Junior research professor (tenure track ZAPBOF)

As a member of the Tenured Senior Academic Staff (Dutch: Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel, ZAP), you will contribute to the University of Antwerp’s three core tasks: research, services, and education. Your role may also include organisational and managerial aspects. As a research professor, for a maximum of 10 years, your role will consist primarily of academic research with some limited involvement in the educational programmes.

Research

• You will expand high-quality scientific research in political representation, elected politicians, and the role of emotions in their political communication. You will work in the research group Media, Movements and Politics (M²P) of the Department of Political Science.
• You have already obtained a grant from the European Research Council in the field of political representation, which you will carry out in Antwerp.
• You will publish in international journals and specialist literature.
• You will develop an international scientific network.
• You will supervise PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.

Services

You will play a role in the provision of both academic services and service to society, within the institution and externally. You will participate in student recruitment, boards and committees, popular science communication, and so on.

Education

You will provide high-quality education in political science. You may also teach methodological courses in the future. You will contribute to the development of activating, student-centred, and competence-driven programme components and study programmes. You will supervise students and their Master dissertations.

Organisation and leadership

You will accept coordinating responsibilities in the core tasks of research, services, and/or education and you will contribute to policy. Your leadership style will be motivating and coaching. You will be attentive to your employees’ growth and development processes.

Profile

• You hold a PhD in political science.
• You can demonstrate a minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience (when you start work, at the latest).
• You have obtained an ERC-Starting Grant in the field of political science, specifically in the subdomain of political representation. This is a necessary condition.
• You have developed an international academic portfolio and you conduct high-quality academic research.
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
• Your teaching competencies are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision. You are motivated to develop your teaching skills further through the professionalisation opportunities.
• If you do not speak Dutch, the administrative language of the university, you should be willing to obtain a CEFR B2 level of proficiency in Dutch within five years after your appointment. As soon as you take on teaching duties as a programme component 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 through an integration trajectory and offers tailor-made language coaching in compliance with Flanders’ statutory language regulations.
• You demonstrate leadership potential and organisational skills.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity, and cooperation.

What we offer

We offer a full-time ZAPBOF appointment at the rank of assistant professor in the tenure track system for five After a favourable evaluation, this will lead to a permanent appointment as an associate professor. You will hold the position of research professor with limited teaching responsibilities for a maximum of ten years, allowing you to further strengthen your research portfolio. This ZAPBOF period is then followed by a standard position as a member of the Tenured Senior Academic Staff with a mixture of teaching, research, and service responsibilities. From the start of your employment at UAntwerp, you will receive €15,000 in operating funds to boost your research. If you have not previously obtained a DOCPRO fast-track project (doctoral scholarship) as a new ZAP UAntwerp member, we will also offer you funding to appoint a doctoral scholar for four years, provided that the doctoral project you are developing is evaluated positively. Your gross monthly salary is calculated according to the pay scales for Senior Academic Staff. You will receive ecocheques, an internet-connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting. The planned start date is 1 January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. You will do most of your work at the City Campus in a dynamic and stimulating working environment. Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here and discover all the other benefits.

Want to apply?

You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 15 October 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments: your motivation letter, the completed job application appendix for ZAP, your academic CV, a detailed research proposal for the next five years (approx. 5000 words), a report on your previous scientific research activities (max. 1000 words), a scientific abstract of the research plan of max. 500 words or 4000 characters. All documents must be submitted in English. The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. If you are invited to the selection interview, you will also be asked to propose a topic for a four-year PhD project. If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Wouter Van Dooren, department chair, wouter.vandooren@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the typical appointment framework for this research role, please contact the (TT)ZAPBOF officer in the Department of Research Affairs & Innovation, Marianne De Voecht (0032 3 265 30 29) or Birgit Houben (0032 3 265 31 39).