University Assistant Praedoc in the research area of Sanskrit Philosophy Universität Wien

Job description:

The University of Vienna is a community of almost 11,000 individuals, including approximately 7,700 academic staff members, who passionately pursue answers to the profound questions that shape our future. They represent individuals driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. With us, they find the space to try things out and unfold their potential. Are you inspired by their passion and determination? We are currently seeking a/an

University Assistant Praedoc in the research area of Sanskrit Philosophy

Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where more than 7,500 academics thrive on curiosity in continuous exploration and help us better understand our world. Does this sound like you? Then join our accomplished team!

Your workplace:

As a doctoral researcher, you will become part of Prof. Elisa Freschi's research team. The team conducts research in the history of philosophy in the Sanskrit cosmopolis. The team's research currently focuses on a) the Mīmāṃsā school and especially the contribution of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa to epistemology, philosophy of language and philosophy of ritual; b) the debate on commands and on deontics, especially through the work of Maṇḍana Miśra; c) Sanskrit philosophy of action and of law, especially through the work of Medhātithi; d) the Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta school and especially the contribution of Veṅkaṭanātha to philosophy of religion. 

Further information can be found here:
https://www.elisafreschi.com 

Your duties will include active participation in research, teaching and administration at the Department of Philosophy in the area of Sanskrit philosophy. The main focus of the position is on the completion of a dissertation on a topic that falls within the range of the research group. 

The duration of the contract at the time of employment is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not submit a declaration of non-extension within the first 12 months.

Your future tasks:

You actively participate in research, teaching, and administration at the Department of Philosophy and in Prof. Elisa Freschi’s research team.  This involves the following:

• You work on your dissertation and its completion.
• You are involved in research projects, conferences, research organization tasks and teaching.
• We expect you to finalize your dissertation agreement within 12 to 18 months.
• You hold courses independently within the scope of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• You supervise students in your area(s) of competence and you help with conducting examinations.
• You contribute to the organization and content of conferences, publications, and academic projects.
• You take on administrative tasks in research and teaching as well as in the department.

Your profile:

Required:

• Completed Master's degree (or equivalent) in Sanskrit philosophy (this could have been awarded within a department for the study of Philosophy, but also within one for the study of Religion or for the study of South Asia, provided the main focus of study has been Sanskrit philosophy)
• Outstanding achievements in your previous studies
• At least intermediate knowledge of Sanskrit and willingness to improve it
• High level of written and oral communication skills
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• IT skills, especially in the area of word processing, PowerPoint, study administration programs and e-learning programs, or willingness to learn them
• Organizational and teamwork skills
• You should be a team player with high social skills, happy to work in a joint enterprises such as co-edited volumes and co-organised events
• You should be reliable and able to commit to realistic goals and to complete them in the allotted time

Desirable:

• Initial experience in academic work and research organization
• Teaching experience and experience with e-learning
• Knowledge of university procedures and structures
• Knowledge of other areas of philosophy, including other historical periods and areas of Sanskrit philosophy
• Experience abroad
• Knowledge of German or willingness to acquire German language skills within 3 years that are sufficient for teaching in BA programs and for participation in university committees
• Knowledge of another Indian language is desirable, especially Maṇipravāḷam, Tamil, Bengali, or knowledge of Tibetan

What we offer:

Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours and can partially work remotely. 

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & Coaching: We offer you ongoing opportunities to expand and deepen your skills. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 3.776,10 (14 times a year; on a full-time basis, 40h) increases if we can credit professional experience.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!

In order to apply, please submit the following:

• Your academic CV (max. 2 pages) and a letter of motivation (max. 2 pages)
• A list of your publications and proof of teaching experience (if available)
• A short summary of a dissertation project (about 900 words, including bullet-point outline and preliminary bibliography with the most important sources for the dissertation project)
• A writing sample (about 5000 words, but this is not strict)
• Certificate and transcripts for completed master's degree (or equivalent)
• Contact details of at least two people who can provide letters of recommendation on request (these will be requested for shortlisted candidates only)
• Via our job portal / Apply now – button

Selection procedure:

Please consider that after the long-list is completed, we will contact your letter-writers for recommendations, ask you to join a reading group for at least one meeting, and that there will be an online interview, presumably on or around Monday December 7. Preferred start date: Early 2027.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Univ.-Prof. Elisa Freschi  

elisa.freschi@univie.ac.at

Please note: The professorship will begin on September 1, 2026. Emails sent to the address listed in this posting will be monitored before the start date.

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

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​Application deadline: 09/17/2026 

Apply now