Student Assistant (m/f/d)

• The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) is a research institute of the Max
• Planck Society (MPG) with currently two research departments, several research groups, and a
• graduate school. At the MPIWG, around 150 scholars from all over the world investigate the
• sciences past and present, working together on a collective, collaborative, and transdisciplinary
• basis. The MPIWG is renowned worldwide as a hub for reflection on the role of the sciences in
• politics and society. It is located in southwestern Berlin, close to the campus of the Free
• University Berlin and other research institutions.
• The MPIWG’s Department “Knowledge Systems and Collective Life,” led by Prof. Dr. Etienne
• Benson, seeks to appoint
• **a Student Assistant (m/f/d)**
• **starting as soon as possible for up to 19 hours per week.**
• Researchers in the Department “Knowledge Systems and Collective Life” use historical and
• ethnographic methods to study the relationship between knowledge systems and forms of
• collective life in the past and present. We seek to foreground neglected histories, trace cross-
• cultural connections, engage with diverse publics, expand the boundaries of the political,
• challenge conventional definitions of science and technology, critically reflect on our own
• political and ethical commitments, and experiment with new methods and media. Further
• information about the department can be found here. The working language of the department is
• English.
• **Your responsibilities:**

• Assist director with research
• Research and compilation of scholarly literature
• Assistance with organization and annotation of research materials
• Organizational support for scholarly events
• Assistance in maintaining the department’s website

**Your profile:**

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s program (first or second semester) at a university in

Germany in History, History of Science, or a closely related field

• Excellent language skills in English; German language skills desirable
• An interest in one or more of the following research fields: 19th and 20th century

• environmental history, history of science, science and technology studies with a focus on
• the relation between environment and politics

• Proficiency in MS Office applications
• The ability to work both independently and in a team, good communication skills, a

talent for organization

• An interest in and enthusiasm for work in an international research institution

**We offer:**

• remuneration at the student employee rates of the MPG support for junior scientists and

• scholars: currently **€17.17 for Master’s students** who can demonstrate completion of
• their Bachelor’s degree

• working hours to align with your studies
• work in an international setting with staff and guests from more than forty countries• close contact with all research and research-support units and the opportunity for direct, personal dialogue
• promotion of your professional interests and research interests
• use of the on-site reference library
• access to the wide range of training courses offered by the MPG’s Planck Academy
• occupational health management: weekly in-house yoga classes; regular information on

courses offered by our partner health insurance companies

• a student representative for equal opportunities.

• The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer that strives to foster an inclusive
• workplace. As an institute of the MPG, the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science
• supports a working community for all free from discrimination and harassment.
• We explicitly encourage applications from qualified individuals who belong to groups that are often
• underrepresented in the workplace due to age, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender,
• nationality, race, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or religion.
• Please follow the links to find out more about the MPIWG’s policies on gender equality and
• hiring practices for people with disabilities, as well as Germany’s anti-discrimination laws as
• outlined in the General Equal Treatment Act.
• **Your application:**
• Please submit your application in English with complete documents, preferably without a
• photograph, through our application portal. Include cover letter, curriculum vitae, copies of
• qualifications (in a single PDF file) and employment references (in a single PDF file).
• <https://recruitment.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/position/36470786>
• Please note that we can only accept electronic applications submitted through the portal.
• Applications must be received by **August 21, 2026 (23:59 CEST)**
• Questions about the position or the application process may be addressed to the department’s
• research officer, Dr. Kerstin Hinrichsen (<[email hidden]>).
• Further information on the MPIWG can be found at <https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/>.