Do you have expertise in community engagement theory, research and practice? Do you want to contribute to strengthening the social infrastructure to build community resilience in the face of crises? Then this position might be interesting for you!

Your job
The department of Interdisciplinary Social Science has an opening for a research assistant who will undertake and coordinate practice-based participatory research to develop innovative guidance for a social infrastructure enabling population engagement and resilience in relation to pandemics and other crises. You will work closely with a team of researchers from other organisations collaborating in the second year of a project that is part of the broader BePrepared consortium funded by ZonMw.

The goal of the second year of the project is to take the findings and conceptual frameworks resulting from the research in year one into practice and obtain detailed local insights to develop practical guidance for the effective implementation of promising approaches to strengthen the social infrastructure, build linkages with mental health care and foster community engagement and trust in pandemic responses. Work in year two will encompass establishing local field labs in the Rotterdam region, the Utrecht Region and the Twente region. In each region an advisory committee of policymakers, social care providers, mental health care providers and community is established to guide local project implementation. With the advisory committee, we select a geographical area (e.g., neighbourhoods), societal sector (e.g., sports) and/or priority community (e.g., elderly) and the current social issues that affect community wellbeing to focus the local project on.

The multi-method research in each field lab consists of:

1. collaboratively mapping social care and mental health care providers, services provided and communities served, and collaborations, networks and referral pathways as pertinent to the project focus;
2. review and revise, as needed in view of the local project focus, the available preventive and protective social functions with local researchers, policy-makers, social and mental health care providers and community representatives, and identify the conditions required to sustain these functions in local practice;
3. bring local social and mental health care providers together to jointly develop an integrated local community wellbeing response that effectively addresses identified barriers and leverage unexploited opportunities;
4. pilot-test local renditions of promising community engagement approaches to address current issues affecting community wellbeing, including process evaluation and an appraisal amongst broader affected professional and community constituencies.

We are looking for a hands-on research assistant with experience and expertise in practice-based participatory research and cocreation of innovative approaches to promote intersectoral collaboration and community engagement in the health or social domain. You will excel in this role if you have:

• a MSc in (social) psychology, sociology, public policy, health sciences, health promotion, public health or a related field;
• experience in undertaking practice-based participatory research in the health or social domain;
• expertise in cocreation with policymakers and practitioners in the health or social domain as well as with affected communities;
• entry-level skills in qualitative (e.g., in-depth interviews) and quantitative research (e.g., behaviour change research);
• the ability to effectively write for scientific, professional and lay audiences;
• undertaken or contributed to knowledge translation activities with policymakers, practitioners, and/or affected communities;
• strong social, communication and self-management skills;
• proficiency in English and Dutch (note: cocreation activities will be undertaken in Dutch).

We offer:

• a temporary position for 10 months;
• a working week of 36 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,502 and €4,812 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 9 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

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 Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

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 1,100 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.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BePrepared consortium was launched to conduct behavioural and social science research on outbreak preparedness. The consortium is a collaboration between twelve universities or university Medical Centers, as well as TNO, RIVM, Pharos and Trimbos. The consortium is coordinated by RadboudUMC (department IQ Healthcare) and was initially funded by Universities and the RIVM. The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) subsequently awarded a 12-month consortium grant, which was recently extended for another 12 months. The overall aim of this research is to learn important lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and be better prepared for a future outbreak or other crisis. The focus of the research undertaken by the consortium is on the rationale for and effects of public health and social measures, including in relation to adherence to measures, individual and collective resilience, trust in institutions, mental health, communication and research methodology.

For more information, please contact John de Wit at j.dewit@uu.nl.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.