Assistant Professor Middle Eastern Studies (0.8 FTE)

The Department of Middle Eastern Studies is searching for an assistant professor to strengthen our team. We are looking for an enthusiastic and cooperative colleague with a broad expertise in the contemporary Middle East, with particular focus on the (modern) history, politics and culture of Israel and the Jewish world in their Middle Eastern context. The candidate should be proficient in Modern Israeli Hebrew and preferably also in Modern Standard Arabic and base his/her research on primary sources in these languages. S/he should have a promising research agenda which complements our current interests and a broad teaching portfolio that demonstrates the ability to teach courses in Hebrew language proficiency as well as on Israel and Judaism in the modern Middle East, particularly in relation to the Arab world. Candidates with a background in Middle Eastern Studies, Languages and Cultures of the Middle East and related fields are especially encouraged to apply.

We offer a position of 0.8 FTE that combines teaching & educational management (60%) and research (40%). The assistant professor will perform research within the Institute of Cultural Studies Groningen (ICOG). It will be an asset if your expertise allows participation in or collaboration with other programmes, such as History, International Relations and International Organizations and Religious Studies.

● you will make an active contribution to the teaching within the BA and MA programmes in Middle Eastern Studies and other programmes in which Middle Eastern Studies takes (or may take) part
● you will develop new specialisations within the programmes of Middle Eastern Studies and across programmes
● you will be expected to develop a promising research line and write applications to capture national and/or international grants
● you will present research results at national and international panels, workshops or conferences and commit yourself to organising such events.
● you will participate actively in administrative and organisational activities.

● you have a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies, Languages and Cultures of the Middle East or a closely related discipline
● you have at least one year of postdoctoral experience in a teaching and/or research position
● you have an excellent publication record for the stage of your career, preferably including at least one monograph (under review) and peer reviewed articles
● you have a demonstrable capacity and willingness to operate beyond narrow disciplinary boundaries within and beyond the field of Middle Eastern Studies, in teaching and in research
● you bring a strong cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative research and teaching duties
● you have teaching experience and relevant teaching qualifications (such as BKO-Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs, University Teaching Qualification), or the willingness to obtain this qualification in the first two years of your appointment
● you have the capacity and willingness to undertake organisational duties
● you bring enthusiasm for communicating academic research to non-academic audiences
● your international experience and outlook will be considered an advantage
● you have the ability to communicate and teach in English (CEFR C1 level for reading, listening, writing, speaking)
● you have knowledge of Dutch or willingness to learn it within a reasonable period of time (within two years) (CEFR B2 for reading and listening, and CEFR B1 for writing and speaking).

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

● a salary, depending on qualifications and work experience, with a minimum of € 3,746 (salary scale 11) to a maximum of € 5,826 (scale 12) gross per month for a full-time position
● a holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income, an 8.3% year-end bonus and participation in a pension scheme for employees. Favourable tax agreements may apply to non-Dutch applicants. We offer 232 holiday hours per calendar year for full-time employment
● an appointment on a temporary basis for five years, with the prospect of a permanent position after a positive assessment (in year 4 of your appointment).

The Faculty is considering only those applicants who are ready to move to Groningen and live in the near environment of Groningen within a period of two years.

We comply with the conditions of employment of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (cao NU). For more detailed information about working conditions and working for the University of Groningen, please check: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/

The appointee will ideally commence 1 August 2021.

The Faculty of Arts is built on a long-standing tradition of four centuries. Our mission is to be a top-ranking faculty with both an excellent education and world-quality research, with a strong international orientation, firmly rooted in the North of the Netherlands. We build and share knowledge benefits to society. We work at a modern, broad and international institution, educating over 5,000 Dutch and international students to become forward-looking, articulate and independent academics. We are a hardworking and diverse team of 700 staff members.

Middle Eastern Studies in Groningen is a dynamic department which accommodates and facilitates state-of-the-art research on the modern Middle East. Our successful teaching programmes provide solid language training in Modern Standard Arabic and Hebrew and introduce our students to historical, political, cultural and religious developments in the modern Middle East. Both research and teaching are interdisciplinary, based on study of sources in their original languages and have significant societal impact. The department aims to maintain and further increase its academic and societal relevance by developing its research activities, educational programmes and outreach activities.