As an assistant professor you will be contributing to the research and education in the area of Governance of Societal Transitions and Behavioral Change. Today societies are confronted with complex public issues like sustainability, environmental challenges and climate change, and health and well-being inequalities which call for various transitions like energy transitions, food transitions, circular economy and restoration of biodiversity. The social practices of actors need considerable change. The governance of (parallel) transitions is very challenging because of the multitude of stakeholders involved with different interests, logics, values and (social) practices and behaviors. The governance demands a systemic and integral approach in which sectors, domains and levels are interrelated. The governance of relationships among public, private, societal and knowledge partners becomes therefore important. For example, how can we develop trustworthy relationships between public, private and societal actors, how can organize good relations between community-based initiatives in various fields and institutional (government, market) partners? Which social practices of the actors need to be changed and in what ways to realize societal transitions? What are effective and legitimate governance strategies and approaches that lead to social resilience and change of social practices? To name a few governance challenges.

The core tasks include:

• participating in teaching in one or more of our programs at Bachelor’s and Master’s level at the department of public administration and sociology (DPAS). Teaching involves individual supervision of research internships and theses; lectures and workgroups;
• participating in the research programs of the school as well in the team of Governance & Pluralism in the department;
• developing activities that lead to creating positive societal impact;
• publishing research findings in (high impact) international scientific journals;
• developing further the collaboration with actors in the city and region of Rotterdam;
• contributing to the acquisition of external research funding for the benefit of the research programs.

The following job requirements apply:

• A PhD degree in a relevant discipline (Public Administration, Sociology, Social Psychology, or related).
• At least two years’ experience in research, for instance as a post-doc, and strong affinity with the theme of Societal Transitions and Behavioral Change.
• Preferably experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Experience with and committed to engaged, impact-driven research.
• Experience in academic teaching in the social or behavioral sciences, with an eye for innovation in teaching methods, and the ability to contribute to various educational programs (broad employability).
• Candidates who don’t possess a formal teaching qualification, are expected to acquire it within two years (according to the standards of the so-called BKO-University Teaching Qualification).
• Ability to, and preferably experience with, acquire external research funding.
• Motivated to contribute to open science.
• Excellent communication skills, team player, development-oriented.
• Excellent proficiency in Dutch and English (both at least at level C1 of the Common European Framework).

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

The start date of this position is 1st of September 2023, and you will be based at ESSB/DPAS in Rotterdam. The position is for 1 FTE (at least 0.8 FTE). The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 3.974,00 to a maximum of € 6.181,00 gross per month on a fulltime basis, in accordance with scale 11 or 12 of the CAO-NU. In addition, we offer an 8% holiday allowance, an end-of-year payment of 8.3%, and a very generous paid leave scheme. Furthermore, EUR is affiliated with ABP for the pension provision, and we offer partially paid parental leave, fully paid extended birth leave for partners, a personal career budget, work-life balance coaches, discounted collective health insurance, and more. As an employee, you can also use EUR facilities such as the University library and receive a discount on subscriptions for the Erasmus sports center.

Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a Dual Career Program (DCP) to assist the life partners of new academic staff (on payroll) in finding employment in The Netherlands. The program is offered in close cooperation with the nearby universities of Delft and Leiden.

Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfill their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB)

The Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences is home to a vast diversity of scientific disciplines: public administration, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. In addition, the Erasmus University College, IHS, and two research institutes RISBO and DRIFT are linked to the faculty. This also reflects in the content of the (international) bachelor's and master's programs and in research.  Our activities are always focused on people and society. At the ESSB fundamental, internationally oriented research is of paramount importance. In addition, social research for professionals, policy makers, and the society is part of our research activities. ESSB offers a stimulating research environment where major national and international research grants are received. Appealing guest researchers and ambitious PhD candidates come along to conduct their research. Our education is small-scale and works with innovative forms of education such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Both the Dutch and English programs are highly ranked by students and alumni. ESSB is home to over 4000 students and more than 400 staff-members. The different disciplines are supported by the Faculty Office (for more information, please visit www.eur.nl/essb).

Department of Public Administration and Sociology (DPAS)

DPAS covers the disciplines of Public Administration and Sociology. Two related scientific fields with different profiles. Public Administration studies governance capacity and policy interventions. It focuses on the institutional power to organize and intervene in the relations between different social, political and economic actors. Public Administration in Rotterdam goes well beyond the public realm itself and pays attention to public-private cooperation and networks of organizations. Sociology investigates the social structure of societies and the way it evolves. Sociologists in Rotterdam focus among other things on processes of globalization and individualization and on the effects of these processes on international social relations, the labor market or family relations. Related social problems that are studied are migration, flexibilization and solidarity. The perspectives of Public Administration and Sociology complement each other. Together they guarantee a highly relevant and scientific approach to topical administrative and social issues. The bachelor- and masterprogrammes of DPAS are build on this profile and educate students to become scientifically schooled professionals.

Team Governance & Pluralism (G&P)

The faculty ESSB and DPAS have a team-based structure. DPAS works with four teams, of which Governance and Pluralism (G&P) is one. The team has about 45 members now. The team members assess complex, (inter)national and multilevel governance problems regarding a wide variety of societal challenges (shorthand: governance) and address social divisions and conflicts pitting various social strata, lifestyles and identities (shorthand: pluralism). While their proceedings are already highly valued by (inter)national peers, civil society, policy makers, and governments, these could be taken a step further by – in addition to fruitfully continuing their current research foci – jointly assessing how governance and pluralism interact.