Assistant Professor Spatial Analysis and Land Use Science

We are searching for a tenure track candidate who wants to develop interdisciplinary research and teaching in the field of land use science, embedded withing the Environmental Geography department of the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). The candidate is expected to develop a research line centered around the spatial analysis of land use systems, or a related direction (including for example food systems, human-environment interactions, land use decision making, land use planning, land-use and climate interactions). We are in particular looking for a candidate with strong skills in spatial analysis, dynamic modelling and quantitative analysis, to strengthen the methodological basis of the interdisciplinary research of our department. A geographic focus on Europe, or locations in Europe is preferrable, but we will also consider other geographical focus regions. Research will include collaboration inside as well as outside the department and is based on externally funded PhD and postdoc projects. The Assistant Professor is expected to contribute to teaching in general and more specialized environmental science courses as part of various BSc and MSc programs and supervise BSc and Msc theses.

Your duties

• conduct research in land use science or a related field
• work together with the department's staff in the acquisition of external funds for PhD and postdoc projects
• teaching in general and more specialized environmental science courses as part of our teaching programmes
• supervision of Masters and Bachelors theses
• (co-) publish scientific papers

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €3,974 (scale 11) and a maximum €5,439 (scale 11), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

We offer a tenure track position with a contract initially for the duration of five years. However, after a successful evaluation at 18 months, permanent employment (tenure) will be granted and the tenure track convered into a career track position.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment,
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus,
• solid pension scheme (ABP),
• contribution to commuting expenses

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor - from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means working together with students, PhD candidates and scientists who are focused on their discipline, yet also have a broad view of the world. We are proud of the collegial working environment within the faculty, which is characterised by an ambitious and pragmatic attitude with commitment to the bigger picture. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex social issues for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from genetics to pharmaceuticals and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research cover the full breadth of the natural sciences. Scientific teaching and research is highly experimental, technical, computational and interdisciplinary in nature. This is why we collaborate extensively with leading research institutes and industry. The faculty has over 11,000 students studying across 40 educational programmes and employs over 1,600 staff spread over 10 scientific departments, making us the largest science faculty in the Netherlands.

About the institute
IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognized for its high quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The mission of the institute is to contribute to sustainable development and care for the environment through scientific research and teaching. IVM aims to do excellent problem-oriented research that is useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally. A unique strength of our research is to understand sustainability problems in their social and economic context. IVM research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Policy Analysis; Environmental Geography; and Water and Climate Risk. IVM is part of the Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (www.ivm.vu.nl). This position is based within the Environmental Geography department. The Environmental Geography department conducts interdisciplinary research on the spatial aspects of environmental and social challenges and the solutions sustainable land use can provide to these.