The research project WorKnow (Working Knowledge: the Emergence of Practitioners in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe), funded by a FIS Starting Grant at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, is seeking to appoint three postdoctoral researchers.

We are looking for economic historians, historians of science and technology, and/or historians of knowledge.

Duration: two years

Deadline: 28/08/25, h 12.00 (CEST)

Interviews: 15/09/25, h 9.30 (CEST)

Starting date: October 2025

The Project in a nutshell: To understand the birth of "modern science" and of "modern economic growth", scholars have emphasised the role of the practitioners of the mechanical arts, and of their knowledge and practices. Economic historians have shown how these practitioners contributed in important ways to the Industrial Revolution, and historians of science have highlighted their role in the development of new forms of knowledge. However, while historians of science have overlooked the quantitative aspects of the emergence of these figures, economic historians have in some cases not fully taken into consideration the epistemological impact of their practical knowledge. WorKnow bridges this gap by combining approaches and gathering new sources on the rise of practical knowledge in western Europe, offering new perspectives on the co-evolution of science, technology, and the economy. The project will build a systematic corpus of texts produced by the world of the mechanical arts in western Europe between 1300 and 1800. It aims to focus on fields such as: practical mathematics and geometry, measurement practices, cartography and navigation practices, artillery, practices related to technology and trade, instrument making, etc., as well as the contribution of this knowledge to the evolution of technical/scientific knowledge and/or processes of economic change. 

Selected researchers will work on the history of various forms of practical knowledge and on their contribution to the evolution of technical/scientific practices and/or to processes of economic change between the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. More specifically, researchers will focus on:

• Profile 1: at least two of the following areas: Italy, France, Spain, and/or other parts of Mediterranean Europe between the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. 
• Profile 2: at least two of the following areas: Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, England, and/or other parts of Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe between the late Middle Ages and the early modern period.
• Profile 3: social actors excluded or subordinated in traditional historiography, highlighting their contribution to the development of technical-scientific knowledge and/or to processes of economic change between the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. The researcher will focus on at least two of the following areas: Italy, France, Spain and/or other parts of Mediterranean Europe, Germany, the Netherlands, England and/or other parts of Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe between the late Middle Ages and the early modern period.

Expertise in these areas may be demonstrated through research interests, knowledge of relevant languages, and/or publications. The researchers will join the WorKnow project research team. They will contribute to the project's scientific development and to the organisation and implementation of its related activities. 

Research activities will include: contributing to the gathering of historical evidence both through independent archival research (in-person and online) and bibliographic research; collaborating in the construction of the project's source database; interpreting (including paleographical analysis) and conducting advanced analyses of historical sources. Researchers will also be encouraged to develop original lines of research in dialogue with the PI, and preferably in synergy with the project. Skills in data analysis and working with large textual corpora are welcome. 

Candidates are invited to apply for one or more of the above profiles. 

Admission Requirements:

Candidates must satisfy the following requirements: 

• They need to hold a PhD degree. 
• They need to have an excellent knowledge of both written and spoken English and at least one other language necessary for conducting research in the profile for which you are applying 

Other Requirements 

Candidates must supply: 

• a research proposal in English, not exceeding 1,500 words in length (including bibliography). In this proposal, they should demonstrate the relevance of their academic profile to the activities outlined in the position for which they are applying, and explain how they intend to contribute to the project's objectives. 
• no more than 5 publications

More details can be found here (in English):

https://www.santannapisa.it/en/assegni-di-ricerca-e-selezioni-incarichi-esterni/public-selection-awarding-three-two-year-research

And here (official version in Italian):

https://www.santannapisa.it/it/assegni-di-ricerca-e-selezioni-incarichi-esterni/selezione-la-stipula-di-tre-contratti-di-ricerca 

For any queries (for instance with regards to the details of selection procedures) please do get in touch with r.danna[at]santannapisa.it / rd533[at]cantab.ac.uk