We expect the chair holder to establish and initiate research on the theme of Integrated Environmental Modelling, fitting with the OUNL Research Programs. He/she will show leadership in research ensuring coherence within and between various activities and projects, will explore and initiate connections with the other chairs in the Department and with other departments of the OUNL, and will develop new expertise based on research findings and given the issues that are important for environmental sciences. She/he is expected to have and maintain a strong public record in refereed journals, to attract new research funding (EU, science foundations, internal funds) that leads to Ph.D.-projects, and to play an active role in the societal debate on environmental issues. She/he will be asked to contribute to the curriculum of the Bachelor and Master academic degree programmes offered by the department of Environmental Sciences, in close cooperation with the faculty staff and outside experts. She/he will be asked to teach existing courses and to develop new courses where appropriate, and to guide students in their MSc graduate research. Further duties will include important management tasks in the department (Department Chair, programme leader), representation of the department within and outside the OUNL, and liaising with civil society, governments and research institutions in the environmental field.

Candidates must meet the following criteria:
 

A strong academic profile in integrated environmental modelling, as demonstrated by an excellent publication record, successfully completed PhD project supervisions, and proven ability to attract external funding,

APh.D.- degree in the field of environmental sciences or similar,

Management skills, with a willingness to take on leading roles in the Department (Department Head, Programme leader, etc.)

A willingness to contribute to the research programs of the OUNL;

An established record of successful interdisciplinary collaboration;
Excellent teaching skills, as demonstrated by positive academic education evaluations in previous functions;

Experience with the development of new academic degree programmes or courses in the field of environmental sciences;

An ability to connect with researchers from different disciplines and inspire/ motivate them to work in joint projects;

Strong interpersonal and communication skills;

Experience in (or willingness to get acquainted with) distance teaching;

A command of the Dutch language (or willingness to learn it) is desirable,

In possession of the Basic qualification for academic teaching (BKO) from a Dutch university, or similar, or a willingness to obtain it.

Dienstverband voor bepaalde tijd: permanent position with a trial period of 5 years.

The successful candidate will get a permanent contract with a trial period of 5 years. The salary will be determined on the basis of your experience and qualifications but will be in accordance with the general salary scale H2 of the CAO-NU. An indication of the maximum gross salary is € 8127.-  per month, for a full-time appointment.

The Open Universiteit provides good secondary benefits such as training, mobility, part-time employment and paid parental leave.

Open University

 Online education from any location in the Netherlands and Belgium (Flanders)
The Open Universiteit (Open University of the Netherlands, or OU) is a part-time university in the Netherlands. At the OU, students pursue an ‘online activating’ education and may choose from a wide range of scientific disciplines. Students can follow Bachelor- and Master-level education across seven broad subject areas. Key characteristics of the OU model of education are its openness, its flexibility, and its high quality. Particular attention is paid to improving students success rates. The OU has more than 14,000 students, supported by 700 employees. The OU has study centres across the Netherlands and Belgium. Its headquarter is based in Heerlen.

At the OU, the newest, most innovative technologies and educational techniques are applied, not only in Bachelor- and Master-level studies and courses, but equally in our research programmes and collaborations with our partners. The OU plays an important role, both nationally and internationally, in fostering innovation in higher education. Moreover, our educational curriculum is interwoven with our research, which ensures that state of the art research plays a role in driving education. The OU invests both in discipline-specific research, as well as in in research in the field of learning, teaching and technology.

Top rankings
In the Nationale Studenten Enquête (NSE—the Dutch National Students’ Survey), the Keuzegids Universiteiten (Keuzegids: a comparative university guide that compiles student satisfaction and expert evaluation on Bachelor-level education at the fourteen Dutch universities), and the Keuzegids Masters (for Master-level programmes), the OU has achieved a top ranking for many years in a row, in the list of fourteen Dutch universities. In addition, all programmes rank highly in the subject-specific rankings of the universities in respect of the relevant courses of study. All assessments can be found on the OU website (www.ou.nl).

Faculty of Science

The faculty of Science is one of the six faculties of the Open University of the Netherlands. Education, research and valorisation are the main tasks of the faculty. The faculty offers academic bachelor and master programmes in the fields of environmental science and computer science. The faculty has a large number of PhD-students who conduct research on various current topics within this research program.

At the faculty of Science students can immediately reflect on what they learn in the light of their work situation. The organisations where they work are often involved and here assignments can be performed and research can be conducted as part of the bachelor or master program they study. As a result of the interdisciplinary focus on education and research, as well as the connection with business, scientific work at this faculty provides innovative and challenging opportunities.