Assistant Professor in Statistics and Social Data Science
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We are looking for an Assistant Professor in Statistics and Social Data Science for the department of Methods & Statistics at Utrecht University. As an Assistant Professor you are involved in teaching and research activities, and as a core member of the ODISSEI Social Data Science (SoDa) team, you play a key role in developing and applying statistical and data science methods in the social sciences. Your job This position consists of 60% teaching and 40% research. Until the end of 2030, with potential for extension, 30% of teaching time will be bought out by the SoDa team. As a result, the role will effectively consist of 30% teaching and 70% research - including activities carried out in the context of the SoDa team. Ideally your research activities in methods and statistic are closely aligned with the activities and focus of the SoDa team. SoDa is a dynamic, versatile, and innovative team hosted by the department of Methods & Statistics. As part of the SoDa team, you provide a meaningful contribution to computational social science research in the Netherlands. You collaborate with other researchers to design and develop a wide range of innovative projects, for example involving causal inference, machine learning, text analysis, or large-scale data integration. You support ODISSEI users via consultations and collaborative research, train researchers through workshops, and mentor SoDa fellows and students. You help strengthen and expand the team’s national presence by engaging with consortium partners and identifying new opportunities for collaborations with societal and academic partners. In addition, you (co-)lead national-scale applied research projects, for instance by taking a leading role on some scientific objectives of one of SoDa’s major research projects (Macroscope project, funded by NWO). As our new colleague, you also engage in teaching in methodology, statistics and data science topics at the Department of Methodology and Statistics. Teaching activities may include undergraduate and graduate courses and workshops, thesis supervision, and curriculum development. Your qualities Above all, we are looking for a proactive team player with outstanding communication and networking skills. The ideal candidate is a dynamic and independent researcher who works effectively in interdisciplinary teams and is adaptable to diverse ways of working and doing science. Moreover, the candidate demonstrates full ownership throughout all stages of complex research projects and has experience leading projects and supervising or mentoring others, either formally or informally. The candidate combines a strong methodological or technical background with a genuine interest in social science research and a commitment to open, reproducible, and societally relevant science. Furthermore, the ideal candidate is someone who demonstrates the following qualities in research and teaching: Research:
Teaching:
Our offer
In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University. About us A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1,100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.
The candidate will be employed at the Department of Methodology and Statistics (M&S) of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. At the M&S department we have the knowledge to use data to answer research questions that advance science and society. Our research focuses on methods and techniques for the social and behavioural sciences and comprises topics like research synthesis techniques, longitudinal studies, SEM and multilevel analyses, survey research, Bayesian statistics, ADS, and qualitative research. Read more about our research themes. We educate students throughout Utrecht University (Bachelor’s, Master’s and postgraduate level) and professionals, for example via the Summer School Utrecht. We provide consultations for researchers, PhD candidates, and students and we have various collaborations with external (international) parties.
The ODISSEI Social Data Science (SoDa) team supports researchers in the social sciences in applying data science methods to their work. We collaborate on projects, offer one-on-one consultations, develop training materials, and contribute to building open, ethical, and impactful data science capacity across the Netherlands. Being part of the SoDa team means collaborating with sociologists, economists, psychologists, and other social scientists to answer research questions which could not be solved without our skills. SoDa is part of ODISSEI, the national research infrastructure for the Dutch social sciences, which aims to raise the level of data science in over 40 social science research institutes in the Netherlands. Our work is guided by the values of openness, collaboration, reproducibility, and impact. Learn more about the SoDa team and its projects at odissei-soda.nl. Our team values a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences - not only as a matter of fairness, but because it strengthens the quality and creativity of our work. We actively seek to build a team that reflects the broader society we serve, and we especially welcome applications from women and people from groups that are underrepresented in data science and academia. More information For more information, please contact Dr. Taymara Abreu at t.c.abreu@uu.nl. Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University. Apply now As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute. Knowledge security screening can be part of the selection procedures of academic staff. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. To apply, please submit the following documents via the ‘Apply now’ button below:
Please note that international candidates that need a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. Our International Service Desk (ISD) can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility, but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. In case of general questions about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal. In the second stage of the selection procedure, the short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview with the committee. The first round of interviews is planned for the fourth week of June (June 22- June 26). Our preferred start date is September 1 or as soon as possible thereafter.
