Senior research fellow in the political sciences

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. 

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. 

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again. 

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Faculty Social Sciences & Solvay Business School, Department Politieke Wetenschappen, is looking for a senior research fellow. 

More concretely your work package contains: 

Education and Research domain:

European en International Politics: Democracy

Education tasks:

Education tasks, together with ‘other tasks’ (see below) constitute 50% of the total tasks.

• They are situated in the Dutch and English curricula offered by the Department of Political Sciences:
  • Bachelor Politieke Wetenschappen;
  • Bachelor of Social Sciences;
  • Master of Science in Political Science: European and International Governance;
  • Master in de Politieke Wetenschappen: Democratie en Leiderschap.
• You are expected to perform teaching assistance or be (co) responsible for courses in the English and/or Dutch curricula. Teaching assistance tasks relate to excercises, (course and BA) papers, and MA theses.

Research tasks:

Research tasks constitute 50% of the total tasks.

• You conduct research in the broad field of international relations; European politics; democratic actors, institutions and processes;
• Your research activities include national/international research funds acquisition, as an individual researcher or as part of a team;
• You valorize your research expertise by publishing in international top journals;
• You potentially supervise PhD students;

Other tasks:

• Your tasks include coordination related to the teaching mission of the Department.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base. 

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You have a good research record with internationally refereed publications;
• You have experience in academic research, in developing and monitoring research projects and in supervising researchers or a research team;
• You have a strong methodological background preferably in quantitative research methods, as demonstrated by participation in methods schools or international publications;
• You possess strong pedagogical qualities;
• You are fluent in Dutch and/or English, and preferanbly in both;
• You are a team player and a good communicator.

• You subscribe to the university’s vision of education. The full text in relation to this is available on the university website.

• Language regulations: 

A member of the academic staff who is entrusted with a teaching assignment must also be able to demonstrate that the language of instruction is known at ERK level C1 through a qualification certificate or through an adequate diploma. The VUB also provides courses in, for example, academic English.

The administrative language of the VUB is Dutch. In case of insufficient knowledge of Dutch, the VUB will provide an integration course. After a maximum of five years, a member of the academic staff must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the administrative language (ERK level B2).

For a complete overview, please consult the complete language regulations on https://jobs.vub.be/content/Regulations-concerning-language-proficiency/. 

Certificates demonstrating knowledge of the language can already be added to the application. 

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered an appointment, for an assignment of 1 FTE, for 1 years (renewable, on condition of the positive evaluation of the activities), with planned starting date 01/10/2024. 

You’ll receive a salary linked to one of the scales set by the government.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 02/05/2024, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your CV, including you academic dossier;
• your motivation letter;
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact prof. Karen Celis at karen.celis@vub.be or on 0032 (0) 2 614 81 13.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.