The candidate will strengthen LUCAS’ research profile and will help develop our Institute and its collaborations further, both nationally and internationally. The candidate will have experience in working in a versatile and multidisciplinary research community such as LUCAS and will possess the capacity to fruitfully connect disciplines and fields, as well as people, within the Institute, the Faculty and beyond.

We are looking for a candidate with in-depth knowledge of the field of modern and contemporary art in a global perspective, as well as of recent developments in the international field of art museums, contemporary art venues and exhibition platforms (e.g. biennales, triennials, documenta, etc.), both on a theoretical and methodological level. The candidate has knowledge of and can relate to relevant theories in art history. They also are familiar with contemporary debates in visual studies, museum studies, postcolonial studies and gender studies, and are proficient in critical theories such as posthumanism, ecocriticism and affect theory. We are in particular interested in how the candidate manages to connect such cutting-edge research with debates and issues pertaining to museums.

All this must be supported by a list of relevant top publications as well as by participation in consortia and research projects. The candidate also has strong links with stakeholders outside academia, evidenced through commission and advisory work for non-university parties and close relationships and collaborations with artists, museums and the art world, with a specific focus on themes and issues that go beyond a Western art-historical perspective.

The successful candidate will:

• Prepare and teach courses in critical art history, theory and methodology (including interdisciplinary perspectives), world art studies and contemporary art globally in the BA tracks (Kunst & Cultuur and Arts, Media and Society) and in our MA and ResMA Arts and Culture (languages of instruction: Dutch and English);
• Engage in all usual forms of instruction in these programmes, including supervising internships and excursions, supervising BA and MA theses, both in Dutch and in English;
• Play an active role in recruiting Dutch and international students by contributing to open days, orientation and information sessions;
• Participate in the development and implementation of educational innovations – also in digital form;
• Conduct research based on an individual research plan within one of the research programmes of LUCAS and present the results in the form of publications, conference presentations and other means;
• Acquire project funding at national, European and international level (NWO, ERC, Horizon Europe etc.)
• Supervise PhD candidates;
• Participate in the academic community of the Institute;
• Bring an extensive network in the working field.

• Graduated and completed a PhD on a topic regarding critical art history, theory and methodology (including interdisciplinary perspectives), world art studies and contemporary art globally;
• Awareness of current issues, viewpoints and innovative methods within the field, e.g. Digital Humanities;
• Demonstrable and outstanding teaching skills (demonstrated by e.g. teaching evaluations, BKO/UTQ registration, etc.);
• Experience in teaching at both bachelor’s and master’s level;
• Experience with educational innovations;
• Research profile that fits within LUCAS;
• Proven track record of excellent independent research, as demonstrated by a substantial list of publications and awards/grants;
• (Near) native proficiency in the languages of instruction, Dutch and English;
• If the successful applicant is not Dutch-speaking, they are expected to acquire a good command of Dutch within two years from taking up duty, for teaching, administrative and social purposes; the University will fund his/her Dutch training at the University’s Academic Language Center.
• Flexible, excellent communication skills, team worker.

We offer a full-time temporary appointment for initially a period of five years, convertible into a permanent position in case of satisfactory performance. . If the successful candidate has already held a full professorship or if she/he has successfully completed a tenure track, she/he may be eligible for a permanent appointment.  The gross monthly salary will be between € 5.749,- and  € 8.371,- commensurate with qualifications and experience. These amounts are based on a fulltime appointment and are in conformity with current salary scales (HL2) under the collective employment agreement (CAO) for Dutch Universities.

An appointment at Leiden University includes pension build-up and other benefits, including an annual holiday premium of 8% and an end-of-year premium of 8.3%. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. For more information, see the website.

After appointment, depending on experience and formal qualifications to date, the successful applicant will be required to enter a nationally standardized tertiary teaching skills certification trajectory (BKO or Basis Kwalificatie Onderwijs), successful completion of which is a condition for favorable assessment in work reviews.

Diversity
Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Leiden University

A wealth of expertise in the fields of philosophy, (art) history, the arts, literature, film and cultural sciences, religious studies, linguistics and multidisciplinary area studies results in a unique Faculty of Humanities. Our global expertise, international focus and synergy of scientific approaches form windows to the world, opening up the many perspectives of a globalising world. In a century of large-scale levels of migration, intense and ever faster communication, cultural transformations and the politicising of culture and the rise of new (super) powers, the work and knowledge of the faculty’s staff is of vital importance to our society, both inside and outside of the Netherlands.

The Faculty of Humanities offers an inspiring and international work environment with room for diversity and growth for employees and students from the Netherlands and abroad. Our faculty is home to more than 8,000 students and 800 staff members. It offers a wide range of education, with students being able to choose from no less than 26 Bachelor’s and 27 Master’s degree programmes. The Faculty’s research is organised within seven institutes and contributes to six research dossiers for research at Leiden University. For more information, see the website of Humanities.

The Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS) is one of the seven research institutes of the Faculty of Humanities. It aims to be a prominent player in the research field of the arts (literature, art, architecture, media and design). LUCAS is dedicated to ground-breaking research that explores the multifaceted relationships between the arts and society. It hosts a range of academic disciplines clustered around a key research theme: the relationships between the arts and society. Our members study cultural production over the course of two millennia, from classical antiquity to our contemporary world. 

The successful candidate will be one of the full professors within the research cluster Modern and Contemporary. This cluster is home to over 100 senior staff members and PhD candidates in a wide range of fields: literary studies, modern European literatures and cultures, book and digital media studies (incl. film and photographic studies), modern and contemporary art history, and museum studies.