• Creole languages;
• Historical perspectives through inscriptions, manuscripts, and/or colonial-era texts;
• Language as a repository of human-environment relations, oral traditions, cultural knowledge, etc.;
• The relationship between language and social change (in political contexts, diasporas, youth subcultures, etc.);
• Lexical borrowing and its insights into cultural contact and shared histories;
• Plurilingualism in spoken and written forms;
• Translation of Caribbean languages in the age of AI.

• Conduct research, including field research in the Caribbean;
• Publish on the basis of this research, culminating in at least two international peer-reviewed journal articles and a Ph D dissertation completed in the allotted time (four years at 1.0 fte; five years at 0.8 fte);
• Take part in the Ph D program of the KITLV and relevant affiliated institutes;
• Participate in academic conferences, workshops, and other scholarly and outreach activities.

• Hold a recent MA or Mphil in the social sciences or humanities from an internationally recognized university;
• Have finished an MA or Mphil thesis with a focus on language in the Caribbean;
• Have a proven academic track record, as shown in the transcripts and CV, and show a strong interest in fundamental research;
• Have a solid written and spoken command of English;
• Have an advanced level in one of the local languages in the Caribbean;
• Be highly motivated and able to work independently;
Have excellent social and organizational skills.

• A motivation letter (no more than 600 words) which includes a research proposal (no more than 800 words);
• A detailed curriculum vitae which includes names, affiliations, and contact information of two referees (no reference letters).