The Lise Meitner Group “Decay, Loss, and Conservation in Art History” at the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art Historyin Rome (BHMPI) and the School of Art History at the University of St Andrews are pleased to offer a:

Joint Doctoral Research Position

This call is for a prospective doctoral candidate who wishes to enrol in the School of Art History at the University of St Andrews starting in September 2025 to work under the joint supervision of Dr Francesca Borgo and Dr Elsje van Kessel. The doctoral project is partly executed in Rome and partly in St Andrews. While in residence in Rome, the candidate will join the Lise Meitner Group as a predoctoral fellow.

Project Theme
The doctoral project must address European and colonial art histories from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century. The project must centre on the broad theme of art and war. Loot, plunder, piracy, and their legal ramifications are potential desirable topics in the candidate’s project, along with their opposites (repair, restitution, and peace-making).
We welcome applications from aspiring doctoral students in every field within the history of art, technical art history, conservation history, and museum studies, with preference given to projects crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries. Excellence in research, commitment to pursuing new insights through original scholarship, and willingness to become part of a group of rising, international scholars are essential.

Dates and funding
The candidate will first spend 18 months (from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2027) at the BHMPI, followed by 18 months (1 March 2027 to 26 September 2028) at St Andrews.
During the period at the BHMPI, the Max Planck Society will offer a fixed-term contract of employment. Stipend and benefits are determined according to the German Civil Service Collective Agreement (65% TVöD Bund E 13) or equivalent, depending on individual personal circumstances. No tuition fees are charged. Fellows enjoy all the privileges of the institute, including library access seven days a week, a research budget, and their own desk.
During the period at St Andrews, the candidate will receive a full tuition fee waiver provided by the School of Art History at St Andrews. Postgraduate research students are entitled to shared desk space, a modest research budget, full library access, and teaching opportunities and benefit from the lively and welcoming intellectual environment of the School.
In both instances, all living costs (including travel, immigration, medical, and accommodation costs, etc.) are the responsibility of the candidate.

Background
The Max Planck Society is Germany’s premier research organization. The eighty-six Max Planck Institutes conduct research at the highest level in the service of the general public in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
The University of St Andrews is Scotland’s oldest university. In 2024 it was ranked first in the UK by both The Times and The Guardian.
Applications are particularly welcome from people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds and with other protected characteristics who are under-represented at the University. Equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of the St Andrews experience and form a central pillar of the University Strategy. We strive to create a fair and inclusive culture demonstrated through our commitment to diversity awards (Athena Swan, Carer Positive, LGBT Charter and Race Charters). For more information, see our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion pages.

Eligibility
The candidate must:
- Hold a Master or equivalent degree in Art History or other relevant discipline
- Not hold a doctoral degree or be matriculated for a doctoral degree elsewhere
- Be highly proficient in English and conversant in one other European language (preferably Italian, German, or Dutch)

How to apply
To apply, the candidate must upload the following documents as separate PDF files to the application portal https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/
- Cover letter
- Curriculum vitae
- Description of proposed research project (max. 1500 words), accompanied by a one-page bibliography. Where appropriate, proposals should be accompanied by properly captioned images.
- A sample of academic written work in English (max. 3000 words)
- Two signed reference letters
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates. Please only send certified copies with official English translations if applicable. Do not mail original documents, as they cannot be returned.
- If applicable, English language requirements certificate

You will then need to email pgarthistst-andrews.ac.uk to indicate you have submitted your application, and it is for this opportunity.
Applications are due on Monday 31 March 2025. Online interviews on MS Teams will be held in late April.
Further information
For any questions, please email Editorial-LMGbiblhertz.it at the Bibliotheca Hertziana and/or ejmvkst-andrews.ac.uk at the University of St Andrews.