Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Math, Interdisciplinary Math Education Focus

Job description

We have an opening for an Assistant Professor who is interested to start a career that focuses on education and who can strengthen our teaching and research in the field of (applied/pure) mathematics. The position is opened to teach mathematics to non-maths students (in science and engineering) as well as to conduct research in mathematics. Excellence in teaching and research and a commitment to interdisciplinary teaching are expected. The teaching duties will normally consist of one course (5 ECTS) each quarter as well as supervising BSc and MSc student research projects. The courses mainly concern calculus, linear algebra, statistics, numerical mathematics. Innovation of interdisciplinary mathematics education is an essential part of the tasks. This includes improving students’ conceptual and contextual understanding of mathematics as well as promoting student engagement and learning. We particularly welcome applications in the research areas Probability and Statistics, Systems Control & Optimization or Computational and Numerical Mathematics; applications in the areas Algebra or Dynamical Systems, Geometry & Mathematical Physics are also possible (see Organization for more details). Within the framework of these research areas, you can develop your own research line and/or contribute to existing research lines. Research activities include publishing in leading journals, (co-)supervising of PhD-students, maintaining and/or developing research collaborations and (co-)writing grant proposals.

Because of our commitment to promoting diversity in the department, we have a preference for female candidates.

We offer you a full-time position and excellent career opportunities in our faculty’s career system Career Paths in Science and Engineering, including the perspective to get a permanent appointment (tenure) in 1-3 years and become Full Professor in approximately 10 years.

As Assistant Professor with a focus on education you will

• Teach mathematics in degree programmes in science and engineering
• Play a significant role in curriculum development and teaching innovation the development of education at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, both at the course and the programme level
• Contribute to research lines in the research group and/or possibly develop your own research line
• Contribute to the supervision of PhD students in the research group
• Contribute to the organization of the faculty, for example by participating in working groups and committees, especially in the domain of education.

At the stage of Assistant Professor, 60% of your time is dedicated to teaching and education development, 30% to research and 10% to organizational tasks.

Organisation

The University of Groningen is a research university with a global outlook, deeply rooted in Groningen, City of Talent. Groningen is the lively capital of the Northern Netherlands with a high quality of life and affordable living conditions. The University has 34.000 students in BSc and MSc programmes, 4.400 PhD students, and 4.600 staff members. Our students and staff come from all around the world.

Quality has been our top priority for over four hundred years, and with success: the University is currently in or around the top 100 on several influential ranking lists. The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) is the largest faculty within the University. We offer first-rate education and research in a wide range of science and engineering disciplines, from classical disciplines such as mathematics, astronomy and mechanical engineering, to interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence, pharmacy and nanoscience [change fields if desirable]. At FSE, education and research are strongly intertwined, and we value a strong disciplinary basis for our students. Our programmes in science and engineering, while diverse, share a common view on best practices for research-driven, international education. We are proud of the open, inclusive, and informal character of our community.

The position we offer will be embedded in one of the mathematics-oriented research groups of the Bernoulli Institute, depending on the actual research profile of the selected candidate. The Bernoulli Institute (BI) for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence is a vibrant community with an international outlook, which fosters talent in all its research areas and disciplines and is active in pure and applied science, and (multi)disciplinary research and teaching. BI strives at maintaining a balanced mix of fundamental and applied research. It comprises 15 basic research units, of which 5 are mathematics oriented. The five mathematics-oriented basic units are: 1. Algebra, 2. Computational & Numerical Mathematics, 3. Dynamical Systems, Geometry & Mathematical Physics, 4. Probability & Statistics, and 5. Systems, Control & Optimization. We aim for an equal distribution of assistant professors with an education profile over the mathematics-oriented base units. Considering the current distribution, candidates for basic units 2, 4 and 5 are given preference if candidates have equivalent qualities. Candidates are expected to keep an open eye for research connections to other groups within BI. More information about BI can be found on our website https://www.rug.nl/research/bernoulli/

Qualifications

We seek candidates with the following characteristics

• A PhD degree in mathematics or a related field
• A passion for education and excellent teaching qualities, based on a clear vision on education
• The ability to inspire students and colleagues
• A good track record in research, as shown by publications in international peer-reviewed journals and proceedings of renowned conferences and a research statement
• Ideally, at least two years of relevant work experience after your PhD
• Demonstrable communicative and organizational competences
• The ambition and the potential to develop academically
• The ability to work well with others in international and diverse teams
• Good command of spoken and written English.

Furthermore, we expect all new staff members to either have a University Teaching Qualification (Dutch: Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs) or obtain it within 3 years and, if they do not already speak it, to learn the Dutch language within at most five years.

Organisation

Conditions of employment

The Faculty of Science and Engineering of the University of Groningen was the first on the European mainland to introduce a tenure track career policy, 20 years ago, and with significant success. We have attracted great talents that have contributed strongly to the worldwide leading position of our faculty’s ten research institutes. Our career system has helped our staff members to develop highly successful and rewarding academic careers. The latest version of this system, ‘Career Paths in Science and Engineering’, offers

• Diverse career paths with a focus on research, education or impact
• Dynamic career paths, in which staff members can switch focus in the course of their career
• Promotion to Assistant Professor level 1, in combination with a permanent contract, already after 1 - 3 years, provided the relevant criteria are met
• Promotion to Associate Professor after 5 years, and promotion to Full Professor after another 5 years, if the corresponding criteria are met
• Significant freedom for staff members whether and when to apply for promotion.

For more information about Career Paths in Science and Engineering, see: http://www.rug.nl/fse/cpse Please consider the career path with a focus on education for the criteria for tenure and for promotion to more senior positions.

As starting conditions, we offer a salary, depending on qualifications and work experience, from €4,332 (salary scale 11) up to a maximum of €6,737 gross per month (salary scale 12, depending on your career stage) for a full-time position as Assistant Professor. Additionally, we offer

• A holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of respectively 8% and 8.3% of your yearly salary
• A pension scheme
• Maternity and parental leave
• The possibility of working part-time (0.9 FTE or 0.8 FTE)
• A mentor programme and a broad range of opportunities for personal development
• Dual career support for partners of new faculty members moving to Groningen.

Consider our website for more information about the working conditions at the University of Groningen: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application including

• A cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position
• A curriculum vitae, including a description of your teaching experience, a list of your publications, and a list with names and contact details of references
• A statement of your vision on teaching, in particular pertaining to developments in your field, and what you would like to accomplish in our degree programmes
• A research statement, including a description of your scientific interest and plans.

You may apply for this position until 12 May 11:59pm/before 13 May 2024 Dutch local time (CEST) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

The selection interviews will take place in the third and fourth week of June 2024.

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https://www.rug.nl/(...)rsity-and-inclusion/

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP): https://www.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/nl/sollicitatiecode and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/charter/code

We provide career services for partners of new faculty members moving to Groningen.

Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated.

Information

For information you can contact:

• Prof. Roel Verstappen, Education Director Math (for information about the position), +31 50 3633958, r.w.c.p.verstappen@rug.nl
• Prof. Niels Taatgen, Director Bernoulli Institute (for information about the position), +31 50 3636435, n.a.taatgen@rug.nl

Please do not use the e-mail address(es) above for applications.

Additional information

• Profile report in which the position is described in more detail
• More information about the research institute
• More information about the Faculty of Science and Engineering