The Institute for Theoretical Physics (ITP) is seeking highly motivated candidates for appointment to tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Theoretical Physics. Starting date of the appointment is envisaged to be September 2020 or earlier. The candidate is expected to work on theoretical studies of neutron stars, black holes, and/or the gravitational waves from the early universe. This position is part of a recruitment plan to promote gravitational-wave physics at Utrecht University and paired with a full professorship and a tenure-track position in experimental gravitational-wave physics at the Institute of Subatomic Physics and Gravitational Waves. Interdisciplinary cooperation within the Department of Physics, especially with the Institute of Subatomic Physics and Gravitational Waves, as well as with the ongoing (Virgo/LIGO) and and future (Einstein Telescope, LISA) gravitational wave experiments is expected.
The successful candidate is also expected to teach and actively participate in fund acquisition. Teaching involves contributing to the curriculum of the Department of Physics at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD levels.

The ideal candidate:

• holds a PhD in Physics;
• has an outstanding research record in theoretical high energy physics, especially in the field of gravitational-wave physics or in a related field;
• is expected to develop an independent research group largely based on external funding, and is able to initiate and foster local, national, and international collaborations;
• is committed to high-quality teaching at the BSc, MSc and PhD levels, for which the candidate is expected to meet the requirements for the basic teaching qualification (BKO) within two years after the start of the appointment. 

Publication track record, teaching record, and acquired research funds will be weighed against the number of years of academic experience, also taking into account parental leave. In view of the gender balance we strongly encourage women to apply.

This is an appointment of 0.8 - 1.0 FTE for the duration of five years. In the former case, the candidate is offered a tenure-track position, which will be subject to a mid-term evaluation after approximately 2.5 years and a final evaluation after four years. If the evaluations are positive the position becomes permanent. The criteria to be met and the details of the track will be mutually agreed upon before the appointment, but will include success in research and education. In case of a good performance, an indefinite employment is one of the possibilities.

The minimum gross salary is €3,225 and the maximum gross salary is €5,656 (scale 10-12, depending on the candidate's qualifications and work experience, of the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities) per month, for a full-time employment. Besides that, you will receive a holiday allowance of 8 % and a year-end bonus of 8.3 %. Utrecht University also has an appealing package of terms of employment, including the choice for a good balance between work and private (a good arrangement for leave, among other things), possibilities for development and an excellent pension scheme. More information can be found on our website: working at Utrecht University can be found here.

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 University is located in the city of Utrecht, which is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands with a charming old center and an internationally oriented culture that is strongly influenced by its century-old university. Utrecht has been consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the Netherlands.

The Faculty of Science consists of six Departments: Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Information and Computing Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry and Mathematics. The Faculty is home to 6,500 students and nearly 1,500 staff and is internationally renowned for the quality of its research. The Faculty's academic programmes reflect developments in today's society. Read the overall impression 2018 of the Faculty of Science.

The Institute for Theoretical Physics belongs to the Department of Physics, which is part of the Faculty of Science of Utrecht University. The Department of Physics has a long history of excellence in Physics research and education. The Department consists of about forty faculty divided thematically into four Institutes: the Institute for Theoretical Physics, the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials, the Institute for Subatomic Physics and Gravitational Waves and the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research. The research interests of our Faculty include String Theory, Cosmology, Hard- and Soft- Condensed Matter Physics, High-Energy Physics, Nanophotonics and Climate Physics. More than one hundred Bachelor students and about seventy Master students start each year in the broad Bachelor's programme and the three Master's programmes Theoretical Physics, Experimental Physics, and Climate Physics.

Two research programmes form the main source of activity within the Institute for Theoretical Physics: theoretical high-energy physics and condensed-matter theory. Within the high-energy physics programme, the focus lies on String Theory, Quantum Field Theory, Theoretical Cosmology and Elementary Particle Theory. The ITP runs an internationally acclaimed Master’s programme in Theoretical Physics and it is broadly involved in undergraduate teaching.