As an Assistant Professor you will be employed in the Department of Education & Pedagogy, sub department Youth and Family at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Utrecht University. Our department conducts research into the psychosocial development of young people and their relationships with parents, friends and romantic partners. We study the upbringing and development of young people between adolescence and young adulthood, the period between the age of 10 and 30. Our research is aimed at questions such as: how do young people develop their identity, personality and relationships with their parents and peers? Why do some young people develop problems such as aggressive and delinquent behaviour or, conversely, fearful and depressive behaviour? How can parents best handle the upbringing of their children during the teenage years? Which role do relationships with friends and romantic partners play in their development? Using longitudinal multi-method research designs, we study both normal and problematic development, taking into account genetic and biological, psychological and social factors. We investigate how these factors jointly affect the development of young people. Together with other departments we contribute to various degree programmes at Bachelor's, Master's and Research Master's level, such as the Bachelor Pedagogical Sciences, the Masters programs CCFES and YES as well as research masterprogram DASCA.

The department's research is positioned in the UU research programme on Child and Adolescent Studies and is embedded in the central strategic theme of Utrecht University's Dynamics of Youth.

Your research will be embedded in the Youth & Family Department (Y&F), and will focus on the psychosocial development of adolescents and young adults. Working on the longitudinal studies that are being conducted by Y&F is strongly encouraged. With your teaching you will contribute to the various programmes the department contributes to, in particular to the CCFES Masters’ programme and related Bachelor courses.

The position involves 60% teaching activities and 40% research time. Core tasks will include:

• developing an independent research line embedded within the research programme’s longitudinal studies that attracts young researchers via external funding;
• disseminating research results and their applications to the research community as well as the general public;
• teaching in the Bachelor's and Master’s degree programmes of Pedagogical Sciences;
• participation in administrative and organizational tasks.

We are looking for someone who:

• holds a PhD degree in the field of Pedagogical Sciences, or a related field that covers the domain of adolescent psychosocial development as described above;
• is able to independently initiate, develop, carry out, and publish high quality research;
• has strong statistical and methodological skills (particularly in longitudinal analyses);
• is able to acquire external research funding;
• is able to develop research that has social relevance and is active in the valorization of research;
• writes and speaks Dutch and English fluently;
• has excellent and proven skills in teaching, co-developing and co-coordinating academic courses;
• has experience in or affinity with the clinical field and is able to teach clinical Bachelor's courses;
• holds a Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO) from Utrecht University or another university, or is willing to acquire this qualification in the near future;
• contributes to a positive work environment and open science and is able to work independently as well as within a team.

Initially we offer a temporary position (0.8 FTE) for two years, starting 1 December 2020 at the latest. After a good evaluation of the initial appointment, the position becomes permanent. The gross salary - depending on previous qualifications and experience  - ranges between €3,746 and €5,826 (scale 11/12 according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year. In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). More information about working at Utrecht University can be found here.

Utrecht University has great ambitions for its teaching quality and study success rates. This also applies to its clear research profiles that are centred around four themes: Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Utrecht University plays a prominent role in our society and contributes to finding the answers to topical and future societal issues.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, methods and statistics, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Research and teaching activities are concentrated in five areas: Behaviour in Social Contexts; Child and Adolescent Studies; Cognitive and Clinical Psychology; Education and Learning; and Methodology and Statistics.

More than 5,600 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has about 850 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.