Assistant Professor (Universitair Docent) in Social and Cultural Anthropology

at  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

YOUR FUNCTION

The Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology of Vrije University Amsterdam is searching for an assistant professor to expand its team. We are a research group focused on making a scientific impact within and outside academia. We practice anthropology and ethnography with the direct participation of the people we work with and in the interest of non-academic audiences, from the general public to specific professional groups. We also teach our students ways to apply anthropology in their future careers.
We aim to create a transformative and emancipatory impact on research participants, stakeholders, and society. Research engagement starts by addressing societal demands, challenges, and questions about inequality and injustice. We do not claim instant solutions but try to ask better questions. We are committed to long-term engagement.
As an assistant professor, you will teach, research, and aim at societal impact. You will play a significant role in our Ethnographic Impact Lab. You are expected to apply for external research funds within the scope of the departmental research program. The standard time allocation is 65% for teaching, 30% for research, and 5% for administrative tasks; external funding might increase research time or time to engage with societal stakeholders. We value outstanding teaching as much as exceptional research.
The department is responsible for a bachelor and master programme in anthropology and contributes to courses taught to students of all disciplines within the Faculty of Social Sciences, as well as the interdisciplinary research master Social Sciences for a Digital Society and to the teaching of the Graduate School of Social Sciences. The bachelor programme is taught in Dutch and English, and the Master’s in English. The Master’s also offers an innovative Professional Anthropology track. You will teach undergraduate and graduate courses and supervise bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD research projects and theses.
We seek applicants trained in critical areas of social and cultural anthropology. Candidates with a strong curriculum in qualitative research methods, such as multimodal methodologies, are encouraged to apply. To complete our team, we particularly welcome candidates with expertise in climate change, natural resources, and the environment, as well as anthropologists working in digital society and technology. You will have considerable autonomy to develop your line of research.
Alongside our teaching and research, we are establishing the Ethnographic Impact Lab to frame and reinforce our research group’s engagement outside academia. You will help build the eLAB and explore what impact we could have and how to give substance to our work’s collaborative, engaged nature.
The Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology is an international community. It maintains a relatively flat hierarchy in which the views and ideas of assistant professors are taken into consideration just as much as those of full professors. All staff members play an active role in creating a safe and stimulating academic environment. We seek a colleague who can balance personal ambition with a willingness to take on communal work within the academic collective. We are particularly interested in applicants who will enrich our departmental staff’s diversity. Being a good team player is necessary.

YOUR PROFILE

• You hold a PhD in anthropology or a related discipline with substantial work experience.
• You have an attractive research agenda and an excellent publication record, assessed against the time since completing your PhD.
• You have demonstrable skills in writing competitive external research grant applications.
• You have experience with high-quality teaching, and you have a well-informed opinion about appropriate and innovative teaching styles and techniques.
• You hold a Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO) or are willing to acquire this within two years from appointment.
• You have made demonstrable efforts to impact science and society positively.
• You have an excellent command of Dutch and English, or, for non-Dutch speakers, you are willing to acquire a working knowledge of the language within two years from appointment.
• You are willing and able to reside in the Netherlands.
  Ideally, you can assume your duties by December 1, 2024, or soon after that date.
  As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.
  We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

• Teach courses in social and cultural anthropology at the bachelor’s and master’s levels in Dutch and English.
• Supervise bachelor and master students and co-supervise PhD students.
• Conduct research, both alone and in teams, resulting in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed publications.
• Apply for external research funding.
• Contribute to efforts of our department to make anthropology matter and have an impact on society.
• Contribute actively to the scholarly community of the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, including taking on administrative tasks.