Assistant Professor of Contested Archives, Media and Memory

What are you going to do

You will provide education in a dynamic context with ample opportunities for the development of innovative teaching methods. Your research will be part of the Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture (AHM), one of the five research schools of the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research. AHM is seeking to strengthen its profile in contested archives, media and memory in the digital age.

The Media Studies department of the Faculty of Humanities offers both depth and diversity in its approaches to the study of media, with a wide range of academic offerings and research interests. It is the largest department of Media Studies in the Netherlands and is consistently highly ranked in international rankings. Our fields of expertise include Film studies, TV and Cross-media Culture, New Media and Digital Culture, Information Studies, Digital Humanities, Journalism, Archival Studies, Globalisation Studies, and Digital Heritage.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• designing and conducting independent research on contested archives, media and memory in the digital age resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals and/or books;
• actively pursuing external funding for research, notably funding from research councils, national as well as European;
• actively contributing to and developing national and international research networks and other forms of cooperation;
• actively contributing to the interdisciplinary research activities of Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture AHM;
• developing, coordinating and teaching courses in both Dutch and English, in the BA programme in Media and Culture as in the professional Master in Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image, which closely collaborates with the professional Master Archival and Information Studies, and the Research Master Media Studies;
• supervising Bachelor and Master theses and tutoring students; co-supervising PhD theses;
• actively contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department;
• taking part in committees and working groups, and carrying out departmental administrative tasks as directed.

What do we require

You are a dynamic and ambitious researcher with a strong profile, demonstrable by international publications and an international academic network. Your publications show broad knowledge of archives, media and memory from a cultural perspective and a strong affinity with the ways in which digital technologies change our access to and engagement with archives and cultural memory. Your research matches the profile of the AHM, in particular the ‘Heritage and Conflict’ theme, which focuses on contested heritage in the contemporary context of postcolonialism, post-conflict and memory wars, and ‘Digitality and e-Memory’, which examines digital technologies and the ways in which they influence the production, transmission of and engagement with cultural heritage and memory.

You are able to develop and teach courses on the collection, access and reuse of documentary evidence of the past and its dynamic relation to processes of remembering, contributing to the Professional Master Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image and other courses in the Media and Culture programmes. Important is proven flexibility in teaching on topics beyond your own research focus, a willingness to work in interdisciplinary teams of teachers and the ability to offer inspiring lectures and tutorials in the BA, MA and minor programmes that aspire to a wide range of students.

Your experience and profile:

• holds a PhD in the Humanities with a research focus on archives as (contested) cultural phenomena as they relate to media and memory in the digital age;
• clear affinity with digital methods and their implications (opportunities and pitfalls) for historical research in digital archives;
• excellent knowledge of the latest developments in the field of access and use of archives;
• holds an international academic network in the research area concerned;
• provides research output commensurate with the level of the position;
• active and ambitious researcher with a strong publication record;
• demonstrable ability and ambition to obtain external research grants;
• broad and relevant teaching experience at BA and MA level;
• excellent command of English, if Dutch is not the mother tongue, an active and passive command must be acquired within two years of the employment contract and the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II must be passed;
• experience with digital and audiovisual teaching facilities and affinity with IT in university teaching;
• experienced in valorisation and practice-based education and/or research;
• good team player and versatile at all levels, capable of multidisciplinary co-operation;
• excellent organisational experience and skills;
• acquired the Dutch Basic Teaching Qualification, or is willing to acquire this within the first two years.

Research that entails collaboration with non-academic institutions and agencies in the Netherlands, Europe, and beyond is highly welcome.

We offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 18 months with a probationary period of two months. If you already have an employment contract with the UvA, we offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 12 months.

The employment contract is for  38 hours a week. Preferred starting date is 1 August 2022.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week, ranges between €3,821  (scale 11) to €5,943 (scale 12) dependent on relevant experience.

This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

We additionally offer:

• the opportunity to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams;
• excellent opportunities for study and personal development;
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Job Application

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the link below. The deadline for applying for this vacancy is 31 March 2022.

Applications should include the following information (submitted in one .pdf):

• a letter of motivation;
• a detailed CV;
• a list of publications;
• the names and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation.

Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

The interviews will be held in the course of April-May 2022. A trial lecture may be part of the application procedure.