Dr. Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, skeptic, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.
If by a "steady job" you mean one that is contracted to last until retirement, then I have had only one in my life so far. In 2002, Roger Blidmo gave me a steady job with his contract archaeology unit Arkeologikonsult. I left it after only a few months as my dig was done and written up, as the unit had no further digs lined up at the time, and as I had received funding to study Vendel Period metal detector finds from Uppåkra.
Today I have signed up with the Royal Academy of Letters for the second steady job of my life. It's actually just a change in the formal circumstances around my work as managing editor of Fornvännen: I've been doing it since 1999, and now the job has turned steady. One quarter of full time, an office in central Stockholm, and side duties having to do with the Academy's on-line publication strategy and sundry editorial tasks with its book output.
I'm very grateful to the Academy's former and current Secretaries and to my friend the Chief Financial Officer for the excellent terms they've offered me!
Education & Careers
Comments
CONGRATS! :D
*sound of fireworks, marching band, screaming hoards of spectators*
Every bit helps, and seeing there are at least a few pinpoints of lights at the end of some tunnels is pathetically satisfying.
Now, about that email with a review suggestion I sent you a few days ago...?
Posted by: ArchAsa | January 13, 2009 10:23 AM
Hey, congratulations. A 25 percent-time job could actually be quite liberating.
Posted by: Dave Munger | January 13, 2009 11:15 AM
Steady job, row house, two kids and a cat—you're definitely turning middle-aged… :-p
Posted by: kai | January 13, 2009 11:33 AM
The jobs that will be safe despite economic downturn
Posted by: Trin Tragula | January 13, 2009 3:13 PM
Sounds greate,congrats!
Posted by: Pierre | January 13, 2009 5:23 PM
Congrats indeed!
Posted by: Matt_B | January 13, 2009 6:04 PM
Äntligen!
Sounds really great, and it is a well earned reward for a editing job well done during the last decade...
Posted by: Leif | January 14, 2009 2:41 AM
Many thanks, guys!
Posted by: Martin R | January 14, 2009 3:16 AM
Congrats, Martin!
Further to kai's comment, a little quip I picked up somewhere: "You know you are middle-aged if you, when faced with two temptations, select the one you will get home soonest from."
Posted by: Thinker | January 14, 2009 4:24 AM
I've always been a pretty staid character. My age is finally catching up with my lifestyle. (-;
Posted by: Martin R | January 14, 2009 4:46 AM
Honestly, Martin, I thought you would use a different line of defense: "My main temptation is at home...!"
Posted by: Thinker | January 14, 2009 4:56 AM
Indeed, you're right!
Posted by: Martin R | January 14, 2009 4:59 AM
Congratulations Martin, not only richly deserved I'm sure but also a welcome reminder that sometimes these short-term gigs we put in so much time on eventually reward us.
Posted by: Jonathan Jarrett | January 14, 2009 5:25 AM
Wow. I pop in from NY and see this! Congrats. Does this mean you can survive whilst you write more grant applications to dig up bits of Sweden?
Posted by: Bob O'H | January 14, 2009 2:36 PM
Yeah, for practical purposes it means I get a bit more money a week, I get two hours less of research time a week, and I can count on this to be so on a permanentish basis.
Posted by: Martin R | January 15, 2009 4:26 AM
Mazeltov, Dr. R. They are lucky to have you.
Posted by: dveej | January 16, 2009 8:59 AM
Thanks man, warms my heart!
Posted by: Martin R | January 16, 2009 9:03 AM