ASSISTANT/PHD POSITION IN BRITISH OR AMERICAN LITERATURE (100%) STARTING DATE: 1 AUGUST 2026
The Institute of English Studies at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is looking to hire a full-time assistant / doctoral student for a four-year teaching and research position, with the possibility of a fifth year. The candidate will be expected to teach between two and four hours a semester, and to write a dissertation under the supervision of Patrick Vincent (https://www.unine.ch/anglais/biographie/patrick-vincent).
Profile
Candidates should have completed an M.A. degree in English or Comparative Literature or be near completion. They should have an excellent track record in literary studies and write well in English; digital skills, alongside knowledge of French and / or German, are also welcome.
We encourage candidates with a demonstrated research interest in one of the following, or in a similar area: the long Romantic period; William and / or Dorothy Wordsworth; Lord Byron; Mary and / or Percy Shelley; John Ruskin; H.D. Thoreau; nineteenth-century material culture; travel literature; cultural exchanges between Great Britain, the Continent and America; the cultural history of the Alps; literature and political theory; literature and the environment; and twentieth-century American poetry.
Responsibilities
Half of our doctoral assistants’ workload is dedicated to researching and writing a doctoral thesis. In addition to light administrative duties, assistants are also required to teach one or two sections of our first-year “Literature and Writing Workshop” every semester (2 or 4h per week), which focuses on close analysis of texts and composition.
Conditions
The position is renewed yearly, based on the successful fulfilment of work duties and the satisfactory progress of the thesis. The starting monthly salary is CHF 5’381.50.
Workplace
The Institute of English Studies at the University of Neuchâtel is a small but vibrant community of researchers, teachers, and students devoted to the study of English linguistics and literature. We offer B.A.- and M.A.-level programs in English, and we participate in the Swiss CUSO doctoral school. For more on the Institute, click here: https://www.unine.ch/anglais/home.html.
Neuchâtel is a pleasant town in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, tucked in between a lake and the Jura mountains. For more on the University and town of Neuchâtel, click here: https://www.unine.ch/etudier/choose/neuchatel.
Application
- a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position, your research interests, and a doctoral project.
- a C.V. with an academic reference who can be contacted.
- an academic transcript.
- a writing sample (e.g. an academic essay or, if relevant, a published article).
Please submit your application by 1 May 2026
For questions and to submit your application, you may write to Patrick Vincent (patrick.vincent@unine.ch)