Are you an early social scientific scholar interested in urban mobility? We’re looking for a temporary assistant professor to co-design our new chair in Urban Mobility Futures.

The futures of urban mobility are multiple, and they are increasingly contested. Driven by technological innovation, there is a strong need to involve social scientific insights into studying current trends, innovations and viable/desirable futures. Effective immediately, we are seeking an assistant professor to co-design a new chair on Urban Mobility Futures at the Centre for Urban Studies of the University of Amsterdam. The Centre is one of the largest academic programmes of its kind and combines longstanding expertise across the social sciences and humanities.

In this 2-year position you will develop research proposals In close cooperation with BAM Infra and AM. BAM Infra is the largest developer of infrastructural connections in the Netherlands. They are positioning an increasing number of service oriented mobility innovations into their urban and mobility projects, such as bike sharing, smart cycling infrastructure and connected bicycles. AM develops urban development projects including mobility hubs and mobility as a service solutions for car free living.

Next to developing research proposals, the position involves a substantial teaching task (0.35 fte) in the internationally acclaimed Master Urban and Regional Planning and in the Bachelor Human Geography and Planning. The focus of your teaching will be on thesis supervision at both levels, and in terms of substance on environmental planning. 

You will be responsible for:

Research (0.25 fte):

• Developing research proposals, connecting fundamental research questions from the Centre for Urban Studies with national and international projects of BAM Infra/AM and partners;
• developing research proposals for calls of the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and European Research funding;
• co-write academic papers on social scientific questions around Urban Mobility Futures.

Teaching (0,35 fte):

• Teach courses and supervise theses in urban and environmental planning related courses in the Master and Bachelor curriculums.

You have:

• a social scientific training, including a doctorate;
• substantive interest and job experience in the field of urban planning, environmental planning and/or mobility studies (or closely related fields of study) ;
• excellent skills in writing, reading and speaking English;
• (willingness to further develop) skills in writing, reading and speaking Dutch (The BSc program is taught in Dutch);
• a University Teaching Certificate (BKO) or willingness to acquire that certificate;
• a proven track record at junior level in publishing academic articles and applying for research funding.

You are:

• entrepreneurial;
• independent thinker;
• ability to link academia and planning practices;
• social;
• team player.

The position concerns a temporary appointment of 22,8 hours per week (0.6 fte) for a term of two years.
Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience, with a minimum salary of €3,637 and a maximum salary of €4,978 gross per month based on a full-time appointment for a 38-hour working week (in keeping with scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities). We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary employee benefits, including a generous holiday scheme and year-end bonus. Because we value your continued personal development and professionalisation, we also offer excellent opportunities for study and development. 

What else can we offer you?

A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organisation. The social and behavioural sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

To work at the University of Amsterdam is to work in a discerning, independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

Being part of the newly founded chair offers the potential to become part of a growing group of researchers around social-scientific questions around Urban Mobility Futures. Close ties to the Urban Cycling Institute and Dutch Cycling Academy also offer the potential to engage with the upcoming Dutch cycling related research and education field.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

http://www.uva.nl/en/home