We are happy to share these PhD and post-doc opportunities in History, both with deadlines on 28 February 2026
The Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP) in Bochum, Germany, is offering a position for one Postdoctoral Scholar for 2 years, with employment contract, to begin in June 2026 or later.
We seek a postdoctoral scholar working in the history of cryptography and information security after 1970, with a robust research agenda. The successful applicant will conduct their own research within these guidelines, will undertake a series of oral history interviews, and will organize a workshop on the history of cryptography with a focus on the last 50 years. The project aims to support innovative scholarship on cryptography, both the individual project of the successful candidate and the broader work in the community.
The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin (Etienne Benson) and Princeton University (Matthew Jones). The successful candidate will organize and undertake, along with the director at MPI-SP and the collaborators, to secure high quality, technically and historiographically informed oral history interviews of the major figures in the development of cryptography. Special attention should be given to the 1970s, when cryptography began to emerge as a research field outside government agencies, and to the 1990s, when concerns about privacy and state surveillance became prominent with the rise of the internet.
The position will be centered at Christof Paar’s group at MPI-SP and offers a unique opportunity to work within two intellectually stimulating environments: the history-of-science community, with a focus on technology and information technology, and the global cryptography community. The hosting institute together with the collaborating institutions are well connected in both communities at the international level. To apply, please submit the following documents:
- Cover Letter
- Curriculum vitae; including publication list;
- Research prospectus in which you outline your planned contribution to the research theme (maximum 1,500 words);
- An English writing sample communicating your own research to academics or the general public. Preferably a published piece.
- Contact information for two referees.
Applications must be received by February 28, 2026, and should be sent to christof.paar@mpi-sp.org with the subject line “History of cryptography”.
Applications will be reviewed in March 2026 and short-listed candidates will be interviewed in March and possibly April of 2026. Only successful candidates will be notified.
Please note that we can only accept electronic applications submitted through the portal.
3 PhD (4 years) opportunities in History of Science and Technology
The Institute for the History of Science (iHC) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is about to open a call for 3 full-time, 4-year doctoral contracts in the history of science and technology, or related fields, starting in October-December 2026. These contracts are part of PHYNEST, a Horizon Europe MSCA-COFUND doctoral programme coordinated by the UAB.
PLEASE check the PHYNEST website for extended information about the programme and the call, including who can apply. In case of not providing master degree certification, the candidate must include a declaration of compliance with all requirements to access to the doctoral programme at the time of starting the fellowship. The iHC is responsible for section 5, “Historical and societal evolution of energy and sustainability”, including the following PhD projects:
- Concrete landscapes: technology, politics, and environment in the twentieth century
- Contentious “Green Transitions”: Renewable energies and geopolitical materials in historical perspectives
- The role of Materials Science in the historical construction of small-scale research
The candidates (who can be master students finishing this course) must have lived at least two of the last three years outside Spain. They can apply for all three fellowships (at the same time).
The call timeline is as follows:
Application deadline: February 28, 2026, at 24:00 CET.
Evaluation and Selection period: March – July 2026.
Results announced: September 2026.
Fellowship start date: October – December 2026 (flexible start).
Please get in touch if you have any questions (jaume.valentines.alvarez@uab.cat). If you have any doubt on the application and evaluation process, please contact Susana Aragón, Project Management Team, phynest.cofund@uab.cat
