Post-doctoral position in the history of global maternal health, Geneva

Post-doctoral position in the history of global maternal health Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Apply by: 01 Jun 2026

Health, Doctors, Nurses, HIV/AIDS

Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis

The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies is recruiting a post‑doctoral position in the history of global maternal health (F/M/D).

Centre:

Gender Center.

Contract:

maximum duration contract (4 years)– from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2030.

Activity rate:

100% (40 h / w).

Application deadline:

01 June 2026.

Starting date:

01 September 2026.

Presentation of the Institute:

The Geneva Graduate Institute, founded in 1927, is a world‑renowned centre of excellence for the study of international relations and development. Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the Institute offers a stimulating, multicultural and interdisciplinary academic environment. It offers masters and doctoral programmes, and conducts cutting‑edge research onmajor global challenges.

Introduction of the project:

Applications are invited for a post‑doctoral position with the project “Global Maternity: The Politics of Knowledge Production at the World Health Organization, 1948‑2008,” funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and hosted at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. ThePost‑Doc will work with the Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Nicole Bourbonnais and Project Partner (PP) Dr. Ogechukwu Williams to explore how knowledge and expertise flowed into and out of the WHO, the tensions contained in the global governance of maternity, and the role of mothers themselves inresponding to/intervening in these processes.

The project includes three pillars:

Pillar 1: an overarching history of the WHO’s work on maternity during its first 60 years (conducted by the PI).

Pillar 2: four micro‑historical case studies focusing on death (the production of maternal mortality statistics), birth (the evolution of pregnancy and childbirth guidance), breast (the regulation of infant feeding) and mind (the visibility/invisibility of maternal mental health) (PI, PP, and PD).

Pillar 3: public and policy‑facing work aimed at inserting the project findings into contemporary discussions of motherhood, global health, and international organisations more broadly (PI, PP and PD).

Key responsibilities:

Conduct and publish original research on two of the four micro‑historical case studies – birth (pregnancy and childbirth) and mind (maternal mental health). Narrow in on a specific pamphlet, guide, meeting, moment, person, or other micro‑historical subject to explore in depth through the HQ archives in Geneva and archival, oral history, and/or ethnographic research in a specific location. Provide three solo‑authored journal articles (one per case study and one reflecting on the micro‑history methodology) and a co‑authored introduction to an edited volume.

Take the lead on Pillar 3 (policy and public‑facing work). Organise three events: a project launch event in Year 1, a 2‑day research‑policy workshop in Year 3, and a final public event in Year 4 presenting the project results. Lead the production of a four‑part podcast series covering the four case studies.

To be successful in this role, you should have:

A doctoral degree in history or a related field of relevance to the position, in hand by the agreed start date of the position (ideally 1 September 2026 at the latest).

Experience conducting archival and/or oral history research.

Excellent knowledge of English and any other languages needed for the proposed sites of archival/field research.

Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.

Assets:

Past research on the history of global health, the history of reproduction/motherhood, the history of international organisations, and/or micro‑history.

Theoretical knowledge of reproduction, motherhood, governance, and health from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Previous experience organising events and working with policymakers/the public.

Previous experience in podcasting or other creative mediums.

What you can expect from us:

Working with a large international community of users from diverse backgrounds.

Interesting job with varied tasks.

Good atmosphere in a human‑sized team. At the heart of International Geneva.

How to apply:

We invite you to submit a complete file in PDF format with the following documents:

A letter of motivation (max 2 pages) outlining how the applicant’s past experience will allow them to contribute to the project and indicating their possible start date if selected.

An academic CV detailing education, dissertation subject/fields, past research and other relevant experience, publications, conference papers, and contact information for three references.

A research proposal (max 2 pages), outlining some initial ideas as to how the applicant might approach the case studies and what regions, sites, or micro‑historical subjects might be the focus.

Two writing samples (e.g. academic publications, PhD chapters, and/or public‑facing scholarship).

Please note that AI should not be used to generate text for the application materials.

Complete applications must be submitted through the website by 1 June 2026.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, marital status, disability status, race, national origin, color, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

For more information, candidates are encouraged to consult the Institute’s website: graduateinstitute.ch

Apply Here: