Assistant Professor of Ethics, Controversies, Communication and Innovation in Biosciences and Technology

Are you an enthusiastic and engaged social scientist who is eager to combine teaching and science? And are you passionate about societal and ethical aspects of science and technology? Do you want to be part of our highly collaborative and motivated team involved in different science domains? Then apply to be an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Science in Society.

Within the context of the Biology Sector Plan, the Institute for Science in Society (Faculty of Science, Radboud University) is looking for an Assistant Professor of Ethics, Controversies, Communication and Innovation in Biosciences and Technology. As an assistant professor, you will conduct your research (40%), teaching (40%) and management and outreach (20%) at the Institute for Science in Society (ISiS). The focus of this position is on communication and deliberation on societal and ethical aspects of science and technologies (e.g. e-health, human-nature relationships, vaccine development, or AI). You will be one of the main lecturers in the Science in Society programme for Science students (and for Biology students in particular), and you will assist in the development of a new Ethics, Controversies, Communication and Innovation course. All in all we are seeking an enthusiastic, highly motivated, engaged and collaborative candidate to further strengthen our institute.

More specifically, as an assistant professor, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of a research line in Ethics, Controversies, Communication and Innovation in Biosciences and Technology. In addition, you should have the ambition to attract external research funding. Furthermore you will play an active role in our educational programmes, particularly by participating in and assisting in the development of the faculty-wide MSc specialisation in Science in Society, by giving courses for BSc and MSc Biology students, and by supervising undergraduate and graduate students in their thesis research projects. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues within ISiS, the Faculty of Science and other research institutes, as well as with societal partners, to further develop and implement our research and teaching agenda and to contribute to societal problem solving, all embedded within the group's broader research agenda. Finally, you will play a significant role in building bridges between the science faculty institutes involved within the Biology Sector Plan.

• It concerns an employment for 0.8 - 1.0 FTE.
• At the start of your employment you will be appointed as Assistant Professor level 2 (salary scale 11) on a career track towards promotion to Assistant Professor level 1 (salary scale, 12 maximum € 6,181). The performance criteria and duration of the career track will be tailored to your background and track record.
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed on the basis of a temporary contract for 18 months with the prospect of a permanent contract in case of a positive evaluation of your performance.
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

The Institute for Science in Society (ISiS) is part of the Faculty of Science (FNWI) at Radboud University. FNWI is responsible for research and teaching in biology, physics, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics and computer sciences. FNWI encompasses seven research institutes, one of them being the Institute for Science in Society. ISiS collaborates with the other FNWI institutes in research as well education. Our mission is to analyse, assess and improve the societal embedding of science and technology. Focusing on the societal, philosophical and ethical aspects of the natural sciences, ISiS identifies, analyses and articulates issues related to clashing worldviews, studies the interaction between scientists and societal groups with a focus on the construction and use of knowledge, and strategically contributes through public debate and policy advice. ISiS is responsible for the MSc specialisation in Science in Society for MSc Science students and contributes to the interdisciplinary sustainability study programme.


Radboud University


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