You will be employed at the Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science of the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University. The position comprises teaching and research. Candidates with a particular interest in working with an interdisciplinary team of graduate students, faculty, and societal partners on projects aimed at strengthening and preparing adolescents and emerging adults for the future are encouraged to apply. You will be teaching in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Interdisciplinary Social Science, two international one-year Master’s degree programmes, Social Policy and Public Health and Youth Studies, and our Research Master programmes. Our teaching crosses disciplinary boundaries of fields such as developmental psychology, sociology, public health and epidemiology. You will supervise Master’s students and PhD candidates. You will have a combined (60%) teaching and (40%) research position. You will be expected to regularly apply for, and obtain, external grant-based funding. 

The Department’s research activities are organised in three programmes: ‘Migration, Cultural Diversity, and Ethnic Relations’, ‘Public health’, and ‘Youth in Changing Cultural Contexts’. Your research will be part of the Youth in Changing Cultural Contexts (YCCC) research programme (headed by Prof. Catrin Finkenauer). We have a young, enthusiastic, interdisciplinary team, including a large group of PhD candidates. Our research group has strong long-standing collaborations with international research departments across the globe (e.g. in the context of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children Study), with societal partners in the region (e.g., YOUth got talent; Digital Youth Project), and with the Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction). For more information about the research programme you will be most closely associated with, see YCCC. Youth Studies participates in the interdisciplinary research institute CAS (Child and Adolescent Studies) and the UU’s strategic theme Dynamics of Youth.

Requirements
The position will be affiliated with Interdisciplinary Social Science: Youth Studies. You hold a PhD in Social or Behavioral Sciences and have experience in teaching at a university. Research in Youth Studies combines large, longitudinal surveys and experimental studies with macro- and micro-data (e.g., national statistics, observations, interviews), and employ advanced statistics to unravel mechanisms underlying youth development. Therefore, a strong background and knowledge of methodology and statistics is commendable. You have an excellent command of the English language and international work experience. You have good teaching evaluations and a passion for teaching. YCCC centers on identifying opportunities for young people to develop and grow within diverse contexts, including socio-economic conditions, cultural values and norms, social status and peers, and (social) media. Section members seek to understand how such contexts shape adolescent and young adult development, (risk) behavior, emotions, cognitions, and relationships. YCCC researchers participate in various ongoing research projects, including the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study (HBSC), Digital Youth UU, YOUth got talent, and are involved in are involved in the TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). You are interested in and have experience in conducting research within the domain of youth studies.

The position involves 60% teaching activities and 40% research time. The core tasks will include:

• independently teaching Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses within the curriculum of Interdisciplinary Social Science;
• carrying out and supervising research within the scope of the research area of ‘Youth in Changing Cultural Contexts’;
• contributing to the acquisition of (substantial) external research funding;
• maintaining an excellent track record of publications within the field of youth studies;
• translating and communicating scientific findings to different audiences.

We are looking for someone who:

• holds a PhD degree in Social or Behavioral Sciences;
• has experience in conducting scientific research within the field of ‘Youth studies’;
• boasts scientific creativity and productivity, as shown by recent publications in (international) peer-reviewed journals;
• has a strong background in methodology and statistics;
• is able to acquire external research funding;
• preferably, the candidate combines expertise in multiple research methods with excellent contacts with practitioners and societal partners in the field;
• is able to teach interdisciplinary Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses within the curriculum of Interdisciplinary Social Science;
• has experience in setting up and coordinating academic courses (both individually and within a team) in the field of the social sciences;
• is able to provide enthusiastic and inspiring lectures, based on own research experience and evidenced by positive teaching assessments;
• excellent social skills and the ability and desire to collaborate with colleagues from different disciplines;
• holds a Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO) or is willing to acquire this qualification in the near future;
• an excellent command of written and spoken English;
• a very good command of Dutch or the willingness to learn Dutch in two years.

We offer a tenured full-time position. After one year and good evaluations, the position will be extended. Your salary will range from a minimum of €3,637 to a maximum of €5,656 per month based on a full-time appointment (i.e. salary scale 11/12 according to the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). 

Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end allowance of 8.3% per year. In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). Here you'll find more information about working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading Faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in Interdisciplinary Social Science, Cultural Anthropology, Educational Sciences, Pedagogical Sciences, Psychology, and Sociology. Research and teaching activities are concentrated in five areas:

• Behaviour in Social Contexts;
• Child and Adolescent Studies;
• Cognitive and Clinical Psychology;
• Education and Learning;
• Methodology and Statistics. 

More than 5,600 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 850 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.