Assistant / Associate Professor in Digital Communication Science

 

Are you highly motivated to understand communication in an increasingly digital society and advance the use of computational social sciences? Are you focused on addressing social challenges in dynamic and polarized media environments? Are you interested in communication with a focus on life science?

The Strategic Communication (COM) group is looking for a hardworking and ambitious assistant/associate professor in Communication science with a focus on or interest in life science. In this position, you are responsible for the coordination, organization, and implementation of new research activities on the application of innovative approaches of computational social sciences in communication research. We expect you to generate external financial support for an innovative research agenda. You are interested in (global) challenges in life science domains (e.g., health, climate change, and sustainable consumption). As our new colleague, you will critically explore and contribute to the understanding of how data-driven approaches in digital communication contexts can impact and contribute to broader individual and collective shifts in these life science domains. This includes, but is not limited to:

• studying communication in online media, especially with regard to understanding digital communication mechanisms, processes of polarization and/or the presence and effects of mis- and disinformation;
• computational data collections and analysis to study a digital media environment;
• evaluating the reach, content, and impact of digital communication campaigns in life science contexts.

Furthermore, we challenge you to motivate and teach students and to be involved in the innovation of our education. A part of the teaching duties includes the development of two courses in the new master specialization ‘Data science for health promotion’, in cooperation with other chair groups. This interspecialization will be further developed into a full master’s program at Wageningen University. You are expected to work with students from various programs, supervise them in the use of digital data approaches in communication, and support them in executing coherent research projects. We provide you with training and mentoring to accomplish all of this.

You prefer inter- or transdisciplinary approaches and an international orientation. To address current problems and solutions, societal engagement (e.g., with governments, societal actors, and researchers) is both a topic for analysis, as well as an approach to work with society in teaching and research projects.

As an assistant/associate professor you are able to navigate between and connect to the interdisciplinary fields of computational science as well as strategic communication. As such, you feel comfortable with a wide range of perspectives present in both communication science and computational science.
Tenure Track is a career path for hardworking scientists who pursue to excel in education and research. We seek to attract scientific talent and to stimulate and support their development.

We ask

You are an ambitious scientist and a standout colleague, dedicated to research and education within our broad field of expertise. To further strengthen our group, you:

• hold a PhD in a relevant social science field- or discipline (e.g., communication science, (social) psychology, sociology, political science, anthropology, etc.);
• are an inspiring teacher and student supervisor with enthusiasm for teaching and working with students in an international setting;
• have experience with communication research on online media, including new or social media; and have a proven track record in using innovative methods, in particular, computational approaches such as automated content analysis or digital tracing;
• have a strong international and interdisciplinary orientation;
• have an excellent publication record relative to your stage of career;
• possess the capacity or potential of acquiring, leading, and managing externally-funded research projects;
• are committed to achieving societal impact in relation to important social challenges;
• enjoy working together with your colleagues and possess good management skills;
• adhere (or have a willingness to adhere) to the principles of Open Science.

This position requires excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.

We offer

This challenging career path starts at the level of assistant professor, from which you can grow into an associate professor and furthermore grow to personal professor position. Depending on your experience and track record, you can enter at various levels.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will be offered a fixed-term, 7 year contract which, upon positive evaluation based on criteria elaborated in the University's Tenure Track policy, can lead to a permanent employment contract as professor. Your salary will depend on expertise and experience and the maximum gross salary for Assistant Professors is €5.826,- per month and for Associate Professors the salary can grow up to €6.940,- per month. Both based on a full working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).
Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.
You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 16th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

More information

Do you want more information?
For more information about this position, please contact dr. Marijn Poortvliet (marijn.poortvliet@wur.nl) or dr. Bob Mulder (bob.mulder@wur.nl).
For more information about the procedure, please contact Bianca Aversteeg, Recruitment support via recruitment.ssg@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.
This vacancy will be listed up to and including Monday March 28, 2022. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on Wednesday April 6 and/or Friday April 8.
We would like to receive your online application with:

• letter of motivation;
• curriculum vitae;
• and your research vision on computational and digital communication science in a life science context (max 1 A4). You can upload this in the same file as your curriculum vitae.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

Wageningen University & Research



The mission of Wageningen University and Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.800 employees and 12.900 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

Read the 5 reasons why your future collaegues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

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