Assistant Professor of Modern European Philosophy (1.0 FTE) (2023)

Job description

This vacancy is part of a broad recruitment campaign. Utrecht University's Faculty of Humanities is looking for more than 40 talented and passionate assistant professors. Based on their subject matter expertise, they will contribute to strengthening our interdisciplinary education and its connection with urgent social themes.

We are looking for colleagues who find it interesting and challenging to teach and conduct research within more than one disciplinary and institutional context. Such a cross-boundary perspective is most successful and satisfying when working from a specialisation. We are therefore looking for colleagues who unite a subject specialisation with a discipline-transcending perspective and who can give shape to multi-, inter- or transdisciplinary team teaching and team science from a specific subject expertise within and between the broad domains of Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Cultural Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication (or who want to develop further in this).

We are looking for a colleague with a research expertise that resonates with one (or more) of the central research themes within our group. We expect a research focus upon one of the classical movements in modern philosophy that contribute to what is called ‘continental philosophy’, such as phenomenology or critical theory, and a clear awareness of methodological issues in historical research. We also expect the candidate to take part in interdisciplinary research activities. With respect to teaching, the candidate is expected to teach in the programs in philosophy and in interdisciplinary programs such as the HPS-master. In particular, we are looking for a colleague who can strengthen our teaching profile in the fields related to ‘continental philosophy’.

The Faculty of Humanities of Utrecht University deploys the extra resources from the Administrative Agreement (Bestuursakkoord) in such a way that they are beneficial for team collaboration and the sustainability of humanities research.

Qualifications

We are looking for a colleague who;

• has teaching and research expertise in the domain of Modern European Philosophy;
• holds a completed PhD in Philosophy by the time of appointment;
• has a vision on, and perhaps experience with, ways to link that domain in teaching and/or research with other knowledge domains, based on an articulated teaching and research philosophy (multi-, inter- or transdisciplinarity);
• has an open attitude and is able to switch easily within multidisciplinary and interprofessional teams;
• is interested in team teaching and team science to address social issues;
• has experience or interest in computational and/or data-driven perspectives (this will be considered an advantage).

Candidates are expected to be able to teach in Dutch and English. International candidates will be helped to acquire Dutch language skills in the first two years of their appointment.

All our assistant professors have obtained the Dutch University Teaching Qualification (UTQ, in Dutch: Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs, BKO). The BKO is recognized by all 14 Dutch universities. Candidates who do not yet have a BKO or an international equivalent will receive support to obtain this qualification in the first two years of their appointment.

(Personal) leadership and responsibility are part of your job. That is why you recognise yourself in the following core values that are central to the Faculty of Humanities: professionalism, transparency, responsibility, connection and safety. These core values apply to everyone and we uphold these values in our work and in our communication with each other and to others. Read more about our core values and how they translate into concrete behaviour.

Candidates with affinity, experience and/or appealing research and educational plans in the field of the following social issues are particularly invited to respond:

• Human artificial intelligence - Responsible design and use of AI applications, digitisation and technology;
• Cultural heritage and identity - Material and intangible heritage;
• Languages and cultures - Language variation, literacy and inclusion in the digital society - Multilingualism, transculturality and second language acquisition in education and organisations; and
• (in collaboration with the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance) Prosperity, participation and citizenship in a digital world - Communication, information and social inequality.

Offer

We offer a temporary position (1.0 FTE) for one year in an international working environment. After positive evaluation, this can be turned into a permanent position. The allocation is permanently set to 40% research and 60% teaching. Within the 60% for teaching, there is 10% free space that will not be scheduled. The gross salary - depending on previous qualifications and experience - ranges between €3,974 and €6,181 (scale 11-12 according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year.

In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leaveandflexible employment conditions(multiple choice model). For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University.

Utrecht University works with the TRIPLE model; this makes it possible to recognise and value multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary teaching and research. The model also embraces job diversification and dynamic career paths: there is room to develop your own strengths and look at how you complement and strengthen the team as a whole.

Within Utrecht University, we find it important that employees continue to develop within their own position or towards the next. We offer coaching and a variety of training opportunities.

About the organisation

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

Around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff are affiliated to the Faculty of Humanities. The faculty comprises four areas of expertise: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Cultural Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. Through education and research in these areas, the faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and excellent facilities in Utrecht's historic city centre, where the faculty is housed, ensure an inspiring working climate.

It is certainly true that the history of philosophy deals with heritage in a very explicit way. But within the context of our research group in the history of philosophy, our department at large, and university-wide research infrastructures, there is a far more specific and ambitious sense in which heritage becomes a research topic: our group has a long-standing tradition in genuinely source-based research in the history of philosophy, including archival work, the preparation of editions and translations, and cooperations with other historical disciplines (history of science; university history; art history; political history). Within the group itself, we are developing a focus upon receptions studies, investigating the intricacies of the long-term transmission of key ideas in European thought.

Additional information

For more information about this position, please consult our FAQs Philosophy Job Vacancies (Utrecht University 2023) or contact Prof. dr. Paul Ziche, via p.ziche@uu.nl.

Are you an international applicant? Our International Service Desk can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff and guests.

Apply

Everyone deserves to feel at home at our university. We therefore welcome staff from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives, regardless of race, skin colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, origin, disability, neurodiversity or age.

To apply, please send your application via the 'apply' button. We would like to receive the following information with your application:

• your motivation letter;
• your CV and publication list;
• a concise research plan showing alignment with the research profile of the department/team (max. 400 words);
• a concise a teaching statement, outlining your approach to and experience with teaching (max. 400 words);
• a key publication (max. 20 pages).

Job interviews will take place online in March. Besides an online interview, an in-person interview, a teaching demonstration or an assessment may be part of the application procedure. The start date is 1 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.