The Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Services and the Faculty of Business and Economics are seeking to fill the following combined full-time vacancy funded by FED-tWIN (Programme of sustainable research cooperation between the federal scientific institutes (FSI) and the universities):

Part-time (50%) tenured academic staff (ZAP) at the University of Antwerp and Part-time (50%) scientific researcher (‘coordinator SW2’) at RBINS in the domain of Geological Economics (Towards sustainable and dynamic management of subsurface activities)

The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) is one of the ten federal scientific institutes. It is involved in important scientific research activities and carries out public service missions. It is open to everyone through the Museum of Natural Sciences. One in three people at the RBINS is a scientist. The scientific personnel includes mainly biologists, paleontologists and geologists, which enables us to conduct multidisciplinary research. The Geological Survey of Belgium (GSB), a subdivision of the RBINS, is a geo-scientific documentation center. The GSB offers accommodation for the original geological databases and a representative collections and core store of the Belgian subsurface. The expertise is based on scientific work that results in international publications. Interaction with other Geological Surveys is done through active participation in various expert groups such as EuroGeoSurveys. The relevance of the expertise and data of the GSB is further demonstrated by the various international and national projects in which the GSB participates, often in a leadership role.

With more than 5,500 employees, the University of Antwerp is one of the largest employers in the province of Antwerp. Every day, our employees' efforts ensure that innovative education is provided to 20,000 students, that groundbreaking fundamental and applied research is conducted and that the university is able to play its important role as a service provider in society. In its pursuit of international excellence, the University of Antwerp is a research university in its true sense with particularly strong expertise in the following research topics: Imaging; Neurosciences; Infectious diseases; Drug research; Material characterization; Ecology and sustainable development; Port, transport and logistics; Metropolis, history and contemporary policy; Socio-economic policy and organization.

The position consists of 2 combined assignments in the context of the Federal government's FED-tWIN financing program, being:

• a part-time (50%) appointment as scientific researcher at RBINS (‘work leader - SW2’)
• a part-time (50%) appointment as tenured academic staff at the University of Antwerp

Job description

• The assignment at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences consists of research and scientific services.
• The assignment has a structural character in the three core activities of the tenured academic staff: education, research and scientific services.
• You will teach one course in the domain of ‘Sustainability Engineering and Management’
• You will expand the scientific research in the area of Geological Economics. The short term and long-term objectives of this research are stipulated in the appendix.
• You will acquire and manage external funding (national and international).
• You will offer scientific services, more specifically with regard to determining the value of physical collections of the RBINS and of databases that are being developed internationally, with a focus on valorisation. You also further expand the existing network of social actors involved in geological economic questions.
• Given the social dimension of the research (climate, the irreversibility of natural resource use...), a proactive interaction with civil society and the industry is also necessary.
• More information about the profile can be found in Appendix.

Profile and requirements

• You hold a doctoral degree (PhD) in a research domain that relates to the vacancy (possibly applied economic sciences – earth sciences), and which is obtained maximum 12 years before the end date of the term in which you want to candidate for this vacancy. This 12-year period can be extended by one year for every absence due to pregnancy, parental or adoption leave, as well as any long-term absence due to illness of the candidate or a long-term absence due to illness of a first-degree family member.
• You have several years of postdoctoral experience or equivalent and experience in integrating geology and environmental economics.
• The focus in your teaching corresponds to the educational vision of the university.
• Your academic qualities comply with the requirements stipulated in the university’s policy, as well as the RBINS’ research strategy.
• You can demonstrate to have leadership skills.
• You are quality-oriented, conscientious, creative and cooperative, and have demonstrated talent for setting up cooperative projects or other research activities.
• If you do not master Dutch, you should be willing to obtain a CEFR B2 level of proficiency in Dutch. As soon as you take on teaching duties as a course unit coordinator, you should be able to demonstrate a CEFR C1 level of proficiency in the language of instruction. The University of Antwerp supports international staff members on an integration trajectory and offers tailor-made language coaching in compliance with Flanders’ statutory language regulations.
• Involvement in interdisciplinary research on geology, ecology and economics, as well as any experience on the intended research objectives as stated in the appendix, strengthen your application.

Our offer

The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences offers

• a part-time appointment of minimum 10 years as scientific researcher (‘work leader -SW2’) at the Geological Survey of Belgium, part of the Directorate Earth and History of life, with an employment contract of indeterminate duration;
• a dynamic, challenging, varied and stimulating research environment;
• a gross monthly salary ranging from € 4.534,66 to € 6.877,39;
• full reimbursement of public transport for commuting, or a bicycle allowance if you come to work by bike.

The University of Antwerp offers

• a part-time position as a lecturer in a temporary “tenure track” appointment for a term of five years. This position will lead to a permanent appointment as senior lecturer if your performance is assessed favourably on the basis of previously set and publicly announced evaluation criteria;
• full reimbursement of public transport for commuting, or a bicycle allowance if you come to work by bike;
• a gross monthly salary ranging for a fulltime lecturer from € 4.255,06 to € 6.272,13;
• a dynamic and stimulating work environment.

The date of appointment for both RBINS and University of Antwerp will be 1 September 2020.

How to apply?

• Applications may only be submitted online, until the closing date of 19 January 2020.
• A pre-selection will be made from amongst the submitted applications. The remainder of the selection procedure is specific to the position and will be determined by the selection panel.
• The interviews with the candidates resulting from the preselection by the panel will take place on May 13, 2020.
• More information about the application form can be obtained through vacatures@uantwerpen.be.
• For questions about the profile and details about the job description, please contact Kris Piessens (Kris.Piessens@naturalsciences.be, +32 (0)2 788 76 34) and Steven Van Passel (steven.vanpassel@uantwerpen.be, +32 472 93 00 23).

The University of Antwerp is a family friendly organization, with a focus on equal opportunities and diversity. Our HR-policy for researchers was awarded by the European Commission with the quality label HR Excellence in research.

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