M/F Archaeobotany of the Arabian Peninsula during the Islamic period

Job Description

Missions

Under the supervision of the scientific director of the IKAP project (The Islamic Khaybar Archaeological Project), a large-scale project carried out within the Khaybar oasis in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the researcher will be responsible for the analysis and publication of the archaeobotanical remains recovered from the excavations and surveys carried out as part of the IKAP project. He or she will propose possible collaborations with other specialists in environmental archaeology, and will work closely with colleagues specialising in social anthropology and the study of written sources.

Activity

Technical and scientific activities
-Process and record botanical samples from excavations and surveys carried out as part of the Islamic Khaybar Archaeological Project.
-Undertake the typo‑chronological study of this material in coordination with the archaeologists in charge of the excavations and surveys, and in collaboration with other researchers and specialists involved in the project.
-Produce detailed scientific reports on the research conducted.
-Contribute to the scientific publications of the project (by writing or co‑authoring articles and by participating in conferences and seminars).

Training activities
- Contribute to the training of French and Saudi students in the methods and techniques used in archaeobotanical analysis.

Logistics
- Contribute to the preparation of field missions, in collaboration with the director and project manager (definition of requirements, timetable).

Your Profil

Skills

- PhD. in Archaeology;
- Experience in Islamic archaeology of the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula;
- Good knowledge of site recording and documentation methods in archaeology;
- Fluency in spoken and written English (minimum level C1);
- Some knowledge of spoken and written Arabic desirable.;
- Ability to lead a team and to train technicians and/or students in an international linguistic and cultural context;
- Proven track record of scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals;
- Field experience in the Middle East, ideally in the Arabian Peninsula;
- Good knowledge of the network of specialists in archaeobotany;
- Extensive experience of working within scientific research projects;
- Ability to adopt and integrate diverse scientific approaches (e.g. ethnology, history).

Your Work Environment

The Khaybar oasis, located in western Saudi Arabia, is an important site in local history. It has been preserved for millennia, and human occupation appears to have been almost continuous from the earliest prehistory to the present day.
The IKAP project (The Islamic Khaybar Archaeological Project) began in February 2025 and will continue until mid 2028. The project is led by S. McPhillips (CNRS, ArchéOrient - UMR 5133, Environment and Societies of the Ancient Near East) and is funded by the French Agency for the Development of AlUla (Afalula, France), in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU, Saudi Arabia).
The project aims, in particular, to provide new archaeological documentation to better understand human occupation and environmental dynamics in the Khaybar oasis during the Islamic period.
The researcher will be hosted within the UMR 5133 team at the Jalès research station (Ardèche). Travel to Saudi Arabia is planned, including 5-6 weeks of fieldwork. The work will take place in a hot hyper-arid environment.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

Between €4,216 and €4,567 gross per month, depending on experience (between 5 and 10 years)

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions