The Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) is looking for an assistant professor Multilingual Second Language Acquisition.

What are you going to do?

You will provide education in a dynamic context with ample opportunities for the development of innovative teaching methods. The focus of the teaching will be on second language acquisition and the teaching of English in a multilingual environment, and extends to include teaching to prospective language educators. Your research will be part of the Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC). We are seeking a talented researcher and teacher who can liaise between different ACLC research groups and develop interdisciplinary projects. The ACLC is one of the five research schools of the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Designing and conducting independent research on: (i) a formal, experimental and/or didactic approach to the acquisition of English as second language, and (ii) a demonstrated interest in a formal and/or experimental approach to the acquisition of a (second) language with strong regional or international appeal resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals and/or books and in public research dissemination;
• actively pursuing external funding for research, notably funding from research councils, national as well as European;
• actively contributing to and developing national and international research networks and other forms of cooperation;
• actively contributing to the research activities of ACLC;
• developing, coordinating and teaching courses in both the BA and MA programmes of the English section of the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, and when needed in relevant other programmes across the department and/or the Linguistics section of the Department of Literary Studies & Linguistics;
• supervising BA and MA theses and tutoring students; co-supervising PhD theses;
• actively contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department;
• taking part in committees and working groups, and carrying out departmental administrative tasks as directed.

What do we require of you?

You are a dynamic and ambitious researcher with a strong profile, demonstrable by international publications and an international academic network. Your publications show broad knowledge of the field of multilingualism, multimodal communication and cognition, familiarity with socio-cultural, experimental and formal approaches to the study of (second) language acquisition, and a particular focus on : (i) experimental approach to the acquisition of English as second language, and (ii) a demonstrated interest in approaches to the acquisition of a (second) language with strong regional or international appeal (e.g., Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, Hindi, Malay, etc.). Your research matches the profile of the ACLC.

You are able to develop and provide modules on specific courses in the English section of the Department of Modern Languages and Culture, where you will be primarily located. When necessary, you are expected to also teach (second) language acquisition courses in the Linguistics section of the Department of Literary Studies & Linguistics. Important is proven flexibility in teaching on topics beyond your own research focus, a willingness to work in interdisciplinary teams of teachers and the ability to offer inspiring lectures and tutorials in the BA, MA and minor programmes that aspire to a wide range of students.

Your experience and profile

• holds PhD in the field of multilingual/multimodal acquisition and/or second language acquisition;
• holds an international academic network in the research area concerned;
• provides research output commensurate with the level of the position;
• active and ambitious researcher with a strong publication record;
• demonstrable ability and ambition to obtain external research grants;
• wide and high-profile teaching experience in relevant domains at BA and MA level;
• excellent command (near-native fluency) of both Dutch and English: Non-native Dutch speakers must achieve an active and passive command of Dutch within two years (passing the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II, is a prerequisite for a permanent employment contract);
• experience with digital and audio-visual teaching facilities and affinity with ICT in university teaching;
• experienced in valorisation and practice-based education and/or research;
• good team worker and versatile at all levels, capable of multidisciplinary co-operation;
• excellent organisational experience and skills;
• acquired the Dutch Basic Teaching Qualification, or is willing to acquire this within the first two years.

Research that entails collaboration with non-academic institutions and agencies in the Netherlands, Europe, and beyond is highly welcome.

Fixed-term contract: two years.

Our offer

We offer a temporary employment contract for a period of two years with the intention of converting it into a permanent contract after a positive assessment. The ideal starting date of the employment contract is 1 August 2021.

The gross monthly salary, dependent on relevant experience, will range from €3,746 to €5,826, based on 38 hours a week. This is excluding a generous holiday scheme (8%) and year-end bonus (8.3%). A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% rule’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement for the Dutch Universities is applicable.

We additionally offer:

• the opportunity to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams;
• excellent opportunities for study and personal development;
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

University of Amsterdam (UvA)

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

To work at the University of Amsterdam is to work in a discerning, independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised 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.

Faculty of Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes. The faculty offers assistant professors the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers at research institutes that - partly as a result of their interdisciplinary approach - are world-renowned.