Six DFG RTG 2696 PhD Positions at the University of Wuppertal
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Updated
NBy Naman Kumar
Page Summary⌄
Six doctoral positions: Within DFG Research Training Group 2696 at the University of Wuppertal.
Funding: €1,500/month scholarship for six months, followed by 65% TV-L E13 employment for three years.
Eligibility: Master’s or equivalent from a broad range of humanities, social-science, STEM and interdisciplinary fields.
Proposal: Maximum three-page doctoral-project outline in German or English.
Deadline:17 December 2026; programme begins 1 April 2027.
Table of Contents
The University of Wuppertal is recruiting six doctoral researchers for the DFG Research Training Group 2696 “Transformations of Science and Technology since 1800: Topics, Processes, Institutions”
The interdisciplinary doctoral programme investigates how science and technology have changed since the nineteenth century, with particular attention to transformations in:
- scientific topics and knowledge
- research and technological processes
- institutions.
The six positions use a two-stage funding model.
Successful candidates first receive a €1,500 monthly postgraduate scholarship for six months
followed by three years of employment as a research assistant at 65% TV-L E13.
The programme begins on 1 April 2027, and applications must be submitted by 17 December 2026.
RTG 2696 Doctoral Positions at a Glance
Information
Details
Programme
DFG RTG 2696
Full title
Transformations of Science and Technology since 1800: Topics, Processes, Institutions
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University
University of Wuppertal
Research centre
Interdisciplinary Centre for Science and Technology Studies
Location
Wuppertal, Germany
Number of positions
6
Academic level
Doctoral
Initial funding
€1,500/month postgraduate scholarship
Scholarship duration
6 months
Scholarship total
€9,000
Employment after scholarship
65% TV-L E13
Employment duration
3 years
Total planned duration
Up to 3.5 years
Start date
1 April 2027
Degree required
Master’s or equivalent
English
Good written and spoken English
German
No universal requirement stated in current call
Proposal language
German or English
Reference
26316
Deadline
17 December 2026
The appointment is subject to the continuation of DFG funding for RTG 2696.
What is DFG RTG 2696?
RTG 2696 is a structured doctoral programme funded by the German Research Foundation — DFG.
It is hosted by the University of Wuppertal’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Science and Technology Studies — IZWT.
The programme examines transformations in science and technology since around 1800 through three interconnected dimensions:
- topics
- processes
- institutions.
What does the RTG mean by “transformations”?
The research group does not treat scientific change simply as a sequence of sudden revolutions.
Instead, it examines how scientific and technological systems can change gradually through interactions between Topics
These include:
- theories
- concepts
- models
- tacit knowledge
- scientific questions.
Processes
These include:
- experiments
- scientific communication
- application-oriented practices
- technological practices.
Institutions
These include:
- universities
- laboratories
- research organisations
- educational systems
- scientific infrastructures.
The RTG therefore studies scientific change as a combination of intellectual, practical and institutional transformation.
Which disciplines are involved?
The current doctoral call is explicitly interdisciplinary.
The core academic areas include:
History
particularly:
- History of Science and Technology
- History of Mathematics.
Philosophy
particularly:
- Philosophy of Science
- Philosophy of Physics.
Sociology
particularly:
- Sociology of Science
- Sociology of Technology
- Sociology of Organisations.
The call also welcomes suitable applicants from:
- Natural Sciences
- Mathematics
- Engineering
- Empirical Educational Research
- other interdisciplinary humanities fields
- other interdisciplinary social-science fields.
This makes the call significantly broader than a conventional history-of-science PhD programme.
Do I need a History degree?
No. History is one of the principal disciplines, but the current call explicitly includes applicants from:
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Natural Sciences
- Mathematics
- Engineering
- Empirical Educational Research
- other related interdisciplinary fields.
Your proposed doctoral project must nevertheless fit the intellectual framework of RTG 2696.
Can I apply with a Philosophy degree?
Yes. Philosophy is one of the core disciplines represented in the RTG.
The programme is particularly relevant to applicants interested in areas such as:
- philosophy of science
- philosophy of physics
- historical epistemology
- conceptual change in science.
