Assistant Professors in Sociology
University of Amsterdam Department of Sociology
Netherlands

In the Department of Sociology, part of the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Amsterdam, we are looking for two Assistant professors in Sociology.

Are you a promising early-career scholar with a strong commitment to teaching and research? The Department of Sociology has an opening for two Assistant Professors of Sociology. One Assistant Professor will be embedded in the Cultural Sociology programme group, and the other in the Institutions, Inequalities, and Life Courses (IIL) programme group.

The program group Cultural Sociology is looking for an assistant professor with a strong commitment to general sociology and a track record or demonstrable interest in the areas of sustainability, ecology, environmental justice and/or climate change. We are interested in candidates, who approach these topics from diverse perspectives, including Science & Technology Studies / Actor Network Theory. While qualitative and quantitative skills are equally welcome, the knowledge of novel research methodologies is a plus.

The IIL programme group is looking for an assistant professor with a strong commitment to general sociology and demonstrable expertise in at least one of the following areas: spatial/residential segregation, sustainability, migration, family and social relationships, criminality, or sociogenomics. Methodologically, quantitative research skills are required; experience with (field) experimental research designs is considered a plus.

Intersection(s) between two or more substantive areas of research for both positions is possible and will be considered a plus. Connection to the research agendas of (one of) the two programme groups is relevant, as is a possible bridge between programme groups, including Political Sociology, the third programme group in the department.

Methodologically, the Department of Sociology embraces a broad set of approaches to empirical sociological research. In addition to methodological approaches currently used in the department, we also welcome applicants with expertise in computational social science.

What are you going to do

You will be actively contributing to the department, its teaching programs, the research group, the interdisciplinary centres, and so forth. As a default, the Department currently works with a division of responsibilities of 60% teaching and 40% research.

You are expected to:

• Contribute to the broad and diverse teaching and research profile of sociology in Amsterdam by educational initiatives and publishing and participating in national and international research networks;
• teach courses in the field of sociology tailored to meet societal demand and the needs of students;
• teach courses in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods and statistics;
• develop, carry out and supervise empirical sociological research at a high academic level, develop a line of research fitting in the programme group, department and the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR);
• acquire and help to acquire external funding for research;
• engage in activities in the public sphere and in other arenas outside academia;
• carry out administrative tasks.

What do we require

You have:

• A PhD degree in sociology or a related discipline;
• affinity with the field of sociology;
• a proven record of high-quality teaching. Also a commitment to teaching general and specialist courses in the BSc and MSc programs in Sociology and in the interdisciplinary Research Master Social Sciences. Experience in, or willing to invest in, teaching in diverse international classrooms;
• experience in empirical research connected to the profile of one of the two mentioned programme groups, as exemplified in publications in internationally peer reviewed journals and/or books published by internationally recognized press;
• the potential to acquire research funding from external sources;
• adequate knowledge of Dutch, or the willingness to develop a working proficiency in Dutch language within two years.

You are:

• in possession of the Dutch Basic Teaching Qualification or Senior Teaching Qualification (or foreign equivalents), or willing to acquire such a qualification on a fairly short term.

Our offer

We offer a full-time contract of 38 hours per week. Employment will initially be on a temporary basis for a total period of three years (two years plus one), with conditions of a tenured appointment agreed upon at the time of hiring. The starting date is 1 October 2021, or as shortly as possible thereafter. Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience, with a minimum salary of €3,746 and a maximum salary of €5.127 gross per month in keeping with scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Additionally, we offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

What else do we offer

• A broad department passionate for understanding social action using a diverse set of empirical methods and philosophies of science;
• connection to the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), that stimulates interdisciplinary research in the social sciences;
• a job on the Roeterseiland Campus in the heart of the city of Amsterdam.

About the Department of Sociology

To work at the University of Amsterdam is to work in a discerning, independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterized by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society. Here you can read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

The Department of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam is a home for three research groups: Political Sociology, Cultural Sociology, and Institutions, Inequalities, and Life Courses (IIL).

The Cultural Sociology programme group explores a diverse range of socio-cultural forces and phenomena from a broad set of sociological perspectives. It is a home to the studies of value and meaning in various domains, including forms of art, human beauty, urban aesthetics and price setting in commercial markets; of emotions and the emergence of street violence; of urban rhythms and social networks; and more. Member of this programme group conduct sociological analysis of culture from a wide range of theoretical and methodological positions, which include micro sociology, network analysis, Bourdieusian sociology of culture, neo-marxism, material semiotics, comparative and historical perspectives.

The IIL programme group examines institutions in a broad way as the formal and informal rules and arrangements in society that govern individual behaviour and social relationships. It studies how institutions and organizations, such as welfare state regulations and policies, impact social stratification over the life course, in education, the labour market, family relationships, and health. Categories of stratification that are typically studied are social class, ethnic and migration background and gender. Members of this programme group mostly use quantitative methods and data, such as (longitudinal) survey data, register data, (field)experimental data, big data, social network data and macro-level data, often using an internationally comparative perspective.

The Political Sociology programme group’s key themes are power, place and difference. The group is interested in how contemporary inequalities and global power differentials shape specific local contexts, such as urban neighbourhoods and local government policies, young people’s (dis)engagement in politics, migration from the perspective of migrant-sending societies, professional-client relations in health care and public health, local politics of gender and sexuality, and public discourses regarding civic integration and minority ethnic groups.

While thematically distinct, all program groups are connected in their research agendas and form a community of scholars dedicated to academic excellence, inclusion and diversity.

Questions

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

• Prof. Herman van de Werfhorst, Chair of Department

Job application

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize 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.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application. The deadline for application is 14 June 2021. Job interviews with shortlisted candidates will be held on 5 and 8 July 2021.

Applications should include (please combine into one .pdf file):

• a letter of motivation;
• your curriculum vitae including a list of publications;
• one published research article or book chapter demonstrating your expertise;
• the contact information of two academic references (no letters of recommendation are required at this time).

You can apply online by clicking on the following link.