Department

Faculty of Arts

Organisation

University of Groningen

Job description

The Faculty of Arts in the University of Groningen invites applications for the position of an Assistant Professor in Late Medieval English Literature and Culture. This is a part-time (0.8 FTE) post with an 18-month probationary period. Candidates who are outstanding researchers and teachers with interests in late medieval literature, 1300-1550, are encouraged to apply. A focus on book history, the digital humanities, or manuscripts and early print may be an advantage. The successful candidate will be a member of the chair group of Medieval English Literature and Culture. Chair groups are self-contained teaching and research units.

The successful candidate is expected to teach mainly in the fields of late medieval literature, broadly defined as literature written in the British Isles between 1300 and 1550, across our BA and MA programmes. Typically this will entail teaching 2-3 courses per semester and will include lectures as well as seminars. Our BA in English Language and Culture (https://rug.nl/bachelors/english-language-and-culture/#int) has an annual enrolment of 80-90 students from all parts of the world. We have two one-year MA programmes: the MA English Literature and Culture (https://rug.nl/masters/english-literature-and-culture/) and the MA in Writing, Editing and Mediating (WEM, https://rug.nl/masters/writing-editing-and-mediating/), focusing on literature in professional contexts (e.g. editing), creative writing, and book history. In addition, students can also follow the two-year interdisciplinary Research MAs offered by the Faculty of Arts in Classical, Medieval, and Early Modern Studies (https://rug.nl/masters/classical-medieval-and-early-modern-studies-research/).

The successful candidate is expected to contribute outstanding research in their area, develop their own research line, and generate and pursue a funding and publication strategy in accordance with the Faculty’s guidelines. Research in the fields of Medieval English Literature and Culture is housed in the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG).

The successful candidate is expected to perform administrative duties to support the provision of our teaching programmes. This includes, but is not limited to, committee membership.

Organisation
Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high quality teaching and research. Its 36,000 students are encouraged to develop their individual talents through challenging study and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international centre of knowledge: it belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide. For additional information see (www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us/new-staff/). The University of Groningen has a strong commitment to the principles and practices of diversity and inclusion throughout its community and welcomes candidates who enhance this.

Faculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts is building on a longstanding tradition of four centuries. Its mission is to be a top-ranking faculty in terms of both education and high-quality research, with a strong international orientation, firmly rooted in the north of the Netherlands. The faculty creates and shares knowledge through outstanding education and high-quality research, benefitting society. We work at a modern, broad, and international institution, educating over 5,000 Dutch and international students to become forward-looking, articulate, and independent thinkers. We are a hardworking and diverse team of 700 staff members.

The Department of English Language and Culture is composed of three chair groups: Medieval English Literature and Culture, Modern English Literature and Culture, and English Linguistics. It is the oldest English department in the Netherlands and a decade ago was the first such department in the country to switch entirely to English-language instruction and assessment. We are a well-established department with solid enrollment. The English BA is a ‘top rated programme’ in the main Dutch university course guide and has been ranked first in the national student survey for more than ten years. Research and teaching in the chair group of Medieval English Literature and Culture encompasses the literatures of medieval England and continental Europe from late antiquity to around 1550, as well as the reception of medieval English language and literature in the early modern and modern periods. Once our current vacancies are filled, we will be a team of four permanent staff members (in addition to varying numbers of temporary lecturers).

Requirements

We seek excellent researchers with a demonstrated record of accomplished teaching.

The successful candidate will:
- devise and teach courses in the English Language and Culture BA and MA programmes and may contribute to the research master programmes of Classical, Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- conduct research in the field of late medieval literature and culture
- co-supervise PhD students
- apply for external research funding
- fulfil organisational roles within the Department of English and the Faculty of Arts.

Requirements:
- a PhD degree in English Literature or a closely related field
- proven excellence in academic research as demonstrated by publications in leading journals; a monograph or collection with an academic press; and funding applications
- demonstrable success as a dedicated teacher and a University Teaching Qualification (or preparedness to obtain this within a year; training is available)
- strong interpersonal skills and demonstrable organisational competencies
- the ability to collaborate in teaching and research
- an adequate command of Dutch or willingness to learn Dutch within two years (to at least CEFR B2 level - for reading and listening; training is available)
- residence in the Netherlands after appointment, on principle in or near Groningen.

Conditions of employment

Contract length: 18 months.

The University of Groningen offers in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

- a salary, depending on qualifications and work experience, with a minimum of € 3,974 (scale 11) to a maximum of € 6,181 (scale 12) gross per month for a full-time position
- statutory 8% holiday allowance
- an 8.3% end-of-year bonus and participation in a pension scheme for employees
- favourable tax agreements may apply to non-Dutch applicants.

The appointment will initially be on a probationary basis for 18 months with the possibility of becoming a permanent position following a positive Results and Development assessment.

Date of appointment: 1 September 2023.

Job Application

Applications should consist of:

- a covering letter, not longer than two pages, outlining their motivation and suitability for the role and demonstrating how the candidate meets the eligibility criteria outlined above
- a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, a teaching overview, and grants and/or fellowships won and the names and affiliations of three referees (shortlisted candidates will be asked to contact these referees for references)
- a statement of teaching philosophy with recent course evaluations.

You may apply for this position until 18 June 11:59pm / before 19 June 2023 Dutch local time (CET) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

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/[…]/

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

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Additional information

For additional information, please contact:

Dr Kees Dekker, Department of English
+31 50-363 5842
c.dekker@rug.nl

In your application, please always include the job opening ID V23.0398

Digital application form