Predoctoral Research Trainee

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

Offer Description

Purpose of the Call

Applications are invited for a position as a predoctoral research trainee to join the CASEs research group at the Department of Humanities, under the research line Data Management and Remote Sensing of South American Heritage, to carry out research tasks leading to a PhD thesis, pursuant to Article 21 of Law 14/2011, of June 1, on Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Job Description

The MAPHSA project is seeking two predoctoral researchers to conduct research on pre-Columbian South American heritage. MAPHSA's mission is to integrate historical data and new data obtained through geospatial methods into an open-access digital database. This resource will provide the research community, heritage management agencies, and the interested public with the first data repository and mapping resource dedicated to the continent's pre-Columbian heritage.

The research will consist of the collection and processing of archaeological data, the development and application of geospatial tools and methods for the remote sensing of new sites, and the integrated spatio-temporal analysis of the data obtained. This line of research will allow the selected researchers to contribute to testing hypotheses regarding the distribution patterns of archaeological sites and the long socio-ecological history of pre-Columbian populations in South America. Furthermore, the results will help promote the preservation and management of South American archaeological heritage and provide useful tools for its documentation and protection.

The selected individuals will have a workspace in the Department of Humanities at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in a shared office with other group members.

Remuneration

Approximately €19,007.28 gross per year.

Duration of Contract

• Start Date: From November 1, 2026.
• Duration: The contract will have a minimum duration of 1 year and a maximum of 4 years, on a full-time basis.

Department of Affiliation

Department of Humanities.

Candidate Requirements

General Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in Archaeology, Geography, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
• Be admitted to or enrolled in the PhD Program in History at Universitat Pompeu Fabra at the time of starting the contract.
• Not have been dismissed from the service of any public administration by means of disciplinary proceedings, nor be disqualified by a final judgment from performing public duties. Candidates who are nationals of another State must not be disqualified or in an equivalent situation, nor have been subjected to a disciplinary sanction or equivalent that prevents access to public employment in their State under the same terms.

Specific Requirements

• Experience in the collection, processing, and analysis of spatial data.
• Experience in database construction and management.
• Knowledge of English and Spanish.

Merits Positively Evaluated During the Selection Process

• Experience in GIS, machine learning, and geospatial modeling.
• Experience in processing SAR, LiDAR, and optical imagery data.
• Knowledge of R and Python programming.

Note: These participation requirements must be met on the final day of the application deadline, fully verifiable at any point in the selection process, and maintained through the contract signing date. Alleged merits will always be considered relative to the application deadline.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate the submitted CV alongside the motivation letter. The evaluation of candidates will be based on the following criteria (out of a total of 70 points):

Evaluation Criteria	Maximum Points
Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in Archaeology, Geography, Computer Science, AI, or similar	10 pts
Experience in the collection, processing, and analysis of spatial data	10 pts
Experience in database construction and management	10 pts
Experience in GIS, machine learning, and geospatial modeling	10 pts
Experience in processing SAR, LiDAR, and optical imagery data	10 pts
Knowledge of R and Python programming	10 pts
Knowledge of English, Spanish, and Catalan	10 pts

Minimum Passing Score: 40 points.

The selection committee, if deemed necessary, may invite candidates to an interview or contact references to clarify aspects of their CV to better evaluate their application.

Selection Committee

The operation of selection committees will conform to the Regulations on the Remote Operation of Collegial Bodies at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Governing Council Agreement of December 9, 2020), requiring sessions to always be held synchronously. For matters not covered by these regulations, Law 26/2010, of August 3, on the legal regime and procedure of public administrations of Catalonia will apply, without prejudice to the basic rules established in Article 17 of Law 40/2015, of October 1, on the legal regime of the public sector.

In sessions requiring candidate participation, physical attendance of candidates and, at minimum, the secretary of the committee will be ensured. In cases where a candidate proves residency outside Catalonia or justified circumstances prevent physical attendance, they may request remote participation from the committee secretary. The secretary may grant this provided it does not affect equal participation conditions among candidates during assessments and evaluations conducted by the committee.

Members of the Committee

• Chair: Marco Madella
• Member: Javier Ruiz Pérez
• Secretary: Seyedeh Soheila Shaabanzadeh

Processing Unit

Humanities Administration and Management Unit.

Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications ends on October 9, 2026.

Application Submission

Applications must include supporting documentation for the required qualifications and the merits being evaluated. If copies are provided, original documents may be required at any time.

To justify the evaluated merits, the following documentation must be submitted:

1. Photocopy of ID card/NIE/Passport.
2. Copy of university degree(s).
3. CV (maximum 2 pages).
4. Motivation letter (maximum 1 page).

Applications must be submitted via the Interfolio Platform at the link published on the Universitat Pompeu Fabra website when the call is issued: https://www.upf.edu/web/humanitats/convocatories-obertes.

Publication of Administrative Acts

All administrative acts regarding this selection process will be published on the Universitat Pompeu Fabra website (https://www.upf.edu/web/humanitats/convocatories-obertes). This publication will serve as official notification, in accordance with Article 45.1.b) of Law 39/2015, of October 1, on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations.

Once the call is published, the approximate publication dates for the resolution approving the provisional list of admitted and excluded candidates will be made public on the same website. From this publication, an appeals period of 2 calendar days will open.

This list will become final if no claims are filed within the specified period.

An appeal against the final resolution of admitted and excluded candidates, which exhausts administrative remedies, may be filed before the labor courts (Jutjats Socials) of Barcelona within two months starting the day after its publication. Alternatively, an administrative appeal for reversal (recurs de reposició) may be lodged with the issuing body within one month.

Approximate publication dates for the selection committee's award proposal and the final award decision by the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Research Staff will also be published on the website.

Award Proposal

Upon publication of the selection committee's award proposal, an appeals period of 2 calendar days will open.

Award Decision

The selection process will conclude with the award resolution issued by the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Research Staff.

Against this resolution, which exhausts administrative remedies, an appeal may be filed before the labor courts (Jutjats Socials) of Barcelona within two months starting the day after its publication. Alternatively, an administrative appeal for reversal (recurs de reposició) may be lodged with the issuing body within one month.

In the case of non-EU nationals, contract formalization remains subject to obtaining the corresponding residence and work permit.

Processing of Personal Data

Participation in this selection process implies acceptance of the terms regarding personal data processing, detailed at: https://rat.upf.edu/ca/ll040.

Where to apply

Website: https://apply.interfolio.com/190229

Requirements

• Research Field: History » Archaeology
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
• Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Good
• Languages: SPANISH — Level: Good
• Research Field: History » Archaeology

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 2
• Company/Institute: Universitat Pompeu Fabra
• Country: Spain
• State/Province: Barcelona
• City: Barcelona
• Postal Code: 08005
• Street: Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27

Contact

• State/Province: Barcelona
• City: Barcelona
• Website: https://www.upf.edu/web/cases/
• Street: Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27
• Postal Code: 08005
• E-Mail: seleccio.humanitats@upf.edu