Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Electrochemical Synthesis and Catalysis

Department

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Organisation

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, University of Groningen, V24.0219

Job description

We have an opening for an Assistant Professor to strengthen our position in the field of electrochemical synthesis and catalysis, affiliated with the nationwide ARC CBBC Programme (https://arc-cbbc.nl/).

Synthetic chemistry is a core discipline of the chemical sciences and a major challenge for the coming decades is the development of sustainable chemical synthetic processes. Electrochemical synthesis, electrocatalysis and photoredox-catalysis have the potential to replace current synthetic methods and allow production based on low-cost electricity and low-waste transformations. Both in research and teaching, investment in high level electrochemical synthesis is warranted to maintain a frontier international position in synthesis and chemical conversion. As affiliated to the ARC CBBC, the candidate will have ample opportunities to strengthen academic and industrial cooperation with other CBBC partners (from the University of Groningen, Utrecht University, Eindhoven University of Technology, Shell, Akzo-Nobel, Nouryon and BASF).

As Assistant Professor with a focus on research you will have the opportunity to develop your own research line and research group, contribute to our English-taught Chemistry & Chemical Engineering BSc & MSc programs, supervise PhD students and post-doctoral researchers, acquire external funding, and promote the societal relevance of your research.

With our faculty's Career Paths in Science and Engineering, you will have excellent career development opportunities, including the potential for a permanent appointment (tenure) in 1-3 years and advancement to Full Professor within approximately 10 years. At the stage of Assistant Professor, 60% of your time is dedicated to research, 30% to teaching, and 10% to organisational tasks.

At the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, we are committed to fostering the growth and development of young academic talent. We recognise the importance of providing ample opportunities for personal and professional advancement. Therefore, we offer

• the scientific freedom to pursue research topics that align with your interests and passions
• an open and (family-)friendly work environment where collaboration is encouraged, and facilities and instruments are shared among colleagues
• dedicated support for grant preparation and interviews, to help (young) academic staff secure funding for their research projects
• integration into an established research unit, with full access to all research facilities, which helps reduce administrative burdens and allows you to focus more time and energy on your academic growth and research endeavors.

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 - https://www.rug.nl/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 chemistry, astronomy and mechanical engineering, to interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence, pharmacy and nanoscience. 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 the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry and will be part of the ARC CBBC Programme (https://arc-cbbc.nl/). The Stratingh Institute for Chemistry (https://www.rug.nl/research/stratingh/?lang=en) focuses on research in molecular and supramolecular chemistry, with overarching impact on biology, chemical engineering, and physics. The Stratingh Institute has an (inter-)national excellent position in synthetic chemistry and catalysis in the Dutch chemical landscape, and is recognized as a stronghold for synthesis.

The ARC CBBC is a national center of excellence focusing on long term research in sustainable catalysis, materials and coatings and chemical engineering to provide sustainable solutions to the chemical processes, energy carriers and materials of the future. The Advanced Research Centre is a joined initiative of three universities: the University of Utrecht, the University of Groningen and the University of Eindhoven; four multinational companies: Shell, BASF, Akzo-Nobel, Nobian and Nouryon and the ministries of Economic Affairs and Science and Education (via NWO).

Requirements

We seek candidates with the following characteristics

• a PhD degree in organic electrochemistry or a related field
• excellent research qualities, as shown by a publication record in international peer-reviewed journals and proceedings of renowned conferences
• a great affinity with and a good track record in teaching, appropriate for the career stage
• preferably at least two years of professional experience (PhD, postdoc or equivalent) outside of The Netherlands
• the potential to acquire substantial research grants from external sources
• demonstrable communicative and organisational competences
• 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.

We strongly encourage applications from female candidates.

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 research 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 Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, 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
• comprehensive pension scheme coverage
• maternity and parental leave options to support work-life balance
• flexible working arrangements, including the possibility of part-time employment (0.9 FTE or 0.8 FTE).
• access to a mentor program and a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development
• dual career support tailored to the needs of partners of new faculty members relocating 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

Job 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 list of your publications, a description of your teaching experience, and a list with names and contact details of references • a list of up to five self-selected papers with an explanation of your contribution and what impact it made on science and/or society • a statement of your teaching goals and experience • a research statement, including a description of your scientific interest and plans. You may apply for this position until 23 May 11:59pm / before 24 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 before the summer (June/July). 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/about-ug/policy-and-strategy/diversity-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.

Additional information

For additional information, please contact:

Prof. Gerard Roelfes, Director Stratingh Institute for Chemistry
j.g.roelfes@rug.nl

Dr Gaël Schaeffer, Scientific coordinator Stratingh Institute for Chemistry
g.p.r.schaeffer@rug.nl

Prof. B.L. Feringa, Stratingh Institute/Chair executive board ARC-CBBC
b.l.feringa@rug.nl

In your application, please always include the job opening ID V24.0219

Extra informatie kan worden verkregen via een van de volgende links:

Profile report in which the position is described in more detail Career Paths in Science and Engineering

Digital application form