PhD position in Italian, linguistics and digital humanities

Organisation/Company Università degli Studi di Torino Research Field Language sciences ‹ Linguistics Language sciences ‹ Other History ‹ History of science Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Italy Final date to receive applications 17 Jan 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Sep 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon Europe – COFUND Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number  Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Printed tradition and lexical heritage in the history of science: the case of Pietro Andrea Mattioli's Dioscorides

The project aims to investigate the printed tradition and the botanical lexicon of the monumental work of translation and commentary on De materia medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, produced by the Sienese physician and humanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli ). Constantly updated and expanded with the contributions of scholars, physicians, and apothecaries , the work soon developed into a true encyclopedia of medico-botanical knowledge, a summa of both ancient and contemporary learning, primarily in the medical and pharmacological fields, but also, closely connected to these, in the areas of zoology, mineralogy, and, most prominently, botany.

Mattioli translated the text into Latin starting in 1554 to promote its wider dissemination across Europe; it was soon thereafter translated into French (as early as 1561), German, Czech, and Bohemian, and rapidly circulated throughout the continent, becoming the foundational text of European knowledge in its field.

Despite its success, editorial fortune, and lasting impact (and thus its enormous significante), a systematic study of the printing tradition and of the lexicon of Mattioli ' s Dioscorides is still entirely lacking. This project seeks to fill that gap by offering a digital synoptic edition of the first book from the four most imp
01iant printed editions of the text as far as an historical-linguistic mapping of the botanical vocabulary, which will contribute to a better understanding of the formation of the Italian (and wider European) scientific lexicon and the transmission of ancient knowledge to Renaissance culture.

This PhD position is part of the Cultural Heritage Outreach in Rom Ance Languages (CHORAL) programme, a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska Curie programme co-funded by the European Union
. This prestigious programme is linked to UNITA's Cultural Heritage Hub, an international research network within the Alliance, which structures its research ecosystem facing cultural related challenges.

CHORAL aims to train high-quality international researchers and to nurture the development of interdisciplinary, international and inter-sectoral research that addresses any aspect of cultural heritage. While rooted in cultural heritage,
the programme spans a wide range of scientific domains
, including architecture, anthropology, arts and culture, computer science, history, literature, linguistics, management, and more.

Selected candidates will be enrolled in PhD programmes under joint supervision, awarding a double degree and requiring international mobility
.

This offer is part of the MSCA-COFUND CHORAL programme, which will finance 14 positions out of 20 positions offered.

On the deadline of the call, the candidate must be a doctoral candidate, i.e not already in possession of a doctoral degree, but in possession of a Master’s Degree enabling to do a PhD in Social Science, Arts, Architecture and Humanities applied to cultural heritage.

Any candidate in possession of the required diploma can apply regardless of the year of obtention of the diploma.

Candidates are expected to have a good knowledge of Romance languages and classical languages, especially Latin.

Specific Requirements

Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 3 years preceding the date of the call deadline. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and…