Call for Applications
Assistant Professor in Interactive Media, Screens, and Interfaces (1.0 FTE)
Faculty of Humanities
Department of Media and Culture Studies
Utrecht University
The Netherlands
https://www.uu.nl/organisatie/werken-bij-de-universiteit-utrecht/vacatures/assistant-professor-in-interactive-media-screens-and-interfaces-10-fte
Application deadline: May 7, 2023
FUNCTION
This vacancy is part of a broad recruitment campaign. Utrecht University’s Faculty of Humanities is looking for more than 40 talented and passionate assistant professors. Based on their subject matter expertise, they will contribute to strengthening our interdisciplinary education and its connection with urgent social themes.
We are looking for colleagues who find it interesting and challenging to teach and conduct research within more than one disciplinary and institutional context. Such a cross-boundary perspective is most successful and satisfying when working from a specialisation. We are therefore looking for colleagues who unite a subject 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 expertise within and between the broad domains of Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Cultural Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication (or who want to develop further in this).
For this position, we are looking for a new colleague specialising in interactive media, screens, and interfaces. The ideal candidate should engage critically and/or creatively with media and performance practices in our contemporary globalized society marked by cultural transformations of digitisation and algorithmisation. We invite applications from researchers with experience in teaching and researching interactive screen media – e.g. AR, VR, XR, media installations, and interactive screen-based or haptic interfaces – and their contributions to established and emerging formations and functions of cultural practices in mediatized, online, and/or urban realms. With a background in media studies or adjacent fields of (media) art or performance studies, the successful candidate for this position will also contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration in research and teaching within the Faculty of Humanities and beyond.
The Faculty of Humanities of Utrecht University deploys the extra resources from the Administrative Agreement (Bestuursakkoord) in such a way that they are beneficial for team collaboration and the sustainability of humanities research.
PROFILE
We are looking for colleagues who:
- have teaching and research expertise in the domain of interactive media and interfaces;
- hold a completed PhD in media studies or adjacent fields of (media) art, music, or performance studies;
- have a vision on, and perhaps experience with, ways to link that domain in teaching and/or research with other knowledge domains, based on an articulated teaching and research philosophy (multi-, inter-, or transdisciplinarity);
- have an open attitude and are able to switch easily within multidisciplinary and interprofessional teams;
- are interested in team teaching and team science to address social 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 assistant professors have obtained the Dutch University Teaching Qualification (UTQ, in Dutch: Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs, BKO). The BKO is recognized by all 14 Dutch universities. Candidates who do not yet have a BKO or an international equivalent will 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. Read more about our core values and how they translate into concrete behaviour.
Candidates with affinity, experience and/or appealing research and educational plans in the field of the following social issues are particularly invited to respond:
- Human artificial intelligence – Responsible design and use of AI applications, digitisation and technology;
- Cultural heritage and identity – Material and intangible heritage;
- Languages and cultures – Language variation, literacy and inclusion in the digital society – Multilingualism, transculturality and second language acquisition in education and organisations; and
- (in collaboration with the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance) Prosperity, participation and citizenship in a digital world – Communication, information and social inequality.
OFFER
We offer a temporary position (1.0 FTE) for one year in an international working environment. After positive evaluation, this can be turned into a permanent position. The allocation is permanently set to 40% research and 60% teaching. Within the 60% for teaching, there is 10% free space that will not be scheduled. The gross salary – depending on previous qualifications and experience – ranges between €3,974 and €6,181 (scale 11-12 according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year.
In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University.
Utrecht University works with the TRIPLE model; this makes it possible to recognise and value multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary teaching and research. 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.
Within Utrecht University, we find it important that employees continue to develop within their own position or towards the next. We offer coaching and a variety of training opportunities.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
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 Sustainability.
Around 7,000 students and 1,100 staff are affiliated to the Faculty of Humanities. The faculty comprises four areas of expertise: Philosophy and Religious Studies, History and Art History, Media and Cultural Studies, and Languages, Literature and Communication. Through education and research in these areas, 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 excellent facilities in Utrecht‘s historic city centre, where the faculty is housed, ensure an inspiring working climate.
Our department of Media and Culture Studies has a staff with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and views. As a department, we are committed to support our staff and their development and we foster various forms of interdisciplinary collaboration and team-based teaching and research. In our department, we study a wide range of media as well as cultural and artistic expressions, also in their intermedial relations. We interpret culture as a dynamic combination of artistic, creative, and everyday activities that people use to shape their identities, and within which social processes, structures and institutions are shaped. We welcome colleagues who can further strengthen the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds in our department.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about this position, please contact Prof. dr. Nanna Verhoeff, via n.verhoeff@uu.nl.
Are you an international applicant? Our International Service Desk can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff and guests.
Everyone deserves to feel at home at our university. We therefore welcome staff from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives, regardless of race, skin colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, origin, disability, neurodiversity or age.
To apply, please send your application via the ‘apply’ button. We would like to receive the following information with your application:
- your motivation letter;
- your CV and publication list;
- a research plan showing alignment with the research profile for the position (max. 400 words);
- a teaching statement, articulating your vision on teaching and education, specifically your approach of and ideas on interdisciplinary teaching and education (max. 400 words).
An online interview, a trial course or an assessment may be part of the application procedure. The start date is 1 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Respond no later than May 7, 2023.