Junior Researcher / Curator

Junior Researcher / Curator (m/f) from abroad: terra mineralia invite applications for a Junior Researcher/Curator from abroad and of non-German nationality for an 18-month limited working period, starting 2016, at the terra mineralia, a permanent exhibition of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg.

Located in the Freudenstein Castle it is one of the biggest mineral exhibitions of the world with 3500 minerals, precious stones and meteorites on show. terra mineralia is known for its changing mineralogical and geological special exhibitions as well as its creative educational programmes.

The fellow project is an evaluation and review about the contemporary role of rare earth
elements (REE) in our daily lives and within global economics and environmental challenges. Modern technologies hardly work or even exist without REE today. The race for these resources already reached a peak in 2010 and the collapse of the current relaxation is just a matter of time.

Due to this highly political and scientific complex topic, the special exhibition “CSI: Freiberg – Murder in terra mineralia. The race for resources” explores new forms of communication: Visitors will solve an interactive criminal case that is part of global resource politics.

Main tasks:
- research on the current demand, techniques and methods, exploring results, market situations, environmental and social challenges regarding REE worldwide, with the focus on potential alternatives to China (focusing on Africa)
- drawing up the outline of a crime story fitting the results of the previous research
- conception, planning and implementation of the special exhibition in cooperation with the
management of terra mineralia (including the acquisition of exhibits and the preparing of print media)

Required qualifications:
- final university degree in geological or mineralogical studies
- verifiable experiences regarding Rare Earth Elements
- spoken and written knowledge of English, level C1 or equivalent
- curatorial experiences
- willingness to cooperate closely with the scholarly staff of the TU Freiberg and the staff of terra mineralia
- ability to work independently, creativity and communication skills
- basic knowledge of German desirable but not essential

Further unalterable requirements:
- non-German nationality
- currently based outside Germany (within or outside Europe)

Remuneration is in accordance with the pay grade 13 TVöD. The German Federal Cultural Foundation is planning an extensive academy programme to support the fellow professionally. Furthermore the fellow gets full assistance in his/her tasks by the management of the museum. The main aim of the fellowship is the fruitful crossing over of expertise from both sites: the museum and its infrastructure as well as the fellow and his/her scientific experiences.