Professor of Design Sciences
University of Antwerp
Belgium

The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape. 

The Department of Product Development in the Faculty of Design Sciences has the following full-time vacancy: tenured senior academic staff in the field of Product Service System Design

Position

You will contribute to the University of Antwerp’s three core tasks: education (40%), research (40%) and services (20%). Your role also includes organisational and managerial aspects.

Education

• You will provide high-quality education in service design, product-service system design and product development
• Your teaching role will evolve along with the study programmes and language certificates obtained. The courses you will teach may include PSS design project (Ma1), Summer school PSS, and basic design courses in the Bachelor programme Product Development.
• You will play a role in developing activating, student-centred and competence-driven programme components and study programmes.
• You will supervise students and their Master dissertations.

Research

• You will expand high-quality scientific research in the field of service design and product-service system design.
• You will initiate new lines of research and coordinate the progress of scientific research projects. You will also participate in ongoing research programmes.
• You will acquire and manage national and international research funding.
• You will publish in international journals and specialist literature.
• You will develop an international scientific network.
• You will supervise PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.

Services

• You will play a role in the provision of both academic services and service to society, within the institution and externally. You will participate in student recruitment, boards and committees, popular science communication, and so on.

Organisation and leadership

• You will accept coordinating responsibilities in the areas of education, research and/or service provision and you will contribute to policy.
• Your leadership style will be motivating and coaching. You will be attentive to your employees’ growth and development processes.

Profile

• You hold a PhD in (industrial) product design, service design, product development or equivalent.
• You can demonstrate several years of postdoctoral experience (or equivalent).
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies. You have established an excellent research portfolio.
• You can demonstrate excellent teaching skills and your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision. You are motivated to develop your teaching skills further through the professionalisation opportunities available.
• If you do not speak Dutch, the administrative language of the university, you should be willing to obtain a CEFR B2 level of proficiency in Dutch. As soon as you take on teaching duties as a programme component coordinator, you should be able to demonstrate a CEFR C1 level of proficiency in the language of instruction. The University of Antwerp supports international staff members through an integration trajectory and offers tailor-made language coaching in compliance with Flanders’ statutory language regulations.
• You demonstrate leadership potential and organisational skills.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
• Your design and research experience fits complementarily the Research Group Product Development.

What we offer

• We offer a full-time appointment as a member of the Senior Academic Staff (Dutch: Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel, ZAP). The level of your appointment (assistant professor, associate professor, professor or full professor) is determined on the basis of your professional experience and academic qualifications. Junior ZAP members are usually offered temporary appointment as a tenure track assistant professor for five years, which is then followed by permanent appointment as an associate professor. Appointment as an associate professor or higher leads to permanent appointment (tenure) after a maximum of three years. A favourable performance appraisal is always required for permanent appointment.
• We offer, after a positive evaluation of a PhD project you conducted, an attractive starter package consisting of a four-year PhD project and €15 000 of consumables to boost your research from the start of your employment at the University of Antwerp.  
• Your gross monthly salary is calculated according to the pay scales for Senior Academic Staff.        
• You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
• The planned start date is 15 September 2025 or as soon as possible after that date.
• You will do most of your work at the city campus, Paardenmarkt 94, in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
• Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here and discover all the other benefits.

Want to apply?

• You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 20 January 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on 'apply', complete the online application form and don’t forget to include the following documents:The selection committee will review all of the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision has been made, we will inform you about the next steps in the selection procedure. If you are invited to the selection interview, you will also be asked to propose a topic for a four-year PhD project and a date will be agreed for participation in an assessment centre in the week of 24.02.2025.
  • your motivation letter
  • the completed job application appendix for ZAP
  • your academic CV
  • your research plan in the domain of PSS design.
• If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Alexis Jacoby (alexis.jacoby@uantwerpen.be).

The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.