Healthcare is a complex sociotechnical system facing multiple challenges now and in the future. Knowledge from the technological domain will be of increasing importance to healthcare. First because technological innovations will play an increasing role in healthcare, requiring matching risk-management and organisational embedding. Second because insights and experiences from technological domains such as high-risk industries, may contribute to the field of safety in healthcare through a focus on system design.

Safety of healthcare systems can be assessed by conducting fundamental as well as empirical research on the work floor in hospitals. For example, in operating theatres, during triage or when administering medication. But also in the cooperation with external parties in the chain, such as general practitioners. Modelling of healthcare systems, to uncover systemic causes of unsafe outcomes and patient harm, can also be of vital importance. These causes often originate from organisational – and human factors from various system actors. Empirical research is needed to identify failure mechanisms and to populate cause-consequence relationships with numerical data.

The section Safety and Security Science (3S) has a vacancy for a tenure tracker to further develop and improve methods and techniques for risk-management of healthcare systems based on fundamental and empirical research, with the overall aim to contribute to insights on how to further reduce avoidable errors in the healthcare sector. These methods should include human- and organisational factors which influence the safety- and security levels of medical devices, as well as strategies to reduce risk levels with safe-by-design principles.  For example, you can explore how to use sensor data in healthcare systems to detect and mitigate undesired events, or how to use redundancy, communication, moderation or substitution to reduce risk levels. The idea is that you will spend a significant amount of your time conducting empirical research on the work floor in hospitals. Here, you will collect data on the safety and security of technical innovations.You will work in a dedicated, interdisciplinary team of engineers, cognitive psychologists, and medical professionals within the Centre for Safety and Healthcare and 3S section. You will work closely together with a fellow tenure tracker with a medical background and a focus on safety culture in health care. You will develop your own research line and contribute to shared research projects in the team from your own field of expertise. Furthermore, you can collaborate with economists and philosophers of the VTI department on possible economic and ethical aspects of your research line. You will contribute to education on healthcare systems to both Bachelor (Health System Management in the minor MedTech Entrepreneurship) and Master students (elective Health Systems) and further to the education on Safety in Healthcare in the study program Clinical Technology. We are looking for ambitious academic scholars that are expected to:

• Perform and publish research in high quality academic journals with a research focus on risk management of healthcare systems
• Contribute to a team in the field of safety and security science
• Acquire externally funded research projects
• Teach relevant Master and Bachelor courses, primarily on healthcare systems and safety in healthcare
• Supervise BSc-, MSc- and PhD students
• Perform management tasks in the section 3S and at other parts of the organization

-You have a PhD in engineering design, social sciences or medicine with affinity to the healthcare domain;
- You are an inspired academic with the social skills needed to cooperate with many parties;
- You have a track record with relevant academic publications;
- Excellent organisational skills;
- Relevant teaching experience
- Preferably experience in coordinating educational activities;
- Excellent skills of the Dutch and English language (oral and written);
- You are also the first point of contact for the hospitals and healthcare professionals who are indispensable for your research in this interesting field

Fixed-term contract: d.

We offer talented academics a clear and attractive career path with the expectation that you will have the potential to grow into a full professor position in the future. If you perform well, the intention is to convert your contract into a permanent one. At the start of your employment, agreements will be made about this based on our performance indicators.

During the selection procedure, it will be determined, depending on your background and experience, whether you are eligible for an assistant professor Tenure track (tudelft.nl) position or an associate professor.

Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. We expect you to obtain a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years if you have less than five years of teaching experience. This is provided by the TU Delft UTQ programme.

TU Delft sets high standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. If you do not speak Dutch, we offer courses to learn the Dutch language within three years.

The TU Delft sets specific standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. If you have less than five years of teaching experience and do not yet have your teaching certificate, you get the chance to obtain this within three years.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (salary indication for Assistant Professor: € 3.974 - € 6.181. Salary indication for Associate Professor € 5.506 - € 7.362).

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice can support with advice for you and your accompanying partner about your individual settling needs in the Netherlands. Once arrived you can be supported with individual consults and diverse workshops. Located on Campus are the International Children’s Centre and an international primary school, which are subject to availability as well as several bilingual schools in the nearby surrounding.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management

With its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy, the Faculty of TPM makes an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security.
We combine insights from the engineering sciences, the social and the humanities. We develop robust models and designs, are internationally oriented and have an extensive network with knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.