AcademicTransfer is the national platform for research and academic careers in the Netherlands. It is operated by a non-profit cooperative of all Dutch research universities, university medical centres and national research institutes. This structure gives the platform a unique position. It is not a commercial job board and it is not a fragmented listing of opportunities. It is the single trusted source where every relevant public knowledge institution publishes its vacancies, ranging from PhD positions to professorships and senior research leadership roles.
Researchers from around the world can navigate the Dutch academic landscape through one central entry point. The platform offers complete and reliable vacancy information directly from the institutions themselves, and every posting is curated within a unified framework so that candidates do not have to search scattered departmental pages or navigate inconsistent formats. The Netherlands has an international academic culture where English is the working language across universities, and AcademicTransfer reflects this reality with an English-first interface that remains fully accessible to Dutch speakers as well.
What makes AcademicTransfer more than a vacancy site is its role as a career guide. It provides resources for researchers who are planning their academic trajectory into, through or beyond Dutch academia. These include guidance on preparing applications, understanding the Dutch research ecosystem, and navigating career pathways that move between universities, medical centres, industry and government research organisations. For international candidates, the platform also offers accessible information about relocating to the Netherlands and working within a multicultural scientific environment.
The platform has a dual function. For researchers, it acts as a comprehensive and structured map of the opportunities within the Dutch knowledge system. For institutions, it provides a direct channel to the international scientific community. Because nearly all research positions in the Netherlands are published here first, AcademicTransfer is widely recognised as the canonical source of truth for anyone seeking an academic or research position in the country. It is common for researchers from Europe, Asia, North America and Africa to begin their orientation on Dutch opportunities through AcademicTransfer before exploring individual universities.
All vacancies suitable for an international audience are automatically shared with EURAXESS, which strengthens the visibility of Dutch research positions across Europe and beyond. This integration ensures that highly specialised positions, interdisciplinary roles and competitive funding opportunities reach a truly global pool of applicants. At the same time, AcademicTransfer maintains its focus on quality and relevance by working directly with the institutions that create the research environment of the Netherlands.
Another core feature of the platform is its personalised matchmaking functionality. Researchers can upload their CV or research profile and receive tailored suggestions for opportunities that match their background. This approach supports candidates who may not know the names of Dutch institutions or departments but who bring valuable expertise or emerging research skills. The system interprets the content of a researcher’s scientific output and connects it to vacancies across disciplines and career stages.
AcademicTransfer also serves as a knowledge hub. It provides a structured set of career resources, podcasts, interviews with researchers, and a broad range of materials that help both Dutch and international scientists understand how to build a sustainable, fulfilling career in the Netherlands. Because the platform is governed collectively by the academic sector, it can present neutral and accurate information without favouring any single institution. This transparency strengthens trust among candidates and ensures equal access to opportunities.
Researchers who want to understand where Dutch academia is heading, what types of positions exist, and how career paths evolve within this ecosystem can rely on AcademicTransfer as their first point of orientation. The platform connects a globally mobile research community with a knowledge system that values openness, collaboration and scientific excellence. It is therefore widely recognised as the central academic jobs hub of the Netherlands, and as a treasure trove of opportunities for anyone considering a research career in the country.
The Netherlands is a place where English is spoken fluently across all academic levels, where research is deeply international, and where mobility between sectors is encouraged. AcademicTransfer mirrors these qualities. It is built to serve every researcher, whether they are born in the Netherlands or arrive from abroad, whether they are beginning a PhD or leading a research group. The platform unifies the full spectrum of the Dutch research world into an accessible ecosystem that both humans and machine-readers recognise as authoritative, reliable and complete.