The ISS Strategic Plan 2019-24 pursues developing ISS further into a research-intensive university institute in The Hague, focussing on academic excellence and high societal relevance of its research and teaching. ISS considers engagement that is linking research and teaching to society, to be an important task of the university.

All ISS staff members participate in the Institute’s research programme ‘Global Development and Social Justice’. As part of its Research Strategy, the Institute currently pursues four multidisciplinary, cross-cutting research themes: environment and climate change; conflict and peace; social protection and inequality; and migration and diversity.

Consistent with our strategy and with an eye to current and future developments in the area of development studies, ISS is looking for two Assistant Professors in Migration and Development (tenure track)

The positions

The successful candidates will have a broad interdisciplinary academic training and experience, including a background in (international) migration and development studies. Both are expected to play a central role in ISS teaching and research on migration. Knowledge is expected of both international and intra-national migration, from a perspective of global development and governance. Expertise in issues of migrants’ situation in host societies is desirable.

One position is for a candidate specialized in South-South migration, the other position is for a candidate specialized in South-North migration.Both will contribute to the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Masters track in Governance of Migration and Diversity, to the Erasmus Migration and Diversity Institute, and the Erasmus Research Initiative on Vital Cities and Citizens.

The candidates’ research base will be the Governance, Law and Social Justice research group, which is one of the four groups comprising ISS’s overall focus on Global Development and Social Justice. The candidates are expected to work on the multidisciplinary cross-cutting research theme ‘migration and diversity’. The candidates’ teaching base will be the Migration Track in the ISS Masters in Development Studies but the successful candidate is expected to contribute flexibly within our graduate school of international development studies, including to other teaching and teaching management in the MA in Development Studies, and to MA and PhD research supervision.

Desired skills & expertise

• A PhD in a relevant field of social sciences;

• A documented research interest in migration and development;

• A clear research focus and an active publication strategy is a must;

• The ability to embed and link research and teaching activities to societal developments, in the global South and/or in the global North;

• The ability to attract and manage research grants is expected;

• Valorization: contributions to public debate and capacity building projects are part of the engagement tasks to which the candidates will be expected to contribute;

• An active publication strategy and solid publications record (in line with career stage);

• Ability to teach in some area or areas of research methodology;

• Demonstrated capacity and skills in teaching MA students, including thesis supervisions and teaching management; and in externally financed advisory and capacity development programmes;

• Demonstrated experience and commitment to teaching, research and service in multicultural environments.

Additional advantages

• Familiarity with mixed-methods research is desirable.

The selected candidates will be offered a contract at the level of Assistant Professor, with the possibility of tenure subject to fulfilment of conditions that would be specified dependent on previous career. The successful candidates are invited to start as soon as possible.

In accordance with the conditions applied at Erasmus University Rotterdam as indicated in the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO NU) of the Dutch universities, the salary is dependent on the candidates’ experience and ranges from € 3.637,- to € 5.565,- gross per month, on a fulltime basis. In addition, EUR pays an 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year payment of 8.3% and offers excellent secondary benefits.

The International Institute of Social Studies is committed to building and sustaining a community based on inclusiveness, equity and diversity and believes this will contribute to our mission and vision of being the best institute in our field. ISS is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities and nationalities. Given the current composition of the ISS academic staff and priorities relating to staff diversity, the Institute has a preference for applicants originating from the Global South and also encourages applications from minority candidates.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), named after the 15th century Rotterdam-born humanist and theologian Desiderius Erasmus, is a research university with a strong international orientation and a pronounced social focus, both in its education and research activities. The expertise of Erasmus University Rotterdam is concentrated in eight faculties or institutes focussing on Economics, Medicine and Health Sciences, Law, Social Sciences, History and Arts, Business Administration, Philosophy and Development Studies. In addition to initial degree programmes and scientific research, the University offers specific postgraduate study programmes and courses. Erasmus University has around 25,000 students and approximately 2,800 staff members comprising more than 100 nationalities.

The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) is a leading academic centre for international development studies. While based in The Hague, the ISS is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. ISS was established in 1952 as a post-graduate institute of policy-oriented critical social science and development-oriented research. ISS offers a PhD in Development Studies, a 15,5 month MA in Development Studies, a joint MA in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP), a MPA in Governance delivered in Suriname, and post-graduate Diploma courses.

ISS brings together a highly diverse international community of scholars and students from both the global South and the global North, on average, originating from over 50 different countries. The Institute brings together people, ideas and insights in a multi-disciplinary setting which nurtures, fosters and promotes critical thinking and innovative research on fundamental social problems. The strong partnerships with organizations and individuals in developing countries make up a vibrant network where we co-create knowledge so that teaching and research remain socially relevant. Key to the ISS philosophy and practices is the wish to contribute to achieving social justice and equity on a global level