Post-doc position in STEM education

Job description

We are seeking candidates with a Ph.D. in STEM education or related field; a background in any of the STEM disciplines or education and a strong interest in gender inclusivity framed in queer theory, professional development training, and mixed-methods research approached. The physical work location for this position will be Groningen, The Netherlands at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials. This position is a collaborative project between Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM) and the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) at the University of Groningen.

This postdoctoral position is part of the Erasmus+ Programme 'Partnerships for Innovation - Forward Looking Projects', which involves a consortium of ten partners, both universities and NGOs in Europe. Forward-Looking Projects are large-scale projects that have the potential of becoming mainstream and giving input for improving education, training, and youth systems, as well as bringing a substantial innovative effect in terms of methods and practices.

The objectives of the project are to:

• Develop a framework for gender and sexual diversity-inclusive STEM education
• Develop a training toolkit for gender and sexual diversity-inclusive STEM education
• Carry out professional development workshops for school teachers and university instructors

Organisation

Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an excellent international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 34,000 students and researchers alike to develop their talents. As one of the best research institutions in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge, situated in the vibrant city of Groningen in the north of The Netherlands.

The Centre for Learning and Teaching aims to improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education at the university level through research and professional development. 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.

Qualifications

The successful candidate for this position will have the following qualifications/qualities:

• a PhD degree in STEM education or a related field
• strong interest in gender and sexual diversity-inclusive STEM education
• teaching experience at any level
• demonstrably excellent skills in research methodologies relevant to studying learning and teaching: quantitative and/or qualitative research methods, practice-based research, participatory action research, or ethnography
• a good track record in research, as shown by publications in international peer-reviewed journals
• demonstrable organizational competences
• excellent command of spoken and written English
• very good communication skills, so as to function as an excellent team player in this collaborative effort
• enthusiasm and initiative to perform creative research in an interdisciplinary setting.

Organisation

Conditions of employment

The University of Groningen offers, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

• a salary of € 3,877 gross per month (scale 10, step 4) in the first year to a maximum of € 4,185 gross per month (scale 10, step 6) (salary scale Dutch Universities), based on a full-time position (1.0 FTE) depending of relevant work experience after attaining PhD
• a gross holiday allowance of 8%
• a gross 8.3% year-end bonus
• a position for 15 months.