The Buddhist Seminary/FRT VU Amsterdam is seeking a highly qualified and motivated Buddhist scholar-cum-practitioner to join our team as an Assistant Professor in Buddhist Studies. This position has been created to complement our existing faculty and cover teaching and research areas within the field of Buddhist Studies. The successful candidate will contribute to teaching and research activities in the seminary, with a focus on East Asian Buddhist traditions and Buddhist Spiritual Care.
The candidate is expected to co-create and coordinate new courses on BA and MA level as well as master classes for professionals. As part of the seminary’s research team, you will contribute to new research projects and grant proposals.

Your duties

• Excellent knowledge of East Asian Buddhist traditions including language skills.This knowledge should encompass both theoretical understanding and practical application.
• Teaching across a range of Buddhist Studies areas with emphasis on East Asia and Buddhist Spiritual Care: The ideal candidate would be a Buddhist chaplain with experience in both theoretical and applicational aspects of contemporary Buddhist Chaplaincy.
• Research Experience: The successful candidate should be able to contribute effectively to collaborative research projects and demonstrate an understanding of how East Asian Buddhist thought and practice can be contextually applied for social/societal impact.

• PhD in (East Asian) Buddhist Studies or a closely related discipline.
• International academic Buddhist Studies publications
• Good expertise in Buddhist Spiritual Care in theory and practice
• Excellent ability to lecture in English and Dutch (or willing to learn Dutch) and Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO) (or willing to obtain BKO).
• Buddhist (scholar-cum-) practitioner (occupational requirement)
• Very good knowledge of an East Asian language is essential (Japanese preferred); knowledge of classical East Asian languages and Pāli are desirable.

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 €6,181 (scale 12), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.5 FTE.

The initial employment contract will affect a period of 1 year.
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)

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

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 31,000 students. We employ over 5,000 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.

Faculty of Religion and Theology
The Faculty of Religion and Theology is the leading academic centre of expertise for religion in society. Students, lecturers and researchers focus on the major questions in society and in religious communities. They study religious traditions, sources and contemporary expressions of the religious experience. The faculty practises ‘engaged scholarship’ as expressed in cooperation with governments and partners in civil society on themes such as war and peace, sustainable development and inter-religious dialogue. We are the most comprehensive theological faculty worldwide, with ten seminaries for all world religions and many Christian denominations.

Working at Religion and Theology means contributing to excellent research and education through personal commitment, philosophical/religious involvement and social responsibility. We employ more than 100 staff.