Professor of Social Sciences

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.

As part of its dynamic research policy, and supported by the University Research Fund (Dutch: Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds, BOF), the Department of Political Science of the University of Antwerp has the following full-time vacancy: Senior research professor (ZAPBOF)

Position

As a member of the Tenured Senior Academic Staff (Dutch: Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel, ZAP), you will contribute to the University of Antwerp’s three core tasks: research, services and education. Your role may also include organisational and managerial aspects. As a research professor, your role will consist primarily of academic research with some limited involvement in educational programmes for a maximum of 10 years.

Research

• You will expand high-quality scientific research on the quality of democracy, political representation, and the impact of deception on democratic citizenship. You will work in the Research Group Politics & Public Governance of the Department of Political Science.
• You acquired a grant from the European Research Council that will be hosted at the University of Antwerp.
• 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 services to society, within the institution and externally. You will, for instance, participate in student recruitment, boards and committees, popular science communication.

Education

• You will provide high-quality education in Political Science.
• Your limited teaching role concerns the research seminar (Leeronderzoek).
• You will play a role in developing activating, student-centred and competence-driven programme components and study programmes.
• You will supervise students’ Master dissertations.

Organisation and leadership

• You will accept coordinating responsibilities in the core tasks of research, services and/or education 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 Political Science.
• You can demonstrate a minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience (when you start work, at the latest).
• You acquired a European Research Council grant in the field of political science. This is a necessary condition for being eligible.
• You have developed an international academic portfolio, and you conduct high-quality academic research.
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
• Your teaching competencies align with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision. You are motivated to develop your teaching skills through the professionalisation opportunities.
• 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 within five years after your appointment. 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.

What we offer

• We offer a full-time ZAPBOF appointment. The level of your appointment (associate professor, professor, or full professor) is determined based on your professional experience and academic qualifications. The appointment leads to permanent appointment (tenure) after a maximum of three years and following a favourable performance appraisal.
• You hold the position of research professor with limited teaching responsibilities for a maximum of ten years, allowing you to further strengthen your research portfolio. A standard position as a Tenured Senior Academic Staff member with a mixture of teaching, research and service responsibilities follows this ZAPBOF period.
• We offer, after a positive evaluation of a PhD project you will propose, 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 1 June 2025 or as soon as possible after that date.
• You will do most of your work at the city campus 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 6 January 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on 'apply', complete the online application form. The following documents need to be included: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.
  • your motivation letter,
  • the completed job application appendix for ZAP,
  • your academic CV,
  • a detailed research proposal for the next five years (approx. 5000 words),
  • a report on your previous scientific research activities (max. 1000 words),
  • a scientific abstract of the research plan of max. 500 words or 4000 characters.
  • All documents must be submitted in English.
• 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 dr. Wouter Van Dooren, Department Chair, wouter.vandooren@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the typical appointment framework for this research role, please contact the (TT)ZAPBOF officer in the Department of Research Affairs & Innovation, Marianne De Voecht (0032 3 265 30 29) or Birgit Houben (0032 3 265 31 39).

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.