The Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden offers a Doctoral Fellowship in Cultural Studies (reference number s26-002) for early-career researchers who want to complete a doctorate at TUD Dresden University of Technology in Germany. The fellowship pays EUR 1,850 per month plus a EUR 150 grant for material costs, runs for 2 years from 1 April 2027 with an option to extend by 1.5 years, and applications close on 24 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the official call so you can see the research areas, requirements and every document you need.
What Is the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden?
In the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden, researchers from the Social Sciences and Humanities as well as artists explore the relationships between technology, science and society.
🤝 The Lab was initiated by The Schaufler Foundation together with TUD Dresden University of Technology.
🗓️ The guiding theme for the upcoming third funding phase (April 2027 to September 2030) is "Energy Cultures in Transition".
🔍 The theme is investigated from a humanities, cultural, social and educational science perspective, explored through artistic practice and communicated to the public.
👥 For the third funding phase, the Lab comprises eight doctoral fellowships and an annually changing Artist in Residence program.
About the Doctoral Fellowship in Cultural Studies
The Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden offers, subject to the availability of resources, a Doctoral Fellowship aimed at early-career researchers in the field of Cultural Studies.
🧑🏫 Primary supervision will be provided by Prof. Dr. Orit Halpern, Chair of Digital Cultures.
📍 The fellowship is based at TUD Dresden University of Technology in Dresden, Germany.
🔖 Reference number: s26-002.
Duration and Start Date
⏳ The fellowship runs for 2 years.
➕ There is an option of extension by 1.5 years.
🚀 The fellowship starts on 1 April 2027.
How Much Does the Fellowship Pay?
💶 EUR 1,850 per month fellowship.
🧾 A grant for material costs of EUR 150.
👨👩👧 Where applicable, a family supplement of EUR 315 per child.
✈️ Within the limits of the available project funds, the Schaufler Lab will cover the costs of conference travel.
Please note that the fellowship does not constitute an employment relationship.
The Guiding Theme: Energy Cultures in Transition
The guiding theme Energy Cultures in Transition understands energy as a cultural phenomenon deeply inscribed in aesthetic, historical, political, ecological, economic and socio-technological practices and systems.
📚 It builds on the dynamically growing research fields of the Energy Humanities, Science & Technology Studies and the Digital Humanities.
🛢️ The aim is to examine how modern energy regimes, from petromodernity to nuclear culture and post-carbon futures, have shaped not only material infrastructures but also subjectivities, power relations, progress narratives, geopolitical orders, ecologies and knowledge systems, while simultaneously being shaped by them.
🔬 Interdisciplinary perspectives from the social sciences, cultural studies, humanities and educational research represented at the Schaufler Kolleg@TU Dresden enable the analysis of the multifaceted entanglements of energy, culture and society.
Questions the Lab Focuses On
🎨 The representation, communication and aesthetics of energy transitions and resource paradigms.
🔄 Continuities between resource economies and information economies.
🏭 The relationships between energy, labor, environment and consumer culture.
🌐 The role of colonialism, gender, nationalism, geopolitics, education and social justice in deciding energy futures and navigating collective transformation processes.
Research Areas in Cultural Studies
In the field of Cultural Studies, the following research areas and questions are of particular relevance to the guiding theme:
🤖 AI and Energy
💹 Histories/STS studies of Finance, Digitalization, and Energy
🔌 Energy Infrastructures
🌱 Environment, Energy, and Design
🧠 Cybernetics and Energy Cultures
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What Will You Do as a Fellow?
📝 Independent research and academic further qualification with the goal of completing a doctorate at TUD.
📖 Writing a dissertation on a topic within the guiding concept "Energy Cultures in Transition" in the discipline of Cultural Studies.
🗣️ A high degree of willingness to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue, particularly with the STEM partnerships of the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden.
🖌️ Conducting joint research with artists within the framework of the Schaufler Residency.
📣 Engagement in the areas of science communication and outreach is expected.
🏢 Shared office spaces will be made available to the fellows.
🇬🇧 Participation in the Kolleg's English-language training program is mandatory.
Who Can Apply? Requirements
🎓 An excellent university degree in Cultural Studies or a comparable field such as Geography, Anthropology or History.
🌏 Studies with global perspectives are especially welcome, particularly from North America, Asia or Africa.
🤝 Strong teamwork skills and a willingness to collaborate across disciplines.
🗨️ Demonstrably excellent English language skills (C1 level minimum).
🇩🇪 Knowledge of German is desirable but not a requirement.
What the Schaufler Kolleg Offers
🧭 The opportunity to pursue a doctorate within the Schaufler Kolleg with a structured qualification program and integration into an interdisciplinary research project.
