Assistant Professor Spatial Planning (0.8 FTE)

Department

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

Organisation

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, University of Groningen, V25.0450

Job description

The Faculty of Spatial Sciences of the University of Groningen seeks to appoint an Assistant Professor Spatial Planning. As Assistant Professor, you will contribute to teaching, research and management tasks at the Department of Spatial Planning and Environment.

We are looking for a candidate with expertise in regional and/or urban planning, and who is able to contribute with a distinct spatial planning background to a variety of planning courses, particularly in our bachelor programme ‘Spatial Planning and Design’ and in our master programme ‘Environmental and Infrastructure Planning’. Our preference goes to candidates with an interest and expertise in one or more of the following topics: water management, climate adaptation, climate mitigation, environmental planning. The Assistant Professor will also engage with policies and planning approaches that help improve our physical environment towards a sustainable future, as well as related societal implications. Given the nature of the position, knowledge or affinity with Dutch urban and/or regional planning is favourable, as well as is knowledge of the Dutch language. The position includes the allocation of 40% dedicated research time.

Organisation
The University of Groningen has an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Balanced study and career paths in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 35,000 students and researchers to develop their own individual talents. Belonging to the best research universities in Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, we are truly an international place of knowledge.

At the University of Groningen, Faculty of Spatial Sciences (FSS) has a strong position in geography, demography and spatial planning. FSS is also well-embedded in a wider range of disciplines, such as social, political and technical sciences. Our vision is of a society that is spatially transformed in ways that allow for high levels of wellbeing and innovation. Our mission as a faculty is to undertake and disseminate, via research and teaching, world-leading and highly distinctive research which helps to realize this vision. FSS employs about 100 academic staff members, who on average commit about 40% of their time to research. In addition, FSS has over 100 PhD candidates, and about 1100 students. We are a cohesive Faculty committed to internationally-oriented, interdisciplinary research of high societal relevance with our new research programme TRACE (Transformations, Communities, Environments).

The Faculty consists of four departments: Cultural Geography, Demography, Economic Geography, and Spatial Planning & Environment. As Assistant Professor you will be positioned within the department Planning and Environment. This Department is involved in the master programmes ‘Society, Sustainability & Planning’ and ‘Environmental & Infrastructure Planning’, and both bachelor programmes of the Faculty namely ‘Spatial Planning & Design’ and ‘Human Geography & Planning’. Research at the Department of Spatial Planning & Environment focuses on issues of spatial and institutional design for purposeful interventions within the human environment.

Requirements

We are looking for a social, enthusiastic and ambitious Assistant Professor, who:

- Has a PhD in in the wider field of spatial planning, geography, public administration, land and water management, or a social science discipline with proven affinity with spatial planning.
- Has proven affinity and/or demonstrated experience with the interface between sustainability and planning, and/or with one or more of the following topics: water management, climate adaptation, climate mitigation, environmental planning.
- Has publications in international peer-reviewed academic journals.
- Has evidence of a research agenda consistent with the research programme of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences (TRACE: TRAnsformations, Communities and Environments) and a willingness to supervise PhD students.
- Is in possession of a University Teaching Qualification (or similar), or preparedness to acquire this qualification within a reasonable timeframe.
- Has experience with teaching, including an awareness of and a willingness to apply the latest innovations in teaching.
- Has the ability to develop and maintain university–industry/practice networks in the fields listed above, including a willingness to participate in external projects, events and presentations.
- Has a willingness to participate in appropriate Faculty committees and/or other management tasks.
- Is fluent in English and has knowledge of or is willing to learn Dutch (to at least CEFR B2 level – for reading and listening).

Conditions of employment

Contract length: 12 months.

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

- A salary, depending on qualifications and work experience, with a minimum of € 4,728 to a maximum of € 6,433 (scale 11) gross per month for a full-time position.
- A holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income.
- An 8.3% annual bonus.
- Minimum of 29 holidays and additional 12 holidays in case of full-time employment.

You will be appointed initially on a temporary basis for one year with an outlook to a permanent position when you meet the criteria.

The conditions are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

For more detailed information about working conditions and working for the University of Groningen, please check: https://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/

Preferred starting date: no later than 1 January 2026.

Job Application

You may apply for this position until 20 September 11:59pm / before 21 September 2025 Dutch local time (CEST) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website). Applications should include: 1. Letter of application 2. A curriculum vitae including publications or other research output clearly showing your expertise in relevant areas, experience in teaching and management 3. The names of two referees Only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be taken into consideration. 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/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:

Dr. Margo van den Brink
[email protected]

Prof. dr Christian Zuidema
[email protected]

In your application, please always include the job opening ID V25.0450

Digital application form