- Holds a PhD in a quantitative field (e.g., methods and statistics, data science, computational social science), or a relevant field with both a large quantitative component and a strong emphasis on social sciences.
- Proven research experience in the social sciences (e.g., psychology, economics, sociology, linguistics, demography, political science, communication science), demonstrated by high-quality publications developing or applying innovative methods within the social sciences.
- Experience in interdisciplinary collaboration, ideally bridging computational and social sciences domain.
- Advanced scientific programming skills (R/Python; and/or julia, MATLAB, or another relevant language) and version control (Git/GitHub). Ideally with experience developing (open-source) software or collaborating with research engineers for that purpose.
- Has broad/generalist knowledge on statistical modelling, with additional conceptual knowledge and/or practical experience in topics such as agent-based modelling, bayesian statistics, causal inference, data visualisation and graphical interfaces, geospatial data analysis, high-performance computing, natural language processing / text analysis, or privacy and ethical use of sensitive data.
- Has excellent level of English, both spoken and written.
Teaching:
- Experience with teaching academic courses in methodology, statistics, (applied) data science, machine learning, or computational methods.
- Has strong didactic skills and the ability to provide inspiring lectures.
- Holds a basic teaching qualification (UTQ/BKO or equivalent) or is willing to obtain such qualification at Utrecht University within two years after appointment.
- Dutch language skills are a bonus, or willingness to learn Dutch.
Our offer
- a job for 1 year with the prospect of a permanent employment contract following a positive evaluation;
- a working week of 32 - 40 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 4,728 and €6,433 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 11, 12 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
- 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
- a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.
In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University. About us A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1,100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.
The candidate will be employed at the Department of Methodology and Statistics (M&S) of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. At the M&S department we have the knowledge to use data to answer research questions that advance science and society. Our research focuses on methods and techniques for the social and behavioural sciences and comprises topics like research synthesis techniques, longitudinal studies, SEM and multilevel analyses, survey research, Bayesian statistics, ADS, and qualitative research. Read more about our research themes. We educate students throughout Utrecht University (Bachelor’s, Master’s and postgraduate level) and professionals, for example via the Summer School Utrecht. We provide consultations for researchers, PhD candidates, and students and we have various collaborations with external (international) parties.
The ODISSEI Social Data Science (SoDa) team supports researchers in the social sciences in applying data science methods to their work. We collaborate on projects, offer one-on-one consultations, develop training materials, and contribute to building open, ethical, and impactful data science capacity across the Netherlands. Being part of the SoDa team means collaborating with sociologists, economists, psychologists, and other social scientists to answer research questions which could not be solved without our skills. SoDa is part of ODISSEI, the national research infrastructure for the Dutch social sciences, which aims to raise the level of data science in over 40 social science research institutes in the Netherlands. Our work is guided by the values of openness, collaboration, reproducibility, and impact. Learn more about the SoDa team and its projects at odissei-soda.nl. Our team values a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences - not only as a matter of fairness, but because it strengthens the quality and creativity of our work. We actively seek to build a team that reflects the broader society we serve, and we especially welcome applications from women and people from groups that are underrepresented in data science and academia. More information For more information, please contact Dr. Taymara Abreu at t.c.abreu@uu.nl. Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University. Apply now As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute. Knowledge security screening can be part of the selection procedures of academic staff. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. To apply, please submit the following documents via the ‘Apply now’ button below:
- A 1-page cover letter describing your motivation and suitability for the position
- Your curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, and relevant experience on research, teaching, collaboration, and leadership.
Please note that international candidates that need a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. Our International Service Desk (ISD) can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility, but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. In case of general questions about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal. In the second stage of the selection procedure, the short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview with the committee. The first round of interviews is planned for the fourth week of June (June 22- June 26). Our preferred start date is September 1 or as soon as possible thereafter.