Current literature suggests that eating preferences and eating habits of children and adolescents lead to various health problems at that age and later in life. Maastricht University together with several (regional) SME’s joins forces to investigate this phenomenon, i.e. characterizing this problem and offer solutions. Dietary intake of children and youngsters is determined by multiple factors, ranging from personality characteristics, food-related psychological responses biology and parental influences to the impact of food marketing, food policy and the food industry.

The type of questions presented for this special chair on ‘Youth, Food and Health’ are in the domains of food and health, psychology of eating, consumer behavior, food design and marketing. This demands an interfaculty embedding and a market-driven approach. The research and education involved in this chair will therefore further highlight the interaction between the faculties/institutes FHML (-NUTRIM), FPN and the Venlo Campus as an interfaculty institute. Moreover, the collaborative partnership of Maastricht University with commercial partners will be strengthened. The latter being an important prerequisite for optimal performance and existence of the Maastricht University, Campus Venlo.  It is with the help of and in close collaboration with these commercial partners and the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo that this special chair was set up.

The discriminative niche compared to other chairs in the field of nutrition and eating (locally, nationally and internationally) is the pooling of knowledge and skills in the research areas of food and health, psychology of eating, behavior change, consumer behavior, food innovation and health promotion. The chair offers possibilities for innovative research as well as for the development of education courses on bachelor, master and post-graduate level.

The candidate we are looking for is a translational scientist who can translate multiple types of research evidence on eating behavior and food products to business and public health. As such, the candidate can innovate, has an entrepreneurial approach and has affinity with both public health policy and international trade. Importantly, the candidate has a strong proven academic track record, is internationally renowned and society directed in presentation and communication.

Fixed-term contract: a 5 year contract.

We are offering:

• a salary will be according the VSNU professor (H) scales (depending on qualifications and prior experience based upon a full-term appointment);

• one still to be appointed PhD-candidate position;

• one still to be appointed Postdoc position (0,6 fte);

• an 8% holiday allowance; and

• an 8.3% year-end allowance.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl.

The selection interviews are planned between 29 October and 2 November 2018.

The start of the special chair is February 1st 2019.

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 16,300 students and 4,300 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 Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

Maastricht University, campus Venlo

The home base of the special chair is the Maastricht University Campus in Venlo. Campus Venlo is a branch of Maastricht University that is rapidly developing into a full fletched campus facilitating bachelor- and master education as well as academic research. Campus Venlo was founded in 2009 with the start of two masters programmes, Health Food Innovation Management and Global Supply Chain Management and Change. Both master programmes are tailormade and in line with the economic activities of the Venlo region, Logistics and Agro Food.

In September 2015 the University College Venlo (UCV) bachelor’s programme started. The first of the academic research programmes have also started in 2015. In 2017 the necessary laboratories have been built at the Villa Flora Venue.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/campusvenlo