Department: Department of History
Regime Full-time
Let’s shape the future – University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow’s world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape.
The Department of History in the Faculty of Arts is looking for a Full Time doctoral scholarship holder in the field of the History of Wealth Inequality, with focus on houses and real estate (An Ancestor’s Tale. Partim: Houses and Real Estate).
Position
- You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis in History. Your research is part of the interuniversity iBOF-project “An Ancestor’s Tale” (VUB-UAntwerpen-KULeuven), which aims to reconstruct and explain patterns of wealth ownership and its transmission across generations over a period of 200 years in Belgium. This specific PhD-project investigates how, when and why Belgian parents between 1800 and 1920 supported their children in acquiring real estate, and how such transfers impacted the life course of the children, and fostered social mobility.
- You will contribute to the collective datasets developed within the Ancestor’s Tale project.
- You will commit to publishing the result of your research in peer-reviewed academic journals.
- You will take part in the team activities organized by the supervisors of the project and of your research group, including seminars and workshops.
- For a maximum of 10% of your time, you will contribute to teaching, for example by assisting in the supervision of bachelor- and master theses, and help with small administrative tasks.
- You are prepared to work at both the UAntwerpen and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Profile
- You hold a Master degree in History or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.
- You can demonstrate excellent study results.
- You can demonstrate a strong interest in social and economic history, and you are passionate about historical research helping to answer major societal challenges.
- You can demonstrate an acquaintance with handwritten historical sources, in particular from the 19th century (written in Dutch in French).
- You have a strong interest and skills in working with quantitative data and methods (including GIS) or you are willing to develop these skills;
- You are looking forward to participate in international scientific conferences and are interested in developing your ability to effectively communicate your research findings both in English and in Dutch;
- You are quality-oriented, accurate, honest, creative, collaborative and you can work efficiently;
- You have an analytical mind, excellent communication and writing skills. You can read and understand Dutch, French, and English;
- You take initiative to develop your own research project autonomously and complete it in time.
- Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
- Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
- You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
What we offer
- We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of one year to begin with. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be renewed once for another three-year period (four years in total).
- Opportunities to participate in courses to expand your knowledge and skills in research methods for social and historical sciences;
- Opportunities for further professional development (e.g., by taking additional courses, participating in workshops, seminars and conferences, working on transferable skills);
- Opportunities to travel to and participate in international conferences;
- A constructive and stimulating research environment that allows you to build your experience and network in research under adequate supervision.
- The planned start date is 1 November 2023 or as soon as possible after that date.
- Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders on the pay scales for Contract Research Staff (Dutch: Bijzonder Academisch Personeel, BAP).
- You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
- You will do most of your work at City Campus UAntwerpen (Centre for Urban History) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Social History of Capitalism) in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
- Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.
Want to apply?
- You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 18 september 2023. Click on the ‘Apply’ button, complete the online application form and be sure to include the following attachments: a motivation letter and your academic CV.
- The selection committee will review all of the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision has been made, we will inform you about the next steps in the selection procedure.
- 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 dr. Tim Soens (tim.soens@uantwerpen.be) or prof. dr. Wouter Ryckbosch (wouter.ryckbosch@vub.be)
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.