The Department of Sociology has a job opening for a research assistant for the NWO project ‘Measuring the micro-processes of legal socialization during interactions between teachers and students.’ 

The research project in short: Teachers are the first authority figures that youth encounter outside of their home environment. The way teachers and youth interact with each other informs youths’ attitudes about authorities within and outside the school. Through these interactions, youth develop their attitudes about rules and legal authorities such as the police. The details of how this learning occurs are not yet well understood. This project observes youth and their teachers discuss a rule-breaking situation and develops a coding system to identify common strategies that can lead to acceptance and compliance with rules among youth.

Pairs of young people (16+) and their teachers will be recruited from schools in the Netherlands to complete a video-recorded conflict discussion task. The interactions will then be coded to identify characteristics and trajectories relevant for legal socialization. The research assistant will play a leading role (together with the PI) in the recruitment, data collection, and coding of the recorded interactions. The research project involves a collaboration with the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Edinburgh.

• experience with different methodological designs and analytical skills;
• strong interest in theory-driven empirical research;
• experience working with adolescents and/or adults in a research capacity;
• an interdisciplinary outlook;
• excellent written and spoken Dutch and English;
• excellent organizational skills;
• team player;
• ability to work independently.

We offer a temporary position (0.7 FTE) for one year in an international working environment. The gross salary - depending on previous qualifications and experience - ranges between € 2.960 and € 3.247 (scale 10, with a maximum of scale 10, step 2, 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.

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.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7.000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues. 

The faculty is located at Utrecht Science Park near the historical city centre of Utrecht. It attaches great importance to the fact that its employees can be widely deployed in the university organization, now and in the future, to further professionalize the support of education and research. To encourage this, every employee is given the time and facilities – for example in the form of training – at some point in their career to participate in projects or work in other departments. Characteristics that the faculty considers important are involvement, the ability to collaborate and flexibility.

The faculty strives for diversity among its employees and students and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, as can be read in Utrecht University's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

The Sociology department is one of the oldest and largest in the Netherlands, conducting research on and teaching a wide array of sociological themes, such as social inequality, crime, migration and integration, social networks, policy and organisation, cooperative relationships, families and work.