Associate professor in Computer Systems

We’re looking for an Associate Professor in Computer Systems (with a career track to Full Professor) at VU Amsterdam who combines academic excellence with leadership skills.

Your function

The position is part of the Computer Systems and Security section. The section currently has five chairs: High Performance Distributed Computing (this vacancy), System and Network Security (Herbert Bos), Hardware Security (Cristiano Giuffrida), Massivising Computer Systems (Alexandru Iosup), and Foundational and Experimental Security (Fabio Massacci).

We expect the candidate to establish a new group. The department offers at least one (Career Track) Assistant Professor and a PhD position for the new group, to be filled after the candidate has started.

We invite experienced researchers from all areas of computer systems to apply. Topics of interest include, but are certainly not limited to, high-performance computing systems and computer networking. The candidate is expected to have a strong technical background and a keen eye for applications, in areas such as databases and data analytics systems, embedded systems, edge computing, exascale computing, hardware accelerators, performance engineering, energy-efficient computing, or machine learning.

Please note

The research group Computer Systems has one position available and only one appointment will be made. To attract the best-fitting candidate, this position is advertised through two separate postings at two academic levels: Associate Professor with a career track to Full Professor, and Full Professor. Applicants are invited to apply to the level that best matches their current profile and will be assessed against the criteria of that level. The final selection decision and appointment level will be determined based on the published requirements and assessment criteria, and the assessment outcome.

Your duties

The position includes research, education and management. Key responsibilities include:

• Setting up and leading a new research group in the area of Computer Systems.
• Developing a scientific research program supported by external funding.
• Contributing at least to the Computer Science Bachelor and Master programs, including the Computer Systems and Infrastructure MSc track. Many MSc classes in systems also attract students from AI, Computational Science, Computer Security, Bioinformatics, Business Analytics, and others.
• This position places a strong emphasis on governance and leadership.

Your profile

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore, we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Research

• A PhD in Computer Science or a closely related field.
• A strong and independent research profile with a clear long-term vision.
• A solid and growing publication record in internationally recognised journals and conferences.
• Active participation in the international research community, for example through programme committees or editorial boards.
• Demonstrated ability to acquire external research funding or contribute substantially to funded projects.
• Clear potential to grow into an internationally recognised research leader.

Teaching

• Demonstrated excellent teaching skills in both Bachelor’s and Master’s courses, as well as in supervising student projects.
• A clear vision for educational development and curriculum innovation.
• Experience supervising Bachelor’s, Master’s, and (co-)supervising PhD students.
• In possession of, or willing to obtain, the University Teaching Qualification (BKO).

Leadership

• Intellectual leadership: leading a research line or thematic group.
• Coordination of projects, courses, or small teams.
• Responsibility for quality and social safety within one’s own group.
• Ability to support colleagues’ development and foster an inclusive, safe working environment.

Career Track Expectations (towards Full Professor)

• Growth towards strategic leadership and broader departmental responsibilities.
• Increasing international visibility and recognition.
• Development of a sustainable research group.
• Progression towards formal promotorship and responsibility for PhD policy.

What do we offer?

We offer a Career Track position at the level of Associate Professor (profile Associate Professor 1 or 2, scale 13 or 14). The initial appointment will be for a period of 1.5 years including a two-month probationary period, which will be turned into a tenured position after satisfactory evaluation with specific performance indicators.

• The exact UFO-profile depends on your education and experience.
• A position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 18 months.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Solid pension scheme (ABP).
• Contribution to commuting expenses.
• Optional model for designing a personalized benefits package.

About us

Department of Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is an internationally recognised centre of excellence, advancing the full spectrum of Computer Science in both research and education. It comprises approximately 230 staff members and is organised around strongly connected themes: AI & Data, Systems & Infrastructure, Software, Security & Privacy and Theory of Computation.

The department combines fundamental insights with real-world application across a wide range of societal domains. In doing so, it adopts a human-centred and interdisciplinary approach, contributing to a healthy, sustainable and secure digital society in which responsible computing advances the wellbeing of people and planet.

Faculty of Science

Working at the Faculty of Science means collaborating with students, lecturers and researchers who are focused on their field, yet have a broad view of the world. We are proud of a positive and inclusive workplace culture within the faculty, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy and just future.

Our academic education and research are highly experimental, technical and interdisciplinary in nature. That is why we collaborate extensively with leading scientific institutes and industry.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.