Assistant Professor Postcolonial Languages & Ecologies: German

For this post, you will join and actively participate in the Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC). The ACLC is one of the five research schools of the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research (AIHR). We are seeking a talented researcher and teacher who can liaise between different ACLC research groups, develop interdisciplinary projects, and research-based teaching. The ACLC prioritises diversity (taken in a holistic sense, e.g., ethnicity, social background, gender, sexuality) and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone.

You will be asked to teach German and comparative language and linguistics courses in the Languages, Culture, and Region BA programmes of the department of Modern and Foreign Languages, in the BA Linguistics, in relevant programmes in the History and European Studies department, and in relevant (r)MA programmes of the faculty. These programmes adopt an interdisciplinary, research-led approach and you are expected to be open to fields that might not be directly related to your research focus (e.g., historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, and second language acquisition).

The department of German Languages & Cultures is part of the department of Modern and Foreign Languages (MVTC) in the Faculty of Humanities. It is located in the historical centre of Amsterdam and home to scholars with a diverse range of research and teaching interests. Students of the three-year BA programme gain specialised topical and historical literary, cultural, and linguistic knowledge as well as broader comprehension of the region. The department also participates in various graduate programmes in the faculty, including the research MA Linguistics and Communication and the MAs Language, Literature and Education, Language & Society, and in various national programmes, such as Masterlanguage and Alfa4all.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Designing and conducting independent research in one or more of the domains of interest of the ACLC, such as psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, neurolinguistics, general linguistics, discourse analysis, argumentation and rhetoric, corpus study, and computational linguistics, with a special focus on German in postcolonial ecologies. Expertise in one, or a combination, of the following domains is required: minority and majority languages, language acquisition and variation in a multilingual context, language and translocalisation in diasporic settings, heritage languages, language change, language policy, language and the media. The conducted research will result in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals and/or books.
• Actively pursuing external funding for research, notably funding from research councils, national as well as European.
• Actively contributing to and developing national and international research networks and other forms of cooperation.
• Actively contributing to the research activities of the Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication and to the school’s European research priority areas as outlined here.
• Developing, co-coordinating and teaching the BA programme in German languages and cultures and relevant (r)MA programmes across the faculty.
• Supervising Bachelor and Master theses and tutoring students; co-supervising PhD theses.
• Actively contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department.
• Taking part in committees and working groups, and carrying out departmental administrative tasks.

Alongside an excellent research profile (see below), you are able to provide, participate, and develop analogous programming for the following range of possible allocated BA and/or (R)MA courses: German language and linguistics courses; De wereld van taal en spraak; Language in Use: Acquisition and Variation (German); Forschungskolloquium Duitse media en cultuur; Masterlanguage courses in Linguistics; and/or Contact, Conflict, and the Media (this link and this link give you access to a number of relevant course descriptions). You will offer research-led core and elective courses that contribute to the existing BA in German and other relevant BA and (R)MA programmes, and attract students from other disciplines. At the same time, you are flexible in teaching on topics beyond your own research focus, willing to work in interdisciplinary teams of teachers, and able to offer lectures and classes that appeal to a wide range of students.

Your experience and profile:

• You hold a PhD in linguistics, with special attention for the study of German in postcolonial ecologies. Expertise in one or a combination of the following areas of study is a requirement: minority and majority languages, language acquisition and variation in a multilingual context, heritage languages, language change, language policy, language and the media.
• Your research aligns with one or more of ACLC’s research priority areas named above.
• You participate in international academic networks.
• You have a strong publication record in the scholarly fields that are relevant to this position and will produce research output of international standing, including peer-reviewed articles, books, chapters etc., as well as work of broader public interest.
• You demonstrate the ability and ambition to obtain external research grants.
• You have broad and relevant teaching experience in German and comparative linguistics at BA and (r)MA level.
• You are open to and interested in interdisciplinary collaboration.
• You are able to independently design and work with innovative teaching methods, including project-based learning and integral digital and on-site teaching.
• You are familiar with placement tests and procedures to determine the language proficiency of student cohorts.
• You have an excellent command of German and of Dutch and English, and preferably knowledge of another Germanic language in postcolonial settings. If you do not speak Dutch, an active and passive command must be acquired within two years of the employment contract and the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II must be passed.
• You have experience with digital and audiovisual teaching facilities and IT in university teaching.
• You are experienced in valorisation and able to communicate with wider audiences.
• You are a good team player and versatile at all levels, capable of multidisciplinary co-operation.
• You have excellent organisational experience and skills.
• You are experienced in academic administration and management tasks.
• You hold the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) or are willing to acquire this within the first two years of the employment contract.

We offer a permanent contract with a probationary period of 18 months. The employment contract is for 38 hours a week. The preferred starting date is 01 February 2024.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and relevant experience, ranges between € 4,332 to € 6,737. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

What else do we offer?

• The opportunity to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams.
• Good opportunities for study and personal development.
• An inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 42,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.