Postdoctoral fellowship in the quantitative history of China over the Holocene
Position summary
The Hong Kong Research Grants Council supports the Area of Excellence project Quantitative History of China: Historical Roots of Recent Success and Future Development. In the framework of this five-year multidisciplinary project, I am searching for a postdoctoral fellow to lead a sub-project on aspects of the history of climate and society in China over the Holocene.
Research Focus
The postdoctoral fellow will lead a project under the broad theme of understanding how prehistoric and historic land use change in China over the Holocene epoch (last 11,700 years) affected local, regional, and global environments. This work will follow on similar regional projects undertaken for West Africa (Kay and Kaplan, 2015; Kay et al., 2019), Greece (Hughes et al., 2022), the Philippines (Findley et al., 2022; Findley et al., in prep), and other aspects of my past and ongoing research that focuses on Europe and North America. The postdoctoral fellow will be encouraged to develop their own research project within the overarching goals of the research program. Specific areas of focus could include paleoenvironmental reconstruction, archaeological science, land use mapping, economic history, human impacts on fire, air quality effects on human health, and related topics.
For further details or to discuss your interest before applying, please email me.
Minimum qualifications
A Ph.D. in archaeology, history, human or physical geography, economics, environmental science, East Asian studies, or a related field.
Fluency in English listening, reading, and writing.
Ability to work independently, bring your own ideas to the project, and collaborate internationally.
Preferred qualifications
Demonstrated research experience including peer-reviewed publications in your field of expertise.
Skills in GIS, cartography, and statistcal analysis.
Evidence of teamwork and horizontal leadership.
Fluency in reading, writing, and speaking Mandarin and/or other Chinese languages.
Location and start date
This position requires full-time, in-person presence at the University of Calgary main campus, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Secondments with project partners in Hong Kong and Mainland China may be part of the work.
The starting date for this position can be as early as 1 March 2026 and will be subject to arrangement with the selected candidate.
Funding and support
This position includes a competitive salary based on skills and experience that may be augmented with additional fellowships, and includes support for travel, conferences, and other research expenses. Support is for a period of 3 years, contingent on satisfactory progress and funding.
How to apply
Applicants should submit the following materials as a single PDF file at this link:
A one-page statement describing your research interests and experience, and career goals.
A short CV that includes a list of your relevant research skills and background.
A link to download an example of your research work, e.g., journal article, book chapter, thesis, etc.
Scans of your IELTS (Academic), TOEFL, or equivalent language test results, if English is not your mother tongue.
Informal inquiries by email in advance of applying are welcome.
Assessment criteria and other qualifications
Consideration will be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the research group, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.
Review of applications will commence on 15 January 2026 and continue until the position is filled.
Please note that due to the high number of applications received only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
References
- Hughes, R., Weiberg, E., Bonnier, A., Finné, M., & Kaplan, J. (2018). Quantifying Land Use in Past Societies from Cultural Practice and Archaeological Data. Land, 7(1), 9. doi:10.3390/land7010009
- Findley, D. M., Acabado, S., Amano, N., Kay, A. U., Hamilton, R., Barretto-Tesoro, G., Bankoff, G., Kaplan, J. O., & Roberts, P. R. (2022). Land use change in a pericolonial society: Intensification and diversification in Ifugao, Philippines between 1570 and 1800 CE. Frontiers in Earth Science, 10. doi:10.3389/feart.2022.680926
- Kay, A. U., & Kaplan, J. O. (2015). Human subsistence and land use in sub-Saharan Africa, 1000 BC to AD 1500: A review, quantification, and classification. Anthropocene, 9, 14-32. doi:10.1016/j.ancene.2015.05.001
- Kay, A. U., Fuller, D. Q., Neumann, K., Eichhorn, B., Höhn, A., Morin-Rivat, J., Champion, L., Linseele, V., Huysecom, E., Ozainne, S., Lespez, L., Biagetti, S., Madella, M., Salzmann, U., & Kaplan, J. O. (2019). Diversification, Intensification and Specialization: Changing Land Use in Western Africa from 1800 BC to AD 1500. Journal of World Prehistory, 32(2), 179-228. doi:10.1007/s10963-019-09131-2