The core tasks of the successful candidates will be teaching (0.6 fte) and research (0.4 fte). You will occasionally perform organizational tasks and committee work in the wider context of the Department of Political Science.  

For option a) International Relations:
You are expected to teach introductory and advanced courses in International Relations and /or Political economy in the BA and MA programmes of the Department of Political Science, as well as in the Amsterdam University College bachelor programme.  You might also be asked to teach a lecture course that is part of the core curriculum of the BA program, on substantive or methodological themes. You can also be asked to teach in an interdisciplinary BA or (Res)MA-programme associated with the Department of Political Science.  

We particularly seek candidates who approach the study of International Relations empirically, focusing on majorpower politics that affect the global order.. Candidates may have expertise on the International Relations of particular regions or countries, ideally outside Western Europe.

For option b) European Union Politics and Governance:
You are expected to teach introductory and advanced courses in European Union politics and institutions, as well as Political Economy. You might be asked to teach in the BA and MA programmes of the Department of Political Science, as well as in the Amsterdam University College and the Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics bachelor programmes.  You might also be asked to teach a lecture course that is part of the core curriculum of the BA program, on substantive or methodological themes. You can also be asked to teach in an interdisciplinary BA or (Res)MA-programme associated with the Department of Political Science.  

You will conduct empirical research on the politics and governance of the European Union in the context of a rapidly changing global political economy.  Your research may focus on EU decision-making processes (whether socio-economic, regulatory, environmental, or otherwise) that are relevant internally to its market and externally to the EU’s neighborhood or other continents; actors involved in EU politics and governance such as political parties, advocacy/interest groups, executive agencies, corporations, (non-)member state governments; and the EU’s foreign policy and external economic relations. We particularly seek candidates who approach such questions empirically, with an eye to the relevance of the EU in a broader global context.

Your research for both position A and B will be affiliated with the Programme Group Political Economy and Transnational Governance (PETGOV), situated in the Department of Political Science and the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR). For more information on the group and its interests, please consult the website.  You will actively contribute to the development of the research programme of PETGOV by publishing in international scholarly journals or books, by co-supervising junior researchers, and by submitting grant applications. The Department of Political Sciences appreciates scholarly outreach to professionals and the wider public. 

Core tasks  

• Teaching introductory and advanced courses;

• Developing, conducting, and supervising high quality empirical academic research in international relations (option a) and European Union politics (option b);

• (Participating in) acquiring external research funding;
• Contributing to the research programme of the Programme Group PETGOV and the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research through scholarly publications and engagement in local, national, and international networks.

• A completed doctoral thesis in Political Science, International Relations, European Studies or Public Administration;  

• The proven ability to provide relevant and inspiring academic teaching – at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Dutch and/or English – as evidenced by successful experience in independently designing and executing courses, and a clear didactical vision;  
• The ability to work both as an independent professional and as a team player; 

• A demonstrated expertise in the field of empirical social sciences with an appreciation of both quantitative and qualitative approaches; 
• A proven collaborative relationship with  practitioners/policy-makers to the benefit of teaching and research;

• An ongoing research programme and publications, focused on international peer reviewed journals and/or books published by internationally recognized academic presses;  

• Mastery of social science research methods appropriate for your research agenda;    

• The ability to develop and submit competitive research grant proposals;  

• Solid knowledge of the canon and contemporary literature related to international relations (position a) or the politics and governance of the European Union (position b);

• Affinity with teaching students from other tracks within political science, and from interdisciplinary programmes, within and beyond your own specialization;  

• A capacity to teach in English and/or Dutch, and a willingness to acquire passive knowledge of Dutch within three years;  

• The basic qualification at Dutch universities in higher education (Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs; BKO) certificate, or a willingness to acquire such.   

We offer a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 18 months with a probationary period of two months. Upon proven suitability and unchanged financial and organizational circumstances, the contract will be converted into a permanent employment. If you already have (had) an employment contract with the UvA, we offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation and unchanged financial and organizational circumstances following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 12 months. The employment contract will be for 38 hours per week. Preferred starting date is 1 January 2026.
Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience. For this position the University Job Classification profile Universitair Docent (UD 2, or UD1) applies,  with a minimum salary of €4537 and a maximum salary of €7056 gross per month based on full-time employment for a 38-hour working week, in keeping with salary scale 11 or 12, as per the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including a generous holiday allowance and a year-end bonus. Applicants from abroad can be eligible for the 30% tax incentive scheme over a period of five years.