Research Associate for the Project “Automated multi-writer Handwritten Text Recognition with continual learning (HTRcl)” (Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures) § 28 Subsection 3 HmbHG

Institution: Cluster of Excellence „Understanding Written Artefacts“

Salary level: EGR. 13 TV-L

Start date: 01.01.2027, fixed until 30.06.2030 (This is a fixed-term contract in accordance with Section 2 of the academic fixed-term labor contract act [Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG]).

Application deadline: 2026-10-05

Scope of work: full-time position suitable for part-time

The Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ (UWA) is seeking to recruit a doctoral researcher in the field of Digital Humanities. UWA offers an exciting opportunity to research handwritten artefacts across materials, periods and regions within a collaborative team of doctoral, postdoctoral and senior/professorial researchers. You will be part of an international team of researchers from across over forty disciplines in the Humanities, the Natural Sciences and Computer Science. The Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures is by now the largest research centre of its kind worldwide and offers a uniquely dynamic research environment.

Your responsibilities

Duties include academic services in the project named above. Research associates may also pursue further academic qualifications outside of their work responsibilities.

Your core responsibility is to pursue your research project that fits the overall comparative research profile of UWA. You will actively contribute to the cluster’s interdisciplinary Graduate School and collaborative research activities. Activities include participation in research meetings, organising scholarly events and developing relevant networks.

About the project:

The project addresses the challenge of efficiently digitizing large collections of historical manuscripts written by many different authors. While OCR and HTR technologies have advanced significantly, current systems remain limited in handling highly diverse handwriting and in adapting effectively to previously unseen writers through continual human feedback. The project therefore aims to develop multi-writer Handwritten Text Recognition with continual learning (HTRcl) and integrate it into the open-source eScriptorium platform. The approach will enable adaptive, generalizable, and human-guided transcription of manuscripts while minimizing manual intervention. It will be evaluated on a large corpus of approximately 35,000 German language correspondence documents by 5,000 writers from the Dehmel Archive at the SUB Hamburg, complemented by benchmark datasets to assess generalizability.

Your profile

A university degree in a relevant field.

You hold an excellent degree (Master or equivalent) in Digital Humanities or Computer Science or a closely related discipline. Fluency in German and English, written and spoken, is required.

You should have a strong interest in the materiality of written artefacts and in cooperating beyond disciplinary boundaries, that is, across various fields in the Humanities, and/or across the Humanities, Natural Sciences and Computer Science. Further preferred qualifications and experiences include:

• prior knowledge in the field of machine learning techniques (e.g., transformers and continual learning)
• ability to familiarize oneself with the architecture of open-source software systems (e.g., eScriptorium and Kraken)
• ability to work in a team

We offer

Reliable remuneration based on wage agreements

Continuing education opportunities

University pensions

Attractive location

Flexible working hours

Work-life balance opportunities

Health management, EGYM Wellpass

Educational leave

30 days of vacation per annum

The successful candidate can benefit from a range of tailored support measures at the Cluster, which include,

• enrolment in the clusters with an interdisciplinary structured PhD programme
• additional funding for a range of research activities, including eldwork
• doctoral mentoring programmes
• workshops to support your academic skills as well as your career planning
• promoting

Universität Hamburg—University of Excellence is one of the strongest research educational institutions in Germany. Our work in research, teaching, educational and knowledge exchange activities is fostering the next generation of responsible global citizens ready to tackle the global challenges facing us. Our guiding principle “Innovating and Cooperating for a Sustainable Future in a digital age” drives collaboration with academic and nonacademic partner institutions in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and around the world. We would like to invite you to be part of our community to work with us in creating sustainable and digital change for a dynamic and pluralist society.

The University of Hamburg is committed to equity. Diversity enriches our university life, whether in our studies, research, teaching, education, or workplace. We therefore welcome all applications, regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or social background, age, religion or belief, disability, or chronic illness.

Severely disabled and disabled applicants with the same status will receive preference over equally qualified non-disabled applicants.

Notice regarding the background check under Section 34a of the Hamburg security clearance act (Gesetz zur Regelung der Sicherheitsüberprüfungen, HmbSÜG): On behalf of the person chosen in the selection procedure, this office submits an inquiry to the state office for the protection of the constitution (Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz) regarding any available findings/information which meet the statutory requirements ( and ).

Instructions for applying

Contact

Prof. Dr. Ralf Möller

Prof. Dr. Julia Nantke

Location

Warburgstraße 28
20354 Hamburg

Reference number

243

Application deadline

2026-10-05

Use only the online application form to submit your complete application documents until 05.10.2026, 11:59 PM CEST:

• cover letter
• CV
• one letter of recommendation
• writing sample (e.g. chapter of your MA-thesis)
• copies of degree certificate(s)

If you experience technical problems, send an email to .

More information on in selection procedures.