Assistant Professor: Refugee Mental Health, Psychosocial Well-Being, Partic

at  Radboud Universiteit

0.8 FTE

Required background
PhD
Organizational unit
Nijmegen School of Management
Application deadline
10 November 2024
Apply now
Are you an enthusiastic researcher and inspiring teacher with expertise in interdisciplinary research on issues of migrant inclusion, social inequalities and governance of migration-related diversity in relation to digitalisation? Then you have a part to play as an assistant professor in our university-wide RUNOMI network that strives for academic excellence and societal impact.
The mental health of refugee populations across Europe is problematic. In these populations, the occurrence of mental disorders such as PTSD is substantially higher than in the native population or other migrant populations. Research has attributed this to factors related to the forced nature of migration, distinguishing between pre-migration, travel and transit, post-migration and integration and settlement-related factors. Across Europe, refugees are amongst the most vulnerable members of society and are often faced with xenophobia, discrimination, poor living, housing and working conditions, and inadequate access to health services despite frequent physical and mental health problems.
To foster refugee mental health, there is a growing body of knowledge stressing the relevance of social participation of refugees and asylum seekers in different key spheres of the host societies. Furthermore, a number of local psychosocial support interventions have been implemented effectively. Social participation is important for enhancing resilience through re-establishing social lives in the new societies as a protective factor against poor mental health, involving dimensions of participation related to conditions and frameworks, institutions and organisations, as well as informal communities and associations.
Despite the group’s vulnerable health situation, refugees lack access to mental health services that are responsive to their needs. Cultural awareness and competence among providers and language-appropriate services are some of the barriers to accessing mental health service.
This position contributes to the realisation of RUNOMI’s ambition to foster mental health, psychosocial well-being and participation of refugees by developing a better understanding of the determinants and interrelations of refugee mental health, psychosocial well-being and participation, as well as of the relevance of local support and factors inhibiting their access to suitable mental health services. A substantial part of the research agenda focuses on the efficacy of local policy initiatives aimed at strengthening community capacity for and access to mental health care through the provision of information, for example through e-health services, engagement with migrant communities to foster empowerment and self-help capacities, and capacity training of health care workers and other relevant local actors fostering societal participation to provide culturally sensitive services. The research agenda combines relevant quantitative as well as qualitative research designs (e.g. effect studies, surveys, field experiments, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, participatory research).
As part of this university-wide staff recruitment initiative, the Nijmegen School of Management (NSM) is looking for 2 assistant professors to strengthen its expertise. You can find information about the other position (Assistant Professor: Migrant poverty mechanisms, wellbeing, residential mixing and digitalisation) here.
Profile
You should have a PhD degree in a relevant social sciences area or provide proof that your manuscript has been accepted by the manuscript committee.
You have expertise in interdisciplinary, mixed methods research in the field of social sciences relating to issues of migrant inclusion, social inequalities and/or governance of migration-related diversity, and you are interested in contributing to a new research and teaching programme studying these issues in relation to digitalisation.
You have a pipeline of scientific publications in internationally recognised high-quality journals. Publications in non-academic journals and other science communication channels targeted at non-scientific audiences are an advantage.
You have a track record in attracting research funding, or the desire and ambition to do so. You have ample teaching experience, proven effective teaching skills, the capacity to develop and implement innovative teaching methods, and a proven ability to supervise the development and implementation of academic study programmes. A Dutch university teaching qualification (BKO or UKO) or equivalent would be an advantage.
As a committed academic, you have an elaborate international network including academic partners as well as societal stakeholders.
You have a proactive attitude, and you are flexible and development-oriented.
You have excellent English and Dutch language skills and/or are willing to learn to teach in the English and Dutch languages within two years.
We are
The Radboud University Network on Migrant Inclusion (RUNOMI) was initiated at Radboud University in 2018 to strengthen university-wide, interdisciplinary collaboration in research and teaching as well as collaboration with societal actors. By now, the network connects more than 130 academic members with expertise on migrant inclusion issues, working at various RU faculties. In the coming years, the university intends to further develop this network into a leading international hub of expertise in this field, which is why it has initiated a large-scale staff recruitment initiative entailing 8 FTEs of assistant professors and 4.5 FTEs of postdoctoral fellows at various faculties. This vacancy forms part of this university-wide initiative, which focuses on the thematic intersection between migrant inclusion and digitalisation, with two priority areas entitled ‘Communication, Information and Social Inequality’ and ‘Well-being and health’ respectively. As a new staff member you will be employed at the department of Geography, Planning and Environment or at the department of Economics and Business Economics. You will be expected to contribute to the research and teaching programmes of the department as well as to the RUNOMI initiative.
Radboud University
At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.
If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account and read stories from our colleagues.
Nijmegen School of Management
At Nijmegen School of Management, one of the seven faculties within Radboud University in the Netherlands, we have a clear aim: we enable students, institutions and companies, social actors, and governments to play their part in the transformations towards a sustainable society through high-quality scientific research and education. With more than 4,500 curious students and more than 450 dedicated employees, we form a dynamic community.
Our mission ‘Responsible governance for sustainable societies’ is driven by the ambition to make a difference in the world. At Nijmegen School of Management, we understand management as a broad concept referring to the collective and organised pursuit (responsible governance) of a better world (sustainable societies). We study and teach management at the level of public and private organisations. In this context, we examine how to balance economic, ecological, and social values in a sustainable way. This aim is in line with Radboud University’s mission to contribute through teaching and research to a ‘free, healthy world with equal opportunities for all’.
At Nijmegen School of Management, academic research and teaching are carried out in following areas: Business Administration, Economics and Business Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Human Geography, Spatial Planning, and Environment. Our approach to teaching and research is evolving from multidisciplinarity, where we study societal challenges from different disciplinary backgrounds, to interdisciplinarity (integrating disciplinary perspectives for synergy) and transdisciplinarity (involving non-academic stakeholders).
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an important source of inspiration for our work. Our work focuses on the themes Social economy, Resilient society and Sustainable environment. At Nijmegen School of Management, we have our eyes on the world of the future, in which sustainability and responsibility are central values. Together we are creating a better world for everyone.
We offer
We will give you a temporary employment contract of one year with the prospect of an indefinite contract after a positive evaluation.
Your salary within €4.492 and €4.963 (salary scale 11) depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Support Service. The Dual Career Programme assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. Our Family Support Service helps you and your partner feel welcome and at home by providing customized assistance in navigating local facilities, schools, and amenities. Also take a look at our support for international staff page to discover all our services for international employees.
You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.
Additional employment conditions
Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University’s primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.
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Practical information and applying
You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Pascal Beckers, RUNOMI coordinator. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.
The first interviews will take place on 19 November. If necessary, a second round of interviews will take place on 25 November. You will preferably start your employment on 1 January 2025.
We can imagine you’re curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.
Apply now Application deadline 10 November 202

Please refer the Job description for details