The candidates should be able to make contributions to the department’s areas of research.
The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology studies human diversity and human origins in a multidisciplinary perspective. The contribution of linguistics to this goal lies in the study of the history and prehistory of languages (and peoples) around the world (especially non-European languages), as well as the current diversity of human languages (linguistic fieldwork on little-described and endangered languages and language typology). The Department of Linguistics collaborates with the Department of Evolutionary Genetics and the Max Planck Research Group on Comparative Population Linguistics to compare the evidence from linguistics and genetics for the prehistory of human populations.
Doctoral fellows should already have an MA in Linguistics or an equivalent qualification by the start of their fellowship, and be either registered or qualified to register in a recognized doctoral program at a university or equivalent degree-awarding institution. Doctoral fellows have the possibility of obtaining their doctoral degree through the University of Leipzig .

Regular participation in the department’s talks, seminars and workshops is expected. Except for approved absences (e.g. fieldwork, conferences, vacation), the place of work is Leipzig. The fellowship is available from 01 October 2011, but a later starting date may be negotiated, no later, however, than 01 January 2012.
There are no teaching obligations, but the opportunity for teaching in the linguistics program of the University of Leipzig exists.

Scholarship Application Deadline:04 April 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application