In the Department of the Built Environment there is a position available for an Assistant Professor in the chair of Urbanism and Urban Architecture (UUA). The Department offers a comprehensive, research-oriented Master of Science (MSc.) degree program within the broad field of the Built Environment. Graduates go on to work in diverse professional areas, such as architecture, urban design and planning, building physics, installation techniques, construction, real estate management and building production.

The department is also a research institute comprising various laboratories and four research programs in which high-level research is conducted. The unit AUDE has its own research program Living Cities focused on the evolutionary development of the existing city and region, taking into account both its historical path dependencies as well as tomorrows societal challenges.

The Urbanism and Urban Architecture (UUA) chair group is in charge of education and carries out research on spatial design and planning of the city and the urban region. The focus lies on the sustainable (re-)development of the existing Western European cities, both concerning the higher levels of the urbanized network region as well as the lower levels of its urbanistic and architectonic composition. This is set against the background of current paradigm- and system shifts in our modern economy, society and culture focusing on how these global transitions can enhance and strengthen local identity and vitality in terms of Quality of Life and Quality of Place. Contextual spatial design and planning - evolutionary urbanism and urban architecture - explicitly correlated with questions of governance, policy and financing.

The Urbanism and Urban Architecture (UUA) Chair is part of the Architectural Urban Design and Engineering (AUDE) unit. This unit covers all the education and research activities in the domain of spatial design within the department.

Within this spatial panorama, the Urbanism and Urban Architecture (UUA) chair concentrates on scales ranging from building typology and the building block, the construction and design of the public domain, the design and planning of the city, to the ordering and design of the urban network region. The strategic research agenda of the chair focuses on three clusters: 1) healthy cities, active mobility and public space design; 2) smart city technology, participation and place making; 3) urban morphology, spatial biographies and contextual design. All three closely connected to the Smart City Program (SCP) initiated by our faculty to study the potential of data-analytics, persuasive technologies and social commons in improving the urban living environment and the quality of life in tomorrow's cities.

The chair is actively participating in the TU/e Smart Cities Program (SCP). The SCP is a university wide collaboration across different departments aiming at multi-disciplinary research in the field of Smart Cities development. The candidate will have a major role in the expansion of the Smart City Program, and therefore the chair is looking for a candidate whose interest and track record in the field of research is related to the issues on Smart Cities. On the potential of innovative ICT technology, to reshape both our physical and virtual living environment, resulting in new paradigms on urban planning and design. Based on Smart City Technologies combining real and virtual world concepts and strategies that redefine in a systemic way our urban living environment, but also the way planning and design processes facilitate new interactive ways of co-creation, co-ownership and sense of community. Key focus will be on new ways of place making and public space design, bridged towards related topics on healthy cities, active mobility, innovative urban economies and social inclusivity. Over the years the chair has built both a network and portfolio in these fields the candidate is expected to expand on.

The chair of UUA is within the unit AUDE complemented by three other chairs, responsible for wider fields of education and research more specifically concerned with architecture, both in terms of style, typology as well as architectural detailing and construction. These activities are organized in the chair of Architectural Design and Engineering (ADE) and the chair of Rational Architecture (RA). The contemplative element behind the entirety is taken care of by the Architectural History and Theory (AHT) chair, which gives greater depth to the technical, architectonic and urban development domains through history and theory.

Duties

Within the Urbanism and Urban Architecture chair group, the Assistant Professor will contribute to both education and research. Time allocation is distributed evenly between these duties. 

Education

Within the Built Environment program, the Assistant Professor will both be involved in the education part of the Bachelor's major in Design as well as in the Master' track  in Urban Design and Planning (UDP). Especially in the master track UDP, the interaction between research and design, between theory and practice is central, both on the level of the architectonic composition of the city, the city plan, and that of the region.

Research

The Assistant Professor will play an important role in the research program, both in terms of acquisition, of organization and of the execution of research projects. The candidate will act as program manager in the Smart Cities Program on the theme Smart urban space: Healthy environments. The Assistant Professor will perform this task in close collaboration with the chair holder who acts as the thought leader responsible for the theme Smart urban space. The research is focused on the academic and professional redefinition of the discipline of urban design and planning, exploring this through both spatial as well as social sciences, focusing on qualitative research. Research and design are seen as complementary knowledge-generating activities, which bring together spatial, sociological, socio-scientific and technical knowledge. The tension between empiricism, discourse and practice is examined critically. An international orientation goes without saying, as well as a broad interest in the disciplinary diversity of urban design and planning as well as urban architecture.

Perspective

It is important to note explicitly that if the candidate Assistant Professor proves eligible, he or she may advance further in due course. In this position they will provide support to the Professor within the chair group when it comes to research, education, valorization and management of the whole group.

We are looking for a candidate who is preferably trained as an urban designer and planner, with a PhD on a relevant subject for this position, with at least 2 years of relevant experience as a postdoc.

The candidate is required to have:

trained as an urban designer or one of the urban studies (geographer, urban sociologist, spatial economist or urban historian);

a PhD within a relevant field of study or awaiting the results;

conducted for several years academic research;

published the research in international journals and on conferences;

experience in the acquisition and organization of research projects and programmes;

a broad orientation in urbanism and urban architecture and the various subfields, being well-informed about recent developments in this field at an international level;

relevant work experience in the practice of urban design and planning, whether as urban planner, policy adviser or publicist.

access to adequate networks in science and practice;

proven didactic qualities and the ability to pass on knowledge and skills to students;

using rigorous scientific approaches to problems of applied relevance;

is willing to work on education and research within a team. 

It is recommended when the candidate:

has relevant experience in the field of healthy cities, active mobility and public space design

has teaching experience giving courses in urban design aspects, discourses and practices

A challenging job in a dynamic and ambitious university

We offer a temporary appointment for 4 days a week (0,8 fte) for five years in a 'development track'. The development track can lead to a permanent appointment with the prospect of becoming associate professor. This provides young and talented scientists with the opportunity to grow into an internationally acknowledged academic. Based upon performance indicators agreed upon at the start of your appointment, a decision will be made in the final year whether or not to offer you a permanent position.

We offer support to your professional and personal development. You will be enrolled into a program to acquire the University Teaching Qualification (BKO) within 3 years. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to participate in the training Academic Leadership for Assistant Professors.

Gross monthly salaries are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO NU). Salary is based on knowledge and experience and is at least € 3,475 up to a max. of
€ 4,757 gross per month (salary scale 11, CAO NU) at a fulltime appointment; plus 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year allowance. Besides that the TU/e provides an attractive package of fringe benefits (including excellent work facilities, child care and excellent sport facilities).

International candidates may be eligible to apply for the 30% facility (a tax free reimbursement of extraterritorial costs).

Assistance for finding accommodation can be given.