Primary Practice Group: Higher Education and Research

Salary & Benefits: The position is offered on a full-time basis. The gross monthly salary is dependent on previous qualifications and experience and ranges between €6,099 and €8,881 (scale H2 Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities). Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8 % of annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3 % of annual salary per year.

Closing Date: 01/05/2023

Formal Interview Date: Applications will be considered by the selection committee in May and shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview on Monday 22nd May and Thursday 1st June. Selection of and negotiations with the preferred candidate and final campus visits will take place thereafter.

Chair in Medieval English Literature and Culture – University of Groningen

Situated in the bustling economic and cultural capital of the region, the University of Groningen is a research-intensive university with a truly global outlook that attracts a large number of staff and students from the Netherlands and internationally.

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high quality teaching and research. Its 30,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international centre of knowledge: it belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide. The University of Groningen has a strong commitment to the principles and practices of diversity and inclusion throughout the University community and welcomes candidates who enhance that diversity. 

The Faculty of Arts is building on a long-standing tradition of four centuries, and its mission is to create positive societal and academic impact through relevant, high-quality teaching and research. The faculty strives to remain an ambitious top-ranking faculty with excellent education and state-of-the-art research, with a strong international orientation, firmly rooted in the North of The Netherlands. The faculty builds and shares knowledge which benefits society, and educates over 5.000 Dutch and international students to become forward-looking, articulate and independent academics.

The faculty offers a multidisciplinary environment and a wide range of degree programmes. Its research, which is internationally acclaimed, covers the fields of Archaeology, Cultural Studies, History, International Relations, Journalism, Language and Literary Studies, and Linguistics.

Research conducted at the Faculty of Arts is very diverse and multidisciplinary and organised in research institutes, each comprised of multiple smaller research groups. Medieval English Literature and Culture encompasses the literatures of medieval England and continental Europe from late antiquity to around 1500, and includes literature in Old English, Early Middle English, Late Middle English and Older Scots. The curriculum of Medieval English Literature and Culture covers a wide variety of medieval and early modern texts as phenomena which are studied, criticised and edited from their original forms with a universal transcultural empathy adequate to the twenty-first century.

The Faculty of Arts is seeking to appoint a Chair of Medieval English Literature and Culture to complement and reinforce the existing strengths and the future of literary studies. This role is particularly suitable for an enthusiastic academic leader who shows a willingness and ability to lead the Medieval English Literature and Culture group and to strengthen its research profile and promote the academic talent and career development of the team.

The new Chair is an internationally recognised expert in Medieval English Literature and Culture with a focus on the literature of the later Middle Ages. A combination of literature in Middle English and Older Scots would be a welcome contribution to the groups’ coverage of medieval literature. The successful candidate will have an excellent track record of published research, as evidenced by high-quality monographs and/or articles in international peer-reviewed journals and successful, high-quality grant applications. The successful candidate is internationally renowned in the field and has a relevant, strategic national and international network – demonstrated, for example, by invited lectures and participation in conferences, conference organisation and a leading role in relevant professional organisations and editorial boards of academic journals in the field.

The new Chair is able to create and strengthen collaborations within the Faculty and University and with the broader research field and society. The Chair has a strong societal network and demonstrable experience with knowledge valorisation, being capable of translating research and teaching to societal partners and a general audience.

Person Specification

The successful appointee will evidence:

• a PhD degree in Medieval English  Literature or a closely related discipline;
• an excellent research track record, as evidenced by a proven excellence in academic research, by publications in leading international journals and books published by high-ranking publishers;
• successfully obtained funding for research projects/submitted excellent grant applications;
• a relevant, strategic international network, demonstrated by, for example, participation in internationally relevant conferences and leading roles on editorial boards;
• extensive experience in and a passion for education, as well as an innovative view on teaching, including active learning and interdisciplinary teaching;
• excellent leadership skills, including proven experience in supervising PhD students mentoring junior and more senior academic staff members and demonstrable organisational competences;
• a strong societal network and demonstrable experience with societal impact;
• fluency in English and Dutch or a willingness to learn the Dutch language for which support is available.               .

Conditions of Employment

The position is offered on a full-time basis. The gross monthly salary is dependent on previous qualifications and experience and ranges between €6,099 and €8,881 (scale H2 Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities). Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8 % of annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3 % of annual salary per year.

The University of Groningen provides career services for partners of new faculty members moving to Groningen (http://www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/that-is-why/dual-career-support/).

The University of Groningen has adopted an active policy to increase the number of female scientists across all disciplines of the University. Therefore, female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

For more information on the terms of employment, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us/new-staff/

Appointment Process and How to Apply

An executive search exercise is being undertaken by Perrett Laver to support the university in identifying the widest possible field of qualified candidates and assisting in the assessment of candidates against the requirements for the role. Queries can be directed to Norbert Lieftink via Norbert.Lieftink@perrettlaver.com or +31 (0) 202 404 378.

Applications should consist of a cover letter stating motivation and a complete curriculum vitae including a publication list.

These can be uploaded at https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies quoting reference 6234.

The closing date for applications is 9am CEST on Monday 1st May 2023.

Applications will be considered by the selection committee in May and shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview on Monday 22nd May and Thursday 1st June. Selection of and negotiations with the preferred candidate and final campus visits will take place thereafter.

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Source : Perret Laver