Professor in Geo- and Climate Hazards

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ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is one of the most important education and research institutions in the Low Countries. On a daily basis, over 9,000 staff members and 41,000 students implement its motto “Dare to Think”. Ghent University’s mission statement is characterized by qualitative education, internationally renowned research and a pluralistic social responsibility.

ASSIGNMENT

The faculty of Sciences has a vacancy for a professorship, starting on 1 September 2020. It concerns a full-time position as Professor in the rank of Assistant Professor (docent, Tenure Track) in the department of Geology (WE13), charged with academic teaching, scientific research and carrying out scientific duties in the field of geo- and climate hazards.

Academic education

You teach courses in sedimentology, sedimentary geochemistry, natural hazards and Quaternary geology, and this both in the bachelor (you have to be able to teach in Dutch within 5 years) and in the master (in English) program.

You are also expected to supervise and train MSc and PhD students.

Academic research

You develop an independent, internationally recognized research line in natural hazards, including geological hazards and/or those related to climate change, and this from a sedimentary Earth System Science perspective. This research is complementary to current research efforts in the department (https://www.ugent.be/we/geologie/en/research/organization/overview.htm) and is conducted in collaboration with a wide range of research groups from within and outside the department.

You are also expected:

• to publish in leading and highly-ranked journals in relevant subject categories;
• to attract research funding and to establish a research group;
• to contribute to the scientific reputation of the department.

You are also responsible for the further development and management of the sedimentology lab.

Academic services

You take part in the internal and external service provision of the department. You show a particular interest in the valorization and communication of your research results, in the societal relevance of your research and in science outreach.

PROFILE

Experience

• You have already conducted eminent academic research in the given discipline, which is clearly reflected in publications in high-quality academic journals and peer-reviewed books;
• You are capable of initiating and leading academic research and of acquiring the necessary funding for it;
• You are didactically skilled to teach university students to develop academic competences;
• Recommended are:

• International mobility, among other things thanks to research stays at institutions external to the one where you acquired your highest academic degree;
• Positively evaluated experience in provided or organized academic teaching;
• Professionalization of education.

Skills / Attitude

• You are quality-oriented;
• You take initiative;
• You are a team player;
• You have experience in coaching MSc and PhD research.

Admission requirements

• You hold a thesis-based doctorate in geology (or earth sciences) or a diploma or certificate that is recognized as equivalent (article V.20 Codex Higher Education).

Upon evaluation of a foreign (non-EU) diploma, a certificate of equivalence may still have to be requested at NARIC. If this is the case, we advise you to initiate this recognition procedure as soon as possible. You are required to have the recognition no later than on the date of your appointment.

• You have at least two years of postdoctoral experience on the date of recruitment. This term of two years is determined by the date written on the above-mentioned required diploma.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

We offer you a temporary appointment as assistant professor in a tenure track system for a term of five years. If positively evaluated by the University Board, the term of office will be transferred into a permanent appointment as an associate professor.

Should you already be a member of the professorial staff or hold an equal post at another university or research institution, you can immediately be appointed as an assistant professor, without prejudice to the possibility of a temporary appointment offered in article V.28 of the Codex of Higher Education.

The recruitment is possible no sooner than 1 September 2020.

OUR OFFER

The career and evaluation policy for Professorial Staff is based on talent development and growth, prioritizing vision development and strategy – at the personal as well as the group level. At UGent we focus on career support and coaching of the Professorial Staff in the different phases of the career. More information can be found on www.ugent.be/en/work/mobility-career/career-aspects/professorial-staff

Ghent University is committed to properly welcoming new professorial staff members and offering them appropriate guidance. The basic teacher training and courses of ‘Dutch’ and ‘English’ for foreign-speaking lecturers are only a few examples of our wide range of training and education opportunities. Furthermore, each Ghent University staff member can count on a number of benefits such as a bike allowance, reimbursement of public transport commuting costs, daycare, a wide range of sports facilities and EcoCheques.

A complete overview of all our employee benefits (http://www.ugent.be/nl/vacatures/personeelsvoordelen.htm; in Dutch).

Ghent University also invests in welcoming international professorial staff. It offers various housing options, a relocation bonus, the International School for school-aged children (with a discount on the tuition fee), support when registering at the City of Ghent, support with the procedure of family reunification and other administrative matters in connection with moving to Ghent. More information can be found on www.ugent.be/en/living.

Candidates who are newly appointed at Ghent University with an appointment as autonomous academic staff of at least 50% or candidates whose appointment as autonomous academic staff at Ghent University is increased to a minimum of 50% receive a Starting Grant of € 210.000 to contribute towards the personnel, operating and/or equipment costs of establishing a research team.

GENDER AND DIVERSITY

Ghent University conducts an equal opportunities policy and encourages everyone to apply. Ghent University also strives for a gender balance. Female applications are thus especially welcomed.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

After the final application date, all received applications will be sent to the faculty assessment committee assembled for this vacancy. This committee will first evaluate the application files.

Therefore it will match all elements of the file against the required expertise for the position in terms of education, research and scientific service. Based on this deliberation, relevant candidates will be shortlisted to be invited for further selection (interview, possible presentation or test lecture …).

Afterwards, the committee will rank the suitable candidates and present this ranking to the Faculty Board. The advice of the Faculty Board will then be presented to the University Board for approval.

Candidates are asked to further discuss their top 5 most important publications or other academic achievements with the highest impact. Next to academic publications, the candidate is thus also able to show merit of knowledge transfer by academic dissemination, social valorization, public awareness, seminars or conference presentations. These competences are also taken into account when evaluating the candidates.

The evaluation of the required international mobility is broad and partly takes the gender perspective into account, thus not only considering longer stays abroad by also other forms of internationalization.

Pregnancy leave, prolonged sick leave, parental leave, filial leave or other forms of absence are taken into account when evaluating the available time for the realization of academic output.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not sent through the online system.

Your application must include the following documents:

• In the field ‘CV’: the professorial staff application form (+ all annexes mentioned in the form), merged into one pdf file;
• In the field ‘Cover letter’: your application letter in pdf format;
• In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of your doctoral degree. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages;
• In the field ‘Certificate of equivalence’: only for diplomas awarded outside the European Union: certificate of equivalence (NARIC) (if already in you possession).

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

MORE INFORMATION

For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Professor Marc De Batist (Marc.DeBatist@UGent.be, +32 (0)9 264 45 87) at the faculty of Sciences, department of Geology.