Can I apply with Sociology?
Yes. Sociology is explicitly included.
Relevant areas include:
- sociology of science
- sociology of technology
- sociology of organisations
- institutional change.
Can I apply with a Natural Sciences degree?
Yes, potentially. The current vacancy explicitly welcomes applicants from the Natural Sciences.
This can include applicants whose previous scientific training positions them to investigate historical, philosophical or sociological transformations of science and technology.
The proposed doctorate must still fit the RTG’s interdisciplinary research programme.
Can I apply with Mathematics?
Yes. Mathematics is explicitly listed among the eligible academic backgrounds.
This is particularly relevant because the RTG includes expertise in:
- history of mathematics
- philosophy of science
- institutional transformations in scientific disciplines.
Can I apply with an Engineering degree?
Yes, potentially. Engineering is also included among the disciplinary backgrounds welcomed in the current call.
A strong application should explain how your engineering background supports a doctoral research question about transformations in:
- science
- technology
- institutions
- knowledge
- scientific practice.
Can I apply with Educational Research?
Yes. The current call explicitly includes Empirical Educational Research.
This opens the programme to doctoral projects investigating transformations in scientific education, knowledge transmission or related institutional developments where they fit the RTG framework.
What degree do I need?
You need a completed scientific university degree at Master’s level or equivalent.
The vacancy does not state a universal numerical minimum grade.
Applicants therefore should not assume a fixed GPA threshold unless separately required by the relevant doctoral regulations.
Can I apply if my Master’s certificate is not ready yet?
Yes, potentially. The current call allows applicants who do not yet have the final Master’s certificate to submit either:
- proof of at least 90 ECTS credits already completed in the Master’s programme, or
- a preliminary examination certificate.
This is particularly useful for applicants currently completing their final Master’s semester.
The final degree requirements for doctoral admission still need to be satisfied before the relevant appointment or enrolment stage.
Is there a minimum GPA?
No numerical GPA or German grade threshold is stated in the current vacancy.
The RTG instead evaluates the applicant’s:
- academic background
- project fit
- research potential
- interdisciplinary suitability.
Do not add an invented grade requirement.
Do I need professional work experience?
No professional work-experience requirement is stated.
This is an academic qualification position designed specifically for doctoral researchers.
Do I need English?
Yes. The current vacancy requires good written and spoken English.
The advertisement does not publish a formal IELTS, TOEFL or CEFR threshold.
Do I need German?
The current call does not state a universal German-language requirement.
Applicants can submit the doctoral-project outline in:
- German
- English.
The RTG operates in an international academic environment.
However, individual research projects may require additional language skills depending on:
- archival sources
- geographic focus
- historical material.
Can I write my proposal in English?
Yes. The doctoral-project outline can be written in German or English.
This is explicitly stated in the current vacancy.
Can international applicants apply?
The vacancy does not publish a nationality restriction.
The University of Wuppertal also emphasises:
- equality
- diversity
- international working conditions.
However, the call does not explicitly use the wording “all nationalities are eligible.”
The most accurate database wording is therefore No nationality restriction stated; internationally oriented doctoral programme.
Is this a scholarship or a paid PhD job?
It is both, in sequence. The first stage is a six-month postgraduate scholarship.
After that, the successful doctoral researcher moves into three years of salaried employment.
This hybrid structure is unusual and should be described carefully.
How much is the scholarship?
The first six months are funded at €1,500 per month.
Over six months, this equals €9,000.
This is a scholarship rather than employment salary.
What happens after the scholarship?
After completing the six-month preparatory phase, the successful candidate is intended to move into a 65% TV-L E13 research-assistant contract for three years.
The employment stage is subject to the continuation of DFG funding for RTG 2696.
Is TV-L E13 paid at 100%?
No. The employment contract is 65%.
Your salary is therefore calculated according to the applicable TV-L E13 experience step at 65% employment.
The vacancy does not publish a single fixed monthly amount.
Is this a fully funded PhD?
