings of cold chains for food and biomedicine as well as space cooling and IT infrastructures. Tasks also include integrating findings and analysis into the public project archive and engaging in scientific dissemination and publication.

For more info on the position, main tasks and requirements, see the following pdf: https://www.kulturwissenschaften.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/job-announcement-cultcryo-postdoc2-kwi.pdf

About the project
The ERC Synergy project The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo) investigates the cultural preconditions and consequences of the use of artificial cold. With a globally networked system of cold storage facilities, nitrogen tanks, cold chains, and air-conditioned spaces, the global use of cooling and freezing technologies enables modern life on both biological and social levels –for example, in the areas of food supply, medicine, air conditioning, and data processing. Despite its far-reaching socio-ecological impacts, the enormously energy-intensive planetary “cryosphere” has not yet been systematically researched. The interdisciplinary research project consists of several international research groups working in close cooperation. For more information, please visit: https://cryocultures.org/.

The ERC Synergy Grant project “The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo)” at the University Paderborn is seeking to fill a position at the next possible date as a Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d, salary group 13 TV-L, 100%, 42 months) in Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology

Start of employment: as soon as possible
Duration of employment: 42 months
Working time: 39 hours 50 min. (100 %)
Application deadline: 2025-06-30

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) with a background in Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology or related fields. The postdoc is expected to closely collaborate with a PhD-student to undertake an ethnographic case study of the use of blockchains to securitize food supply chains (e.g., the “IBM Food Trust”), thereby interlocking two of our paradigmatic research fields. This work will include an overarching analysis of the political regulations and normative assumptions that inform the use of blockchain for food securitization, a critical review of the concept of digital sustainability, and discourse and policy analysis of the sociotechnical imaginaries (e.g., digital solutionism) that accompany the application of blockchain to the globalisation of food supply and security.

For more info on the position, main tasks and requirements, see the following pdf: https://www.uni-paderborn.de/fileadmin/zv/4-4/stellenangebote/Kennziffer6963_Englisch.pdf

About the project
The ERC Synergy project The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo) investigates the cultural preconditions and consequences of the use of artificial cold. With a globally networked system of cold storage facilities, nitrogen tanks, cold chains, and air-conditioned spaces, the global use of cooling and freezing technologies enables modern life on both biological and social levels –for example, in the areas of food supply, medicine, air conditioning, and data processing. Despite its far-reaching socio-ecological impacts, the enormously energy-intensive planetary “cryosphere” has not yet been systematically researched. The interdisciplinary research project consists of several international research groups working in close cooperation. For more information, please visit: https://cryocultures.org/.

The ERC Synergy project “The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo)” investigates the cultural preconditions and consequences of the use of artificial cold. We are seeking a Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d) with a background in Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology or related fields. As an ethnographic oriented praedoc, you will be working in an interdisciplinary, international team at the forefront of cultural studies!

The 65% position is at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Institute of Human Sciences/Philosophy and Ethics of techno-scientific Cultures of Paderborn University.

The ERC Synergy Grant project “The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo)” at the University Paderborn is seeking to fill a position at the next possible date as a Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d, salary group 13 TV-L, 65%, 48 months) in Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology

Start of employment: as soon as possible
Duration of employment: 48 months
Application deadline: 2025-06-30

We are seeking a Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d) with a background in Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology or related fields. As a PhD student you will mainly devote your time to an ethnographic case study of the use of blockchains to securitize food supply chains (e.g., the “IBM Food Trust”), thereby interlocking two of our paradigmatic research fields. This work will include analyzing company sources, conducting interviews with experts as well as preparing and undertaking field research. This will involve following the securitized food supply chain; investigating the origin and circulation of key foodstuffs, their adoption as securitized commodities, and the tracing of their movements through data centre hubs to retailers and consumers. Your PhD-project will be in close collaboration with a Post-Doc working on the same case study and will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Suzana Alpsancar (UPB) and Prof. Dr. Bronwyn Parry (ANU).

https://www.uni-paderborn.de/fileadmin/zv/4-4/stellenangebote/Kennziffer6964_Englisch.pdf

About the project
The ERC Synergy project The Cultures of the Cryosphere. Infrastructures, Politics and Futures of Artificial Cooling (CultCryo) investigates the cultural preconditions and consequences of the use of artificial cold. With a globally networked system of cold storage facilities, nitrogen tanks, cold chains, and air-conditioned spaces, the global use of cooling and freezing technologies enables modern life on both biological and social levels –for example, in the areas of food supply, medicine, air conditioning, and data processing. Despite its far-reaching socio-ecological impacts, the enormously energy-intensive planetary “cryosphere” has not yet been systematically researched. The interdisciplinary research project consists of several international research groups working in close cooperation. For more information, please visit: https://cryocultures.org/.