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

You are asked to teach introductory and advanced courses in public policy and governance in the BA and MA programmes of the Department of Political Science. Occasionally, you can also teach courses that are part of the core curriculum of the BA program. You can also be asked to teach in an interdisciplinary BA or (Res)MA-programme associated with the Department of Political Science.

For research we are interested in candidates who can offer innovative theoretical and empirical contributions to literatures on collaborative governance, or digital transformations of governance, with a focus on the practices and/or politics of these processes. Your research will be affiliated with the Programme Group ‘Transnational Configurations, Conflict, and Governance’ (TCCG), housed 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 https://aissr.uva.nl/content/research-groups/transnational-configurations-conflict-and-governance/transnational-configurations-conflict-and-governance.html. You will actively contribute to the development of the research programme of TCCG by publishing in international scholarly journals or books, by co-supervising junior researchers, and by submitting grant applications. The Department of Political Science appreciates scholarly outreach to professionals and the wider public.

Core tasks

•                Teaching general and specialist courses in public policy and governance at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels, and involvement in post-graduate supervision;

•                Developing, conducting, and supervising high quality academic research on the topics mentioned above;

•                (Participating in) acquiring external research funding;

•                Contributing to the research programme of the Programme Group TCCG 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 – specifically in public policy – or a closely related field such as Public Administration or Sociology;
• Substantial academic teaching experience on a breadth of topics within the discipline / scope of the profile and on a variety of teaching formats such as lectures, seminars, and supervision, including (partially) independently designed courses;
• Well-developed teaching and didactic vision showing demonstrated capacity to inspire and activate students, encourage in-class interaction, address contemporary classroom issues such as AI, sensitive or topical issues, and foster bridges between academia and society;
• The ability to work both as an independent professional and as a team player with a commitment to diversity and inclusion;
• A demonstrated expertise in the field of public policy and governance;
• Connections to 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 recognised 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 public policy and governance;
• 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.

A challenging disciplinary and interdisciplinary work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organisation. To work at the University of Amsterdam is to work in a discerning, independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society. 

We offer a temporary full-time contract (38 hours per week) of 18 months with a probationary period of two months. If the employee performs well and continues in the same job, an employment contract for an indefinite period will follow. However, urgent financial and/or organisational reasons may be reason not to continue the employment contract. Preferred starting date is 1 January 2027.

Salary depends on past education and relevant work experience. For this position the University Job Classification profile Universitair Docent (UD2, or UD1) applies, with a minimum salary of € 4,728 and a maximum salary of € 7,297 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. Parental leave is standard for 16 weeks. Because we value your continued personal development and professionalisation, we also offer excellent opportunities for study and development.

On top of these renumerations, we offer you a position in which initiative and input are highly valued, an enthusiastic and warm team that is open to new colleagues, and an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.