In 2019, Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) adopted its new strategy "Creating positive societal impact". This strategy focuses on increasing the social impact of the university. The EUR wants to understand complex social issues and contribute to their solutions. An important question here is whether the university actually manages to realise this ambition and how this can be determined. In line with the mission of the strategy, the EUR wants to develop a supported and authorative approach for evaluating and monitoring positive societal impact that responds to and does justice to the differences between scientific fields and faculties.

The Evaluating Societal Impact project takes steps towards working together on appropriate impact evaluation and associated governance structures. In doing so, we collaborate with internal stakeholders to create synergies, we focus on sustainable policy changes within the organisation, and we advise faculties and strategic initiatives on impact evaluation. In addition, we strongly invest in the development of easy to apply, scalable and sustainable impact evaluation tools and methods. In addition, you actively contribute to the transition of the EUR towards an impact driven university.

The current team of Evaluating Societal Impact consists of an academic lead (Prof. Arwin van Buuren), a project manager (Dr. Bianca Langhout) and a research intelligence consultant (Tung Tung Chan, MSc.). In addition, 2-3 junior researchers are involved in the project on an ongoing basis, and we are currently recruiting 2-3 medior/senior knowledge and account managers. We offer a stimulating, people-oriented work environment and a place where brainstorming, exchange, fierce debates, creativity, and the development of new ideas are central, always in relation to societal developments. In addition, you actively contribute to the transition of the EUR to become an impact driven university!

As a junior researcher, you will become part of this team and play an active role in developing and testing tools and methods for impact evaluation at the EUR. You will develop various skills on the crossroad of research and support/advice, learn to work in a complex environment with many internal and external stakeholders, and get the chance to develop broadly as an impact researcher. A great opportunity to develop as a professional!

Your tasks
As a junior researcher you will play an important role in:

• Organizing, recording and leading co-creation and design activities to develop and test impact evaluation tools, e.g., workshops, stakeholder consultation sessions;
• Carrying out impact research using different methods for impact evaluation, e.g., interviews, surveys;
• Supporting various pilots, e.g., pilot on impact ambition and strategy formulation by faculties;
• Translating knowledge and insights on impact evaluation methods into relevant content and tools for the impact-driven knowledge website/environment of Evaluating Societal Impact (https://www.eur.nl/en/research/research-services/societal-impact-evaluation).

The work is done in close cooperation with the project manager, the research intelligence consultant and junior researchers. There is plenty of room to come up with your own initiatives and ideas within the framework of the project.

• WO (academic) working and thinking level;
• Knowledge of/affinity with the theme of societal impact of science;
• Interest in research at the interface of science, policy and society;
• Experience with doing research. Demonstrated experience with qualitative research methods, such as working in co-creation or in action research setting with design and learning sessions and some experience with quantitative research methods and analyses is desirable;
• Experience with writing articles for scientific and non-scientific audiences, e.g. website pieces, (advisory) reports;
• Experience in higher education is a plus;
• Team-oriented, enthusiastic, intrinsically driven personality;
• Flexible, accurate and able to work independently;
• Excellent oral and written communication in Dutch and/or English.

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good terms of employment in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU). The employment contract is for a period of 1 year. The salary depends on your knowledge and experience and with a full-time appointment amounts to between €2960,- and €4670,- gross per month (scale 10). The EUR has attractive employment conditions, including 8% holiday pay, a year-end bonus of 8.3% and a very generous leave scheme. Furthermore, the EUR is affiliated with the ABP pension scheme and we offer partially paid parental leave. Employees can also make use of EUR facilities, such as the Erasmus sports centre and the university library.

The EUR offers a Dual Career Program (DCP) to help partners of new scientific staff find work in the Netherlands. The programme is offered in close cooperation with the nearby universities of Delft and Leiden.

We value diversity and believe that a diversity of talents contributes to our vision and strategy to excel as a university in research and education. Therefore, we are looking for a person who can complement our team from a diversity perspective.

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.

The Evaluating Societal Impact project

The Evaluating Societal Impact project has a central position within the EUR and is embedded in the current strategy (Strategy 2024). As project officer you will be assigned to the Strategy Office (SO), which is part of the General Administration Service (ABD).

The Strategy Office (SO)
The Strategy Office guides the EUR in its transition to an impact-driven university and works with the entire organisation to achieve the strategic objectives.

The Strategy Office (SO) is a policy department that, on the one hand, focuses on (supporting) the integral implementation of the strategy (both in terms of content and process) and, on the other hand, provides the management and the organisation with the capacity to provide strategic advice on a wide range of issues. Obviously, this is done in close cooperation with other central policy departments, the faculties and institutes and support services (that embed and help implement the EUR strategy) and the project leaders and academic leads who lead the strategic projects. The team consists of both programme management functions and strategic advisors, and is supplemented with colleagues from support services, who contribute ideas on strategic and implementation issues. The SO functions as a spider in the web, in order to realise the strategic ambitions in cooperation with the entire community.

The General Administration (ABD)

As a central staff organisation, the General Administration (ABD) is responsible for organising policy support at the institutional level. The ABD supports the Executive Board (CvB) in exercising its responsibility for the quality, accessibility and financing of education and research. The ABD takes care of the joint design of integral policy, the timely submission of this policy for decision-making, ensures (partly) that the policy is implemented and carries out continuous monitoring and evaluation with a view to improvements. The department is formed by the Academic Affairs departments, the Chief Information Officer Office, Corporate Planning & Control, Administrative Affairs, Legal Affairs and Strategy Office. The independent Erasmus Magazine is also part of the ABD. The administration department is headed by the Director of General Administration (also Secretary of the Executive Board).