Assistant Professor in Language, Communication and Language Technology

The Department of Languages, Literature and Communication seeks a talented lecturer-researcher with expertise in the field of Language, Communication and Language Technology.

Your job
Increasingly, communication is mediated by digital tools, and the computer itself is increasingly becoming a communication partner. In this time of rapid change, science plays a necessary role of interpreter and developer of open and inclusive applications. We are looking for a colleague who thinks and acts in an interdisciplinary way, who can apply computational methods from language technology (in particular recent developments in large language models) to research questions in the field of language and communication, and who can teach and communicate clearly about them. In particular, we refer to the application of language technology insights for the benefit of social and scientific questions of inclusive communication and participation in society.

The faculty of Humanities is looking for Assistant Professors who find it interesting and challenging to teach and conduct research within more than one disciplinary and institutional context, as in this case particularly in the interfaculty Master's programme in Applied Data Science. In our view, such a cross-boundary perspective is most successful and satisfying when working from a specialisation. We are therefore looking for a colleague who unites a subject-specific specialisation with a discipline-transcending perspective and who can give shape to multi-, inter- or transdisciplinary team teaching and team science from a specific subject-specific expertise within the broad domain of Languages, Literature and Communication (or who wants to develop further in this area).

We are looking for a colleague who:

• has teaching and research expertise in the field of language technology applied to language and communication, with experience in the application of large language models being an advantage;
• has a completed PhD in language technology (computational linguistics) or in a similar field of knowledge;
• has a vision of, and possible experience with, ways to link that domain in teaching and/or research with other knowledge domains, grounded in an articulated teaching and research philosophy (multi-, inter- or transdisciplinarity);
• has an open attitude and can switch easily within multidisciplinary and interprofessional teams;
• is interested in team teaching and team science to address social and scientific issues.

Candidates are expected to be able to teach in Dutch and English. International candidates will be helped to acquire Dutch language skills in the first two years of their appointment.

All our lecturers have obtained the Dutch Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO). Candidates who do not yet have a BKO or an international equivalent receive support to obtain this qualification in the first two years of their appointment.

(Personal) leadership and responsibility are part of your job. That is why you recognise yourself in the following core values that are central to the Faculty of Humanities: professionalism, transparency, responsibility, connection and safety. These core values apply to everyone and we uphold these values, in our work and in our communication with each other and to others.

Wij bieden:

• an employment contract for 12 months with the prospect of a permanent employment contract;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 4.332,- and € 5.929,- in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 11 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Utrecht University works with the TRIPLE model; this allows multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary teaching and research to be recognised and valued. The model also embraces job diversification and dynamic career paths: there is room to develop your own strengths and look at how you complement and strengthen the team as a whole.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

The Faculty of Humanities has around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff members. It comprises four knowledge domains: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Culture Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. With its research and education in these fields, the Faculty aims to contribute to a better understanding of the Netherlands and Europe in a rapidly changing social and cultural context. The enthusiastic and committed colleagues and the excellent amenities in the historical city centre of Utrecht, where the faculty is located, contribute to an inspiring working environment.

The Department of Languages, Literature and Communication has 11 sections. They nurture a tradition of intensive and harmonious cooperation. Undergraduate programmes are attached to all sections, except Translation/Intercultural Communication/Education, which has Master's programmes. The sections work closely together in one- and two-year Master's programmes. For the teacher-training programmes, this is done within the interfaculty Graduate School of Teaching. Our research is housed in two research institutes: the Institute for Language Sciences (ILS) and the Institute for Cultural Studies Research (ICON). Staff are internationally oriented and come from many countries.

You will work in the department of Languages, Literature and Communication. The department includes the chairs of Language, Communication and Computation; Language Management; and Communication and Information Sciences. The Chair of Language, Communication and Computation aligns with a broad commitment to language technology and AI across Utrecht University. Besides the close collaboration within the section and with the Chair of Computational Semantics and AI within the department, the chair also has ongoing collaborations with the chairs of other sections. These are Natural Language Understanding, Natural Language Generation and Computational Linguistics in the Department of Computer Science. There are also other collaborations with other groups within Utrecht University where AI and NLP are applied, such as at the Data School, the Centre for Digital Humanities, the AI and Applied Data Science courses, and the UU-wide focus area Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. Within the department, as a researcher you will be part of one of the research groups of the Institute for Language Sciences.

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

If you recognise yourself in this profile, we would like to invite you to apply. Please send us your application details via the application button below. Your application details consist of:

• your cover letter;
• your CV and publication list;
• a concise research plan showing alignment with the requested research profile (max. 400 words);
• a concise teaching plan, in which you articulate your ideas and any questions about the development of your teaching over the next few years (max. 400 words).

Interviews will take place in April in Utrecht. An online interview, a trial lecture or an assessment can be part of the application procedure. The start date is 1 August 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.