Key responsibilities

• Original research involving primary sources and fieldwork as appropriate, and regular dissemination of the results through channels of recognized quality;
• Teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels, in lecture and seminar formats, including the supervision of BA and MA theses;
• Teaching in various teaching programmes of the Faculty, including BA Japan Studies, BA Religious Studies, BA International Studies, MA Religious Studies, MA Asian Studies;
• Supervision of PhD research;
• A commitment to the acquisition of research funding from outside sources;
• Administrative duties, commensurate with career stage;
• Representation of the field to external audiences and media.

Selection criteria

• A PhD degree in a relevant field. Candidates near completion of the degree will be considered;
• Specialist expertise in the religious traditions of Japan, ideally with proven affinity with pre-modern sources. A research and publication record that is commensurate with career stage;
• The ability to teach and to supervise written work in Japanese religious traditions at the BA, MA, and PhD levels; the ability to teach and supervise written work on modern and contemporary topics related to the field at the BA level;
• The ability, certainly in teaching and preferably in research, to engage with wider contexts concerning religious traditions, and to position the study of Japanese religious traditions in transnational configurations;
• An excellent command of classical Japanese and of modern Japanese. Proficiency in other East Asian languages is an advantage;
• An interest in linking the study of Japanese religious traditions to contemporary, comparative, and theoretical issues in the study of religion;
• Research experience in Japan, and familiarity with modern and contemporary cultural developments in the region;

Terms and conditions

We offer a fulltime (1.0 FTE) fixed-term position from 1 August 2023 through 31 July 2024, followed by a permanent position upon good performance. Salary range, depending on education and work experience, from € 3.974 (pay scale 11) gross per month, based on a full-time appointment. The University Lecturer may start at the appropriate step in scale 10 until s/he fully meets the requirements for scale 11 as specified by the Faculty of Humanities, particularly with regard to teaching skills certification and the number of years of relevant work experience.

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses(8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. More at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions.

UTQ
Leiden University requires teaching staff to obtain the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ). If the successful applicant does not already possess this qualification or its equivalent, he/ she must be willing to obtain this Qualification within two years.

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

Leiden University

Our organisation
The Faculty of Humanities is rich in expertise in fields such as philosophy, religious studies, history, art history, literature, linguistics and area studies covering nearly every region of the world. With its staff of 995, the faculty provides 27 master's and 25 bachelor's programmes for over 7,000 students based at locations in Leiden and in The Hague. For more information: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/humanities.

The University Lecturer will hold a position in the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/humanities/institute-for-area-studies). LIAS is comprised of a School of Asian Studies, a School of Middle-Eastern Studies and a centre for Religious Studies, with international staff and student populations. The institute is committed to a present-day vision of area studies, integrating disciplinary and regional-historical perspectives on a solid foundation of excellent language skills. Current staff in LIAS has expertise in the fields of Anthropology, Archaeology, Art Studies, Buddhist Studies, Film Studies, History, International Relations, Language Pedagogy, Law, Linguistics, Literary Studies, Material Culture Studies, Performance Studies, Philology, Philosophy, Political Economy, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Visual Culture Studies.