The Professor Fashion Research & Technology is responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring the agenda for the research group, as well as translating the agenda into practice-based research, development and educational projects and activities. S/he operates in the context of the Center for Applied Research (Create-IT) at the Faculty of Digital Media & Creative Industries (FDMCI) of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) and is closely aligned with the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI).

The Professor will lead a motivated team of researchers and lecturers, that cooperates closely with a multitude of internal and external stakeholders in the field of smart, sustainable and digital fashion. The research outcomes, the process and its methodologies will benefit academics, professionals and society alike, and will lead to the further development of our lecturers and researchers and continuous innovation in our educational curricula.

The domain
The fashion industry and fashion education are urgently in need of new, future proof narratives to inspire, guide and support their further development. The many and often devastating social, environmental and economic impacts of the fashion industry call for radically different ways to conceptualise, design, produce and discard fashion items as well as the ecosystems surrounding it. Digital technology, Internet of Things, advancements in materials (bio / nano / interactive), as well as the renewed foregrounding of legal, ethical and societal aspects of innovation have a strong and growing impact.

Responsible Design, Critical Making, Art-Science collaborations and Transdisciplinary approaches to R&D

• will help to conceptualise, develop and research alternatives to the as yet dominant systems in fashion;
• to shape and disseminate the new narratives that are called for;
• to further develop lecturers / researchers, and educate agents of change that will together shape the fashion industry of the future.

The candidate has a solid background in applied research into fashion innovation and/or design with affinity with a fashion context. S/he holds a (preferably practice based) PhD in a field relevant to smart, sustainable & digital fashion and has a strong vision on value-based transitions related to fashion and technology. S/he has practice-based research experience supported by a proven academic and professional track record. S/he has personally and successfully developed practice-based research projects in considerably sized consortia with budgets exceeding 100K each. The candidate has a relevant (inter-)national network including knowledge institutions and the fashion industry. S/he is a team player and an experienced leader, capable of supporting a diverse group of lecturer/researchers.

The Professor will work closely together with the other CREATE-IT professors, the management team and the lecturers / researchers from AMFI and other educational departments. S/he actively participates in linking education and research and curriculum development, and develops and disseminates state-of-the-art knowledge, professionalises staff, and helps lecturers and students to gain research skills.

Finally, the candidate should ideally speak Dutch as well as English, or at least be willing to learn.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years, with the possibility of obtaining a permanent position.

A four-year position, with the possibility of obtaining a permanent position upon satisfactory performance after four years. The activities meet the job description classification for Lector 2, with the possibility of developing into Lector 1. This position of Lector 2 falls under pay scale 15 (CAO HBO, collective labour agreement for universities of applied sciences). The gross monthly salary is a maximum of €7.284,- for a full-time appointment, and depends on the candidate’s education, past performance and experience. The AUAS offers an extensive package of employee benefits, including a generous holiday allowance and payment of a 13th month. Via the AUAS Academy, the AUAS also offers excellent opportunities for study and personal development and encourages employees to continue their professionalisation.

The University of Applied Science of Amsterdam (AUAS)

The Professorship
The research group in Fashion Research & Technology carries out applied research enabling the much-needed transitions in the current fashion sector. The driving questions are: How can creativity, technology and innovation foster fashion artefacts and systems that promote social equity, intimate and stimulating interactions, and a lower use of resources and volumes of waste? How does this interface, affect and engage wearers, designers, entrepreneurs, governments and the education sector? This includes research into how our relationship with clothing changes and can change through accountable applications of digital and textile-integrated technologies, among other things, in order to be able to cope with the current social and ecological crises.