4 Assistant Professors (full-time) With a focus on Societal transitions and behavior change – Enschede, Netherlands

Innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, new energy resources, and digital transitions in healthcare and safety, provide examples of developments that are often presented as solutions to current and future societal challenges. These developments raise questions such as: How do people react to and make sense of innovative technologies? How do new technologies shape the way people and organizations behave and interact? How do they reshape the public domain and policy directions? Technological developments ask for insights into the diverse changes and transitions across many levels, from individual behaviors to organizational processes and social policies. As new technologies also have unforeseen, unintended, or uncontrollable outcomes, we need insight into when they contribute to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities and when they are counterproductive. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach is needed to better understand how innovative technologies facilitate or work against societal transitions and behavior change across time. As part of the Sector Plans in Social Sciences and Humanities, we offer 4 new talented colleagues an exciting opportunity for co-developing such an approach.

Each colleague will be appointed in one of the four sections of the Department of Human and Institutional Behavior. These are Communication Science; Psychology, Health & Technology; Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety; and Public Administration. Across the sections, you will work closely together as a team to create impact in research, education, and society in this exciting field. You can bring in your own interests and expertise but as a group you will develop a multidisciplinary research line on technological developments in relation to societal transitions and behavior change. As a teacher you will contribute to modules in bachelor and master programs of Psychology, Communication science, and Public administration. You will outline research topics for Bachelor and Master theses that you will supervise. To create societal impact, you will develop strong collaborations with stakeholders in the field.

The Department of Human and Institutional Behavior at the University of Twente provides many opportunities to develop your talents as researcher and teacher. Clearly rooted in disciplinary expertise in psychology, communication science, and public administration, the department aims to integrate individual, (inter)organizational, institutional, and societal perspectives on technologies of societal transitions and behavior change. We invest in professionals and academics of the future through our bachelor and master programs of psychology, communication science, and public administration as well as in post-master life-long learning activities. To create scientific impact, there is strong collaboration across the faculty and the university in interdisciplinary research domains.

To create societal impact we closely work together with citizens, professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, and policy makers in designing, evaluating, and implementing comprehensive technology-based solutions that support behavior change and societal transitions towards inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities. Last but not least, the facilities of the BMS Lab and the Design Lab provide innovative technological support for our research, teaching, and societal collaboration.

Your profile

• You hold a PhD in Public Administration, Communication Science, Psychology.
• You have an interest in the topic of behavior change, organizational change, and/or transformation of the public domain.
• You show vision and ambitious drive (seeing opportunities and possibilities).
• You have expertise with multidisciplinary approaches and are able to have a leading role in multidisciplinary research and in building collaborations between various disciplines.
• You have a specific interest for technological innovation in the context of social science.
• You are a passionate teacher focusing on multidisciplinary approaches, preferably holding a University Teaching Qualification and are able to teach and supervise students in educational programs of communication, psychology and/or public administration.
• You can underscore your talent with a track record in peer-reviewed publications, presentations and grant-acquisition.
• You are a team player with excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• You are fluent in English (C1) and a good command of Dutch (B2 to C1) is preferable.

Our offer

• We offer an appointment as assistant professor. After a one year fixed-term position, there is, after evaluation, perspective on a permanent position.
• The starting date is flexible; we are looking for the best candidates. Preferably between October 2023 and February 2024.
• Starting salary between € 4.332,- to € 6.737,- gross per month based on your experience (in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).
• An additional holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• A solid pension scheme.
• A high degree of responsibility and independence.
• Excellent support for professional and personal development.
• A dynamic, cooperative work environment with entrepreneurial and enthusiastic collegues.
• A high degree of responsibility and independence, while collaborating with close colleagues, researchers and other university staff is strongly encouraged.
• Minimum of 29 holidays in case of full-time employment.
• Possibilities to save up holidays for sabbatical leave.

Information and application

For more general information please contact prof. dr. (Ernst) Bohlmeijer, chair of the HIB-department: e.t.bohlmeijer@utwente.nl; tel. 053-4894470. For information related to specific disciplines and sections please contact prof. dr. (Alexander) Van Deursen, a.j.a.m.vandeursen@utwente.nl, tel. 053-4893299 (communication science); dr. (Ringo) Ossewaarde, m.r.r.ossewaarde@utwente.nl, tel. 053-4893215 (public administration), prof. dr. (Gerben) Westerhof g.j.westerhof@utwente.nl, 053-4899180 (psychology, health & technology) or dr. (Sven) Zebel, s.zebel@utwente.nl, 053-4893260  (psychology of conflict, risk and safety).

Submit your application (including curriculum vitae, list of publications, research statement and two names of potential references online (via the ‘Apply now’ button) before 2th of October, 2023  to the University of Twente, at the attention of prof. dr. E.T. Bohlmeijer.

About the department

The HIB-department is one of  four departments at the faculty. The department is committed to design, evaluation and implementation of and teaching about comprehensive technology-based solutions supporting people in behaviour that promotes their health, safety, resilience, connectedness and joy. The HIB-department comprises research groups of Communication Science; Psychology, Health & Technology; Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety; and Public Administration – in one of which you will be appointed. For more information on these groups, see: https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/organization/departments-institutes/#department-clusters

About the organisation

The Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social sciences (BMS) aims to play a key role in understanding, jointly developing and evaluating innovations in society. Technological developments are the engine of innovation. As a technical university that puts people first, we tailor them to human needs and behavior and use social engineering to integrate them into society. We also ensure adequate governance at public and private level, and robust, inclusive and fair organizational structures. We do this by developing, sharing and applying high-quality knowledge in Psychology, Business Administration, Public Administration, Communication Sciences, Philosophy, Educational Sciences and Health Sciences. Our research and education in these disciplines revolves around tackling and solving societal challenges. The research programs of BMS are closely linked to the research of the UT institutes Mesa+ Institute for Nanotechnology, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.

As an employer, the Faculty of BMS offers work that matters. We equip you to create new possibilities for yourself and for our society. With us, you will become part of a leading technical university with increasing, positive social impact. We offer an open, inclusive and entrepreneurial atmosphere, in which we encourage you to make healthy choices, for example through our flexible, adaptable benefits.