Are you a computer scientist with a strong background in Linked Data and/or knowledge graphs and keen to contribute to research infrastructure across the field of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)? Would you like to be a member of a national team of leading researchers within those domains? Would you like to work on increasing interoperability between those domains by implementing FAIR methods that facilitate SSH data, tools and software to be shared, linked and combined?

Then you could be the ideal Postdoc candidate to join our team! Please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Job description
The User-Centric Data Science group (UCDS) has an open position for a postdoctoral (PD) researcher in the field of FAIR Linked Data for the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). You will become a member of the team of SSHOC-NL, a new 5-year national interdisciplinary research project. SSHOC-NL is a consortium of research infrastructures aimed at creating an ecosystem of services, data and tools for the social sciences and humanities. Together with Dr. Ronald Siebes and Prof. Dr. Jacco van Ossenbruggen you will research methods and develop tools and infrastructure to make research data, workflows and tools findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR). More specifically, you will work on topics such as infrastructure of interoperable vocabularies for SSH research data, entity linking across datasets, interoperability in dataset annotation and transparent dataset search. An important part of the position is co-design of research and co-creation of knowledge with a wide variety of societal and research partners from various disciplines. An inter- or multidisciplinary background and good communication skills are therefore important assets.

Your duties

• publish research results in international peer-reviewed conferences and journals
• designing and implementing FAIR methods and tools for FAIR research infrastructures in the SSH domain
• opportunities to teach or assist in Bachelor and/or Master’s educational programmes and supervise Bachelor and Master students
• contribute to project tasks, milestones and deliverables, and contribute to project management, meetings and activities (e.g., workshop organisation)

• a PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence or a related discipline
• proven affiliation with research social sciences and humanities
• proven affiliation with knowledge graph and Linked Data technology
• proficiency in programming
• good communication skills in English
• management skills are an asset

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• the salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts to €3.226 per month to € 5.090 per month depending on experience and expertise, and based on full-time employment.
• the job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 1 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year (including two months probation). After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for an additional 2 years, making it 3 years in total.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 5,500 staff work at the VU and over 30,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.