Faculty/Services: Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Educational level: PhD
Function type: Academic Staff
Closing date: 11 September 2023
Vacancy number: 11913

The Department of Sociology is looking for an Assistant Professor, able to teach and supervise BSc/MSc theses across a range of topics, and with a thematic profile in the sociology of Institutions, Inequalities and Life courses. Do you specialize in the study of inequalities relating to social stratification and life courses, or in the ways in which policies and institutions matter for stratification processes? Do you want to contribute to the institutional analysis of inequality in contemporary societies? Are you a passionate teacher and researcher? Can you inspire students and initiate relevant new research?

The Department of Sociology is one of the largest and among the leading sociology departments in Europe. It has a long tradition of theoretically informed, conceptually innovative and empirically driven research. Moreover, research at the department can be characterized by its critical and publicly engaged approach to urgent societal problems and questions. The department is thematically broad and pluralistic both when it comes to theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches. We seek to transmit these academic values to our students, by offering a BSc programme (with both English and Dutch as languages of instruction), a one year MSc programme, and, together with the faculty’s other social sciences, an interdisciplinary, two year Research Master programme (both Master programmes have English as the language of instruction).

Research at the department is organized in three ‘programme groups’ – Cultural Sociology; Political Sociology; Institutions, Inequalities and Life courses – and is embedded in the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR). This new position will be embedded within the programme group Institutions, Inequalities and Life Courses (IIL), which examines institutions in a broad way as the formal and informal rules and arrangements in society that govern individual behaviour and social relationships. Researchers within the programme group also examine consequences of institutions for inequality and life courses. They do so using a mixture of methods and data with a focus on quantitative research, including analyses of (longitudinal) survey data, register data, (field) experimental data, social network analysis, big data, macro data and policy documents.

Researchers in the IIL group are also members of the Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS); a collaborative graduate school and research centre in collaboration with the universities of Groningen (Sociology department), Nijmegen (Sociology department), and Utrecht (departments of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Science).

The new Assistant Professor studies institutions, inequalities and life courses as they pertain to urgent contemporary societal issues, preferably from a comparative perspective in which inequalities over the life course relate to different institutional contexts. The research agenda will be oriented towards i) examining and explaining the causes and consequences of inequalities within and across countries; and ii) investigating the consequences of institutions for the life courses of individuals. This focus allows for a broad range of specific research topics in Sociology, including education, labour, family, gender, migration, citizenship, health, the environment and crime. The research activities of the new Assistant Professor will complement or strengthen existing expertise in the department and be able to establish bridges towards the two other sociological research programmes at the UvA.

What are you going to do

In this position you will:

build your own line of research in institutions, inequalities and life courses;
develop and provide education in the BSc and MSc programmes;
present and publish your research to an international scientific audience;
engage with organisations and groups beyond academia;
be active in the acquisition of research grants;
supervise PhD students;
seek (knowledge) exchange and (research) cooperation with professionals on your research area;
make a positive contribution to the organisation and co-operation within the programme group and the department.

What do you have to offer

You have:

a completed PhD in sociology or in another, adjacent social science discipline relevant for this position;
excellent research skills, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications in international journals or with international publishers, in particular on themes of institutions, inequalities and life courses;
original ideas for new, relevant research on institutions, inequalities and life courses;
expertise and experience in advanced quantitative research methods, in particular working with large-N data-sets (e.g. cross-national and/or longitudinal surveys, register data) and/or different forms of experimental methods (survey, field or natural experiments);
a proven record of high-quality teaching; you are passionate about teaching and committed to teaching general and specialist courses in the BSc and MSc programs in Sociology, and potentially beyond, or in the Research Masters Social Sciences);
a clear philosophy about diversity and inclusivity in doing research, in teaching, and in departmental life; affinity with an international classroom;
good communication, social and organizational skills
adequate knowledge of Dutch, or the willingness to develop a working proficiency in Dutch language within two years.
the Basic Teaching Qualification or Senior Teaching Qualification (or the foreign equivalents of these – e.g. PGCHE in the UK), or commitment to acquire this teaching qualification in the short term;
the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

In addition, you are an enthusiastic colleague who likes to share knowledge, embraces open science, is curious, critical and eager to learn. Considering the current composition of our staff, and our commitment to diversity, we prioritize hiring people from groups currently underrepresented within our department.

Our offer

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week, for the duration of 18 months (12 months if you have previously been employed by the UvA). Contingent upon positive evaluation and satisfactory performance, you will be offered a permanent contract. Preferred starting date is 1 January 2024, or earlier.

The gross monthly salary based on full-time employment (38 hours per week) ranges from a minimum of € 4332 up to a maximum of € 5929 (salary scale 11) (This salary includes increasing from 1 August of the collective bargaining agreement NU 2023). This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year bonus. The starting salary will be based on your qualifications and relevant work experience. The profile “Assistant professor” (in Dutch: UD) is applicable in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities.

In addition, we offer an extensive package of secondary employment conditions, including a generous vacation scheme, and we believe it is important that you continue to develop and professionalize yourself. To this end, we offer excellent study and development opportunities.

What else can we offer you

A challenging workplace with varied tasks and plenty of room for personal initiative and development in an inspiring organization.

Working at the UvA means working in a critical, independent, innovative and international climate, characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with multiple stake-holders in Amsterdam and across the world. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is committed to diversity and inclusion within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups.

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest range of courses. An intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 staff and 3,000 PhD students. Connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences plays a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges facing the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

Curious about our organization and attractive fringe benefits such as a generous vacation plan and development opportunities? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam here.

Questions

For questions about the position or the department please contact:

Prof. Fenella Fleischmann, IIL program group director, f.fleischmann@uva.nl
Prof. Olav Velthuis, chair of the department, o.j.m.velthuis@uva.nl

Job application

The Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences strives for and puts conscious efforts into having a work and academic environment that is inclusive. We commit to providing the grounds for equal treatment and empowering you to become a full participating member of our academic community, regardless of your background, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and/or age. We especially invite members from historically disadvantaged and under-represented groups to apply.

If you recognize yourself in the profile and are interested in the position, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the link below.

Applications should include the following material bundled in a single .pdf (not zipped):

a motivation letter of max. 2 pages;
a cv, including a list of publications;
a teaching statement of max. 1 page;
a research statement of max. 1 page;
a diversity statement or a diversity section in the motivation letter;
names and contact details of two references.

The application period closes on 11 September 2023. Applications received after the deadline, which are not sent via the link or are incomplete, will unfortunately not be considered.

Selected candidates will be invited for an interview. Interviews will be held Mid October.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please

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