Selection Procedures

Job description:

We are seeking a colleague to join our newly established thin-section laboratory. The primary responsibilities will include preparing and creating grinding and thin sections from various materials such as stone, bone, ceramics, metals, soils, and sediments. The role will also involve assisting in the preparation of samples for geoarchaeological analyses (e.g., granulometry, magnetic susceptibility, and chemical analyses) and operating analytical and documentation techniques (e.g., microscopy and XRF). Additionally, the job includes supporting tasks in the post-processing of archaeological research, such as sorting and recording soil samples and archaeological finds, as well as occasional field sampling.

Requirements:

Education:

• Completed secondary education
• Education in geology, archaeology, analytical chemistry, or related fields is an advantage

Experience:

• Previous experience in a grinding laboratory is not a requirement
• Motivation to learn new procedures and willingness to continuously educate oneself systematically are important
• Time flexibility is required for occasional training or short-term internships in Czech and foreign laboratories

Skills:

• Manual skills such as cutting, grinding, polishing, and working with chemicals and laboratory equipment
• Proficient in English (minimum B1/B2) – required for internships and communication with service centres
• Independence, responsibility, and a systematic approach
• Ability to work in a team and collaborate with experts from different fields and institutions
• Preferred: experience with microscopes or analytical equipment, category B driver's license

We offer

• Full-time employment (1.0 FTE)
• Fixed-term contract with the possibility of extension
• Expected start date: 1 January 2026
• Starting gross salary of CZK 35,000 based on secured project funding (with the possibility of personal evaluation)
• Guaranteed employee benefits (flexible working hours, home office, 25 days of paid holiday, 5 days of sick leave, food subsidy, contribution to supplementary pension insurance and other retirement savings products, subsidized language courses organized by the Czech Academy of Sciences, MultiSport card)
• Varied work and a stable background in a prestigious public scientific institution
• Support for personal growth (involvement in basic research, opportunity to participate in training courses and professional conferences, laboratory development, and development of your own methodological know-how)

Please send your written application, along with your CV, by email to zakovsky@arub.cz or by post to Mgr. Petr Žákovský, Ph.D., Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, v. v. i., Čechyňská 363/19, 602 00 Brno. In addition to a structured CV, the application should include information on the level of language skills, a brief motivation letter, and evidence of educational qualifications. Candidates will be notified by email or telephone after the regulatory procedure is complete.