💻 A fully equipped office workspace on the premises of TUD.
🏛️ Access to an excellent research infrastructure, including participation in Research Studios and writing retreats.
🎒 The Graduate Academy and other central institutions of TUD offer numerous further training and qualification opportunities.
✈️ Coverage of conference travel costs, within the limits of the available project funds.
Inclusion and Equal Opportunities at TUD
TUD embodies a university culture characterized by cosmopolitanism, mutual appreciation, thriving innovation and active participation. For TUD, diversity is an essential feature and a quality criterion of an excellent university, and it welcomes all applicants who would like to commit themselves, their achievements and productivity to the success of the whole institution.
🫶 Applications are welcome from people regardless of gender, origin, sexual orientation, worldview or disability.
👩🔬 TUD strives to employ more women in academia and research and expressly encourages women to apply.
👪 The University is a family-friendly university.
♿ Applications from candidates with disabilities are welcome. If multiple candidates prove to be equally qualified, those with disabilities or with equivalent status pursuant to the German Social Code IX (SGB IX) will receive priority.
🏫 TUD is a founding partner in the DRESDEN-concept alliance.
Required Application Documents
Your detailed application in English should contain:
📋 The completed online application form
✉️ A letter of motivation
📄 A curriculum vitae in tabular form, including an account of your academic career
🎓 A copy of your most recent university degree certificate
🗂️ An exposé of your research project, including a work and time schedule (max. 20,000 characters)
How to Apply
📎 Send your application documents, including the online application form, as a single PDF file.
🔖 Quote the reference number s26-002.
🔒 Submission is preferably made via the TUD SecureMail Portal, sending the file to the Schaufler Lab email address.
📮 Applications can also be sent by post to: TU Dresden, Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden, Prof. Dr. Orit Halpern, Helmholtzstr. 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
🕓 The deadline counts by the stamped arrival date of the university central mail service or the time stamp on the email server of TUD.
📑 Please submit copies only, as your application will not be returned to you.
💼 Expenses incurred in attending interviews cannot be reimbursed.
🔐 Information about your data protection rights and how your data is processed is available on the TUD data protection page.
Find more funded doctoral and research programmes in our Fellowships category on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Schaufler Lab Doctoral Fellowship in Cultural Studies worth?
The fellowship pays EUR 1,850 per month, plus a grant for material costs of EUR 150 and, where applicable, a family supplement of EUR 315 per child. Within the limits of the available project funds, conference travel costs are also covered.
How long does the fellowship last and when does it start?
The fellowship lasts 2 years, with the option of extension by 1.5 years. It starts on 1 April 2027.
Is the fellowship an employment contract?
No. The call states that the fellowship does not constitute an employment relationship.
Which degree do I need to apply?
You need an excellent university degree in Cultural Studies or a comparable field such as Geography, Anthropology or History. Studies with global perspectives, particularly from North America, Asia or Africa, are especially welcome.
Do I need to speak German?
No. Knowledge of German is desirable but not a requirement. You must have demonstrably excellent English language skills at a minimum of C1 level.
Who supervises the doctoral research?
Primary supervision will be provided by Prof. Dr. Orit Halpern, Chair of Digital Cultures at TUD Dresden University of Technology.
Which research topics fit this fellowship?
Your dissertation must sit within the guiding concept "Energy Cultures in Transition" in Cultural Studies. Areas of particular relevance are AI and Energy, Histories/STS studies of Finance, Digitalization, and Energy, Energy Infrastructures, Environment, Energy, and Design, and Cybernetics and Energy Cultures.
How long can the research exposé be?
The exposé of your research project, including a work and time schedule, can be a maximum of 20,000 characters.
How do I submit my application?
Send all documents, including the completed online application form, as a single PDF file quoting reference number s26-002, preferably via the TUD SecureMail Portal to the Schaufler Lab email address. Applications can also be posted to the Schaufler Lab address in Dresden.
Are interview travel costs reimbursed?
No. Expenses incurred in attending interviews cannot be reimbursed.
Deadline
⏳ 24 November 2026
Links
📧 Application email (quote reference number s26-002): schaufler.lab@tu-dresden.de
📝 Online application form: https://tu-dresden.de/gsw/schauflerlab/schaufler-kolleg/phase-3/anmeldung-registration
🔒 TUD SecureMail Portal: https://securemail.tu-dresden.de
ℹ️ Official call: https://www.verw.tu-dresden.de/StellAus/stelle.asp?id=13045&lang=en
🔐 TUD data protection information: https://tu-dresden.de/karriere/datenschutzhinweis
