This is an exciting opportunity to join a relatively new research center across several faculties of Maastricht University carrying out transdisciplinary research in the field of arts, conservation and heritage. In particular we are looking for a colleague with a strong track record in the study of heritage practices with a focus on one or more of the following areas:

• participatory heritage practices (e.g. public archaeology)

• re-use of built heritage (e.g. religious and industrial heritage)

• digital mediation of heritage and digital research methodologies

• landscape history, natural heritage and tourism

• heritage conservation theory and philosophy

• heritage in a regional, national and trans-regional context

• institutions of heritage and conservation (e.g. museums)

Research is carried out in the context of the interdisciplinary research program Arts, Media and Culture of the Research Institute for Arts and Social Sciences at FASoS. Furthermore, the candidate is affiliated to the interfaculty Maastricht Centre for Arts, and Culture, Conservation and Heritage (MACCH). H/She will collaborate with colleagues from the Faculty of Law and the School of Business and Economics, and will be involved in the co-organisation of workshops and conferences related to MACCH. The candidate is expected to develop (inter)national research projects and to attract external funding through consolidating existing networks with academic and societal partners and establishing new partnerships.  

The successful candidate will also contribute to the teaching and coordination of courses and supervision of internships, projects and theses in the BA program Arts & Culture and the MA program Arts & Heritage of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Suitable candidates will have a PhD degree in a relevant humanities or qualitative social science discipline (history (including its various sub-disciplines as political history, cultural history, and applied history), history of arts, archeology, cultural studies (including sub-disciplines such as memory studies, museum and heritage studies). Candidates with related expertise are invited to apply, too.

Candidates should display outstanding quality in research and must be open to working together in a transdisciplinary and interfaculty environment. They will have a relevant international network and experience in grant acquisition. International peer-reviewed academic publications are imperative.   

Excellent communication and writing skills in English are a firm condition, since the candidates will be engaging on an international level, collaborating with other team members in English and producing English-language publications. Proficiency in Dutch is recommended.

Fixed-term contract: 2 years.

We offer a dynamic and challenging job in an internationally-oriented organisation where young people receive an advanced education and scholars conduct exciting research. The postdoctoral researcher will have the unique opportunity to carry out research within one or more of the four themes within the research programme. They will be part of an international network of top universities and renowned scholars within the field. 

We offer a 1.00 fte appointment as Researcher for 2 years. The first year will be a probation period, after a positive assessment the position will be extended for another year. Your position of Post-doctoral Researcher (Onderzoeker 3) will consist of 80 % research and 20% teaching. 

Remuneration will be according to standard salary levels, depending on education and relevant work experience. This implies a gross monthly salary of about € 3.111,00 per month, scale level 10 (based on a full-time appointment). Each year the standard salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%. After a positive assessment a promotion to scale 11 is possible in the 2nd year. 

You have to be willing to move to (the vicinity of) Maastricht. If you do not already live in Maastricht (or its direct surroundings) you will be eligible for an allowance for moving costs. If you do not already live in Maastricht (or its direct surroundings) you might be eligible for an allowance for alternative housing.  

Other secondary conditions include e.g. a pension scheme and partially paid parental leave. 

You will be provided with shared office space and a PC.

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 16,500 students and 4,000 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) has about 250 staff members, and about 1,600 students. More than 75% of the students are non-Dutch (almost 40 different nationalities). All programmes are offered in English and some are also offered in Dutch. FASoS offers two 3-year Bachelor’s programmes: Arts and Culture and European Studies. It also offers six different 1-year Master’s programmes and two 2-year research Master’s programmes.
Research is organised around four programmes: Politics and Culture in Europe; Science, Technology and Society Studies; Arts, Media and Culture; and Globalisation, Transnationalism and Development. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is housed in the historic city centre of Maastricht. 

The Maastricht Centre for Arts and Culture, Conservation and Heritage (MACCH) was set up in 2015 as a transdisciplinary platform in response to the increasingly multi-layered challenges facing the fields of arts and heritage today. To meet these challenges MACCH initiates collaborative research projects bringing together a unique combination of legal, historical, philosophical, economic and practical expertise. MACCH is embedded in the region and operates on an international level. 

MACCH is an initiative of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) in collaboration with the UM Faculty of Law (FL), the School of Business and Economics (SBE), the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences (FHS) as well as the Sociaal Historisch Centrum voor Limburg (SHCL) and the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL). Research topics include: re-use of industrial heritage; conservation of modern and contemporary art; the changing role of experts and expert knowledge; public participation in (digital) heritage practices; contested heritage and restitution policies; memorial practices; trust and transparency in art markets. By working across the traditional boundaries separating academic and professional practice and institutions, MACCH aims to enforce existing collaborations and foster new research ventures.