Tenure Track Assistant Professor STEM Education (1.0 FTE)
We have an opening for an Assistant Professor to strengthen our position in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) higher education. STEM education is primarily concerned with the theories, tools, methods, and approaches that facilitate the practice of STEM or the study of STEM through an interdisciplinary approach. As such, the field engages with questions related to STEM literacy, STEM thinking, problem-solving, critical thinking, teaching and learning, as well as connections between the STEM disciplines.
We offer you a full-time position and excellent career opportunities in our faculty’s career system Career Paths in Science and Engineering, including the perspective to get a permanent appointment (tenure) in 1-3 years and become Full Professor in approximately 10 years.
As Assistant Professor with a focus on research you will:
- play a significant role in the development of research and education at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, both at the course and the program level, in the area of STEM education
- set up and develop your own research line and research group as part of the Institute for Science Education and Communication
- supervise PhD students in the Institute for Science Education and Communication
- acquire external funding
- promote the societal relevance of your research
- contribute to the organization of the faculty, for example by participating in working groups and committees
- teach an introductory course in one of the undergraduate programs of the Faculty of Science and Engineering
- supervise scientific research projects in STEM education for the students in the master’s program Science Education and Communication
- teach the master’s level course “Research Methods in Education”
- contribute constructively to interdisciplinary collaboration in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education at the Institute and Faculty levels
- participate actively in international research networks.
At the stage of Assistant Professor, 60% of your time is dedicated to research, 30% to teaching and education development, and 10% to organizational tasks.
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 37000 students in BSc and MSc programmes, 4400 PhD students, and 4600 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) 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 mathematics, 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 Centre for Learning and Teaching which aims to improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education at the university level through research. This is done through explorative and intervention-based studies that include the development, implementation, and impact evaluation of curriculum materials, course design, pedagogical tools and instructional strategies as well as the use of digital tools in teaching and learning.
The Centre for Learning and Teaching works closely with the Science Shop, Science LinX, research schools (e.g. Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health) institutes and units (e.g. Teacher Education, Professionalisation and Innovation of Education, Science and Society, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) at the University of Groningen and it is affiliated with international organizations and associations (e.g., European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Young European Researchers in Mathematics Education, International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, European Science Education Research Association, National Association of Research in Science Teaching).
The two-year MSc-programme Science Education and Communication caters to students with a BSc in science, mathematics or engineering, and trains them to become either a science teacher in high school or a professional in the broad field of science communication.
