Researcher at NIOD

The Netherlands' Deployment in Afghanistan (2001-2021): "National Context"

(Fixed term of 4 years, 30,4 hours per week)

About the research programme

Since December 2001, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has made multiple contributions to international military operations, crisis management measures, humanitarian actions and (re)construction projects in and around Afghanistan. It has particularly done so through military detachments and deployments - under the banners of operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) -, through the Netherlands embassy in Kabul, and through support to governmental and non-governmental initiatives and assistance programmes. The Netherlands' Council of Ministers commissioned the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD-KNAW), in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for Military History (NIMH), to conduct external, independent and scholarly research into the Netherlands' deployments in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021.

The research programme aims to investigate and analyse the facts, circumstances and context, and aftermath of this deployment from a broader historical framework, and deals with the nature, scope, costs, time period, and stated objectives of the Netherlands' military, diplomatic and civil deployment, as well as the limitations, dilemmas and choices made in implementations on the ground. The study is organised around three themes: (a) the national and international decision-making processes; (b) the Netherlands' integrated deployment in situ; and (c) the legitimisation of the Netherlands' missions in a broader historical context. The research programme consists of 9 individual scholarly studies on specific themes, including 5 military mission-related studies, and will conclude with a synthesising final report, which will be presented to the Netherlands' Government and Parliament.

About the position

The NIOD-KNAW is currently recruiting a researcher to complete the team. The newly recruited researcher will assist the senior researcher in setting up, carrying out and finalising one individual study within the research programme, in close cooperation with the scientific project leaders, and other (senior) researchers.

The study will consider the 'National Context of the Netherlands' civil, military and diplomatic deployments in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2022, while positioning this in a broader genealogy of Dutch deployments elsewhere. This study concerns - among other things - (1) the evolvement of the Netherlands' view on war, peace and security, humanitarian crises and intervention, development cooperation, (re)construction, democratisation processes, and human rights and justice, (2) how this has influenced what action it has taken on (post) war international issues (3) how these discourse and practices have informed the self-image and foreign image of the Netherlands over time. This study will include qualitative research on the political decision-making processes leading up to and during the Dutch deployments in Afghanistan, and the diplomatic and state-building activities of the Netherlands' embassy in Kabul.

Profile

• The NIOD-KNAW is looking for a researcher with demonstrable qualifications, experience, capacities and ambitions;
• The newly recruited researcher will become part of the Research Department of the NIOD and will closely cooperate with the Netherlands Institute for Military History (NIMH);
• The newly recruited researcher is expected to work closely with their senior researcher for one individual study, in terms of setting up, carrying out and finalising the scholarly research;
• The newly recruited researcher is expected to be an excellent and sociable team player.

In return, we provide:

A great working environment at NIOD within an international research team. The appointment is for 30,4 hours a week for a period of 4 years. Depending on your education and experience, the salary amounts to at least € 2.960,-- gross per month and a maximum of € 4.670,-- gross per month (scale 10 CAO-NU) for full-time employment, excluding 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus.

Employer

The NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD-KNAW) was founded on 8 May 1945 to map the history of the Second World War in the Netherlands and the Netherlands' East Indies through independent scholarly and societal research. In recent decades, this expertise has been extended to research into mass violence and genocides in Europe and elsewhere in the world. NIOD-KNAW is a scientifically independent and at the same time strongly socially oriented institute. In the past, the NIOD-KNAW has carried out commissioned research on the Fall of Srebrenica in 1995 and more recently on Indonesia's War of Independence between 1945 and 1950. It is one of the 15 institutes of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

Appointment

The appointment is at the KNAW for the benefit of the NIOD and offers the prospect of part-time employment for a fixed period of 1 year with the option of extension for the duration of the project to a total of 4 years. You will first receive a contract for the period of one year, which after a successful review will be extended for three extra years. Start date as of 1st May 2023 if possible. An A-Level screening (MIVD) will be part of the hiring procedure.

Apply

• Your application consists of a motivation letter and curriculum vitae.

For more information about the content of the position, please contact the senior researcher on the project Dr. Lauren Gould (Please click on the name to send an email ). For more information about the application process and working at NIOD, please contact the programme manager Dr. Claire Boost (Please click on the name to send an email ).

• You can apply via the button on this page until 31st March 2023.

You can find more information about NIOD here: https://www.niod.nl

Requirements

• A completed MA (history, anthropology, sociology, security studies, international relations/political science, conflict studies) on a topic related to the position, or relevant and demonstrated experience;
• Demonstrated strong organisational skills, in terms of research, and experience in conducting empirical, archival and/or analytical historical research;
• Ability to work under the pressure of the tight deadlines of the research programme;
• Demonstrated experience with collecting and analysing primary sources, including (classified/archival) documents, in-depth interviews, and participant observation.
• Research experience regarding NATO led deployments and/or Afghanistan (region) is a strong asset;
• Research/work experience on/in political decision-making process in the Netherlands (e.g. between ministries, parliament, intelligence services, army) is a strong asset.
• Excellent knowledge and command of Dutch and English, and preferably knowledge of a third relevant language regarding Afghanistan or the region;
• Demonstrated excellent experience in writing academic and non-academic papers.
• Demonstrated experience/creative skills in translating research findings into products accessible for a broader audience.
• Willingness and ability to travel abroad;
• Willingness and ability to undergo a security clearance procedure carried out by the Netherlands' Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD);
• Excellent standard IT skills and experience.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is [[salarisMin]] and the maximum salary is [[salarisMax]] gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale [[ufoSchaal]] cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment).

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.

We will not respond to any supplier enquiries based on this job advertisement.

NIOD

About NIOD
The NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies was founded on 8 May 1945 to map out the history of the Second World War in the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies through independent research. During the past decades this expertise has been extended to research into mass violence and genocides in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The NIOD is a scientifically independent and at the same time strongly socially oriented institute.

Apart from scientific research, NIOD opens its collections to both professionals and private individuals. NIOD is located in a monumental building of the Dutch Government Property Department in the centre of Amsterdam. It manages in-house 3 kilometres of archives, a library with 75,000 titles and a large photo collection. NIOD has about 75 employees. It is one of the 15 institutes of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW). The Communication and Information team is responsible for internal and external communication and public activities, spokesperson management and the management of NIOD's online and social media.