It is more accurate to describe it as a:funded doctoral programme with scholarship plus salaried employment.
You receive:
- €1,500/month scholarship for six months
- 65% TV-L E13 employment for three years.
It should not be described as a single continuous salaried contract.
How long is the total funding period?
The intended total period is up to three and a half years.
That consists of:
- 6 months scholarship
- 36 months employment.
The call states that the employment appointment remains subject to continuation of DFG funding.
When does the programme start?
The new cohort starts on 1 April 2027.
The first six months form the preparatory scholarship phase.
What happens during the six-month scholarship phase?
The initial scholarship supports academic qualification within a one-semester preparatory programme.
This preparatory phase is followed by the structured doctoral programme.
The RTG uses this period to support the development of the doctoral project and integration into the interdisciplinary research environment.
What are the main doctoral duties?
Successful candidates are expected to:
- develop academically during the preparatory programme
- complete a doctoral dissertation
- participate in interdisciplinary research
- attend the structured study programme
- participate in RTG events
- complete the doctorate at the University of Wuppertal.
Is attendance in Wuppertal required?
Yes. The current vacancy states that there is generally a presence requirement in Wuppertal.
This is important for applicants considering remote participation.
The RTG should not be described as a fully remote doctoral programme.
Is remote or home working possible?
During the employment phase, the university lists:
- flexible working hours
- home-office options
among its employment benefits.
However, this does not override the RTG’s general presence requirement in Wuppertal.
Applicants should therefore expect substantial on-site participation.
What is the structured doctoral programme?
RTG 2696 provides a structured research and qualification programme.
The programme includes:
- interdisciplinary seminars
- research events
- workshops
- collaboration across disciplines
- international academic exchange.
Previous RTG activities have also included:
- summer schools
- workshops with international researchers
- conference participation.
What research themes could fit the RTG?
The research programme covers a broad range of transformation questions in science and technology.
Examples from the RTG’s broader research programme include:
- changing scientific disciplines
- institutional development
- scientific revolutions
- emergence of new research practices
- transformations in geosciences
- history of mathematics
- large scientific collaborations
- epistemic change
- technology and scientific institutions.
Your project does not need to duplicate an existing dissertation topic.
It must, however, clearly connect with the programme’s central framework of topics + processes + institutions.
Do I need to submit a full PhD proposal?
You need a concise maximum three-page project outline.
This is not necessarily a complete final dissertation proposal.
It should describe a possible doctoral project that can be carried out within the framework of RTG 2696.
The outline can be submitted in:
- German
- English.
What should the three-page proposal cover?
The vacancy does not prescribe a mandatory subsection structure.
A strong proposal would normally make clear:
- your research question
- why the topic matters
- how it relates to science or technology since 1800
- how it connects to topics, processes or institutions
- relevant historical, philosophical or sociological approach
- possible sources or empirical material
- feasibility.
These are practical recommendations rather than a formal University of Wuppertal template.
What documents do you need?
The current call provides a detailed document list.
1. Motivation letter
You need a letter explaining your motivation for applying.
2. Current CV
Submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae.
3. RTG application form
You must complete the official RTG 2696 application form.
The first six months are funded through a €1,500 monthly scholarship.
The following three years are planned as 65% TV-L E13 employment.
The employment phase remains subject to continuation of DFG funding.
The programme begins on 1 April 2027.
A Master’s or equivalent degree is required.
Applicants from History, Philosophy, Sociology, STEM, Engineering, Educational Research and related interdisciplinary fields can potentially apply.
Good written and spoken English is required.
No universal German-language requirement is stated.
The project outline may be in German or English.
The project proposal is limited to three pages.
The doctorate must fit the RTG’s interdisciplinary framework.
The doctorate is completed at the University of Wuppertal.
There is generally a presence requirement in Wuppertal.
An RTG-specific application form is required.
Bachelor’s and Master’s Diploma Supplements are required.
An Abitur certificate or equivalent university-entrance qualification is also required.
Applicants finishing their Master’s may submit evidence of at least 90 ECTS or a preliminary certificate if the final Master’s certificate is not yet available.
