postdoctoral research will assess the changing interaction between diseases and 19th-century urban space, and how these spatial patterns reveal the effects of determinants of mortality due to infectious diseases.
Do you wish to join a high-level research team with a friendly atmosphere? And would you like to work jointly on an innovative multidisciplinary project spanning the fields of historical demography, medical history and historical epidemiology? Then you have a part to play as a postdoctoral researcher. This project aims to understand the substantial improvements in life expectancy prior to the 1930s, which caused the burden of disease to lift.
This postdoctoral job opportunity is part of a project called ‘Lifting the Burden of Disease. The Modernisation of Health in the Netherlands: Amsterdam 1854-1926’. This project aims to understand the substantial improvements in life expectancy prior to the 1930s as a result of the decline of infectious diseases, and the principal determinants driving this development, based on individual-level cause-of-death registers for the city of Amsterdam between 1854 and 1926. The project has a multidisciplinary perspective, situated at the interface between infectious disease dynamics and historical demography. The project is executed in cooperation with the Leiden University Medical Centre and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).Three postdoctoral researchers will work on this project, each focusing on one of three arenas in which the effects of mortality determinants are played out: 1) the urban disease environment, 2) life course and the family, and 3) the physical urban environment at the neighbourhood and street level. For a full description of the project, please contact the project leader Prof. A. Janssens.
You will work on subproject 3: Lifting the burden of disease: a spatial analysis of infectious diseases. You will work closely with the project leaders and the other two postdocs on the team.
Your postdoctoral research will assess the changing interaction between diseases and 19th-century urban space, and how these spatial patterns reveal the effects of determinants of mortality due to infectious diseases.
You will have three main tasks within the project:
1) To apply GIS techniques for different age groups and diseases to reveal clusters of high and low mortality areas, and to conduct spatial regression to assess the impact of environmental and socio-economic factors on spatial patterns in mortality.
2) To collect additional archival material and data from the Amsterdam city archive and other Dutch source material.
3) To produce spatial tools for valorisation goals, such as an exhibition, in close cooperation with other members of the project team.
You will contribute research results to the project’s database. You will present research results in at least one major article in an international scientific journal. Furthermore, you will cooperate closely with the project leaders and the other two postdoctoral researchers and participate in the project’s programme as a speaker and organiser.
Profile
- You hold a PhD degree in economic and social history, one of the social sciences such as economics, sociology or demography, or data science (and at least a manuscript approved by the board of examiners).
- You have an excellent research and publication record in relation to your career stage.
- You have demonstrable experience of working with GIS techniques and spatial regression models.
- You have an excellent command of written and spoken English.
- You must have the ability and commitment to work as part of a dynamic, international, productive and multidisciplinary team.
- For international applicants: You must be willing to acquire a working knowledge of the Dutch language.
We are
The Faculty of Arts is committed to knowledge production with a significant scientific and social impact. With over 500 academic and support staff, we teach and conduct research in the fields of history and art, languages and cultures, and linguistics and communication, using innovative methodologies and working in close collaboration between the disciplines. Our research is embedded in two research institutes: the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) and the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH). We currently have approximatively 2,500 students, enrolled in three departments: the Department of History, Art History and Classics, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, and the Department of Language and Communication. We aim to contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive world, which is why we especially seek applications from candidates who bring diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and skills that will be assets to our study programs and research profiles.
Radboud University
We want to get the best out of science, others and ourselves. Why? Because this is what the world around us desperately needs. Leading research and education make an indispensable contribution to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This is what unites the more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University. And this requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!
We offer
- Employment for 0.8 FTE.
- The gross monthly salary amounts to a minimum of €2,846 and a maximum of €4,490 based on a 38-hour working week, depending on previous education and number of years of relevant work experience (salary scale 10).
- You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
- You will be appointed on a fixed-term contract for the maximum duration of 17 months until 31 January 2024 with a trial period of 2 months.
- You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
- Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 29 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.
Additional employment conditionsWork and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University’s primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.
Would you like more information?
For questions about the position, please contact Angélique Janssens, Professor of Historical Demography at angelique.janssens@ru.nl.
Practical information and applications
You can apply until 23 May 2022, exclusively using the button below. Kindly address your application to Angélique Janssens. Please fill in the application form and attach the following documents:
- A letter of motivation including a 1,000 word statement outlining your research interests and compatibility with the project.
- Your CV including the names of two referees.
- A copy of your doctoral degree or a statement by your supervisor confirming that you will hold the required degree by the time of appointment.
- A sample of a published article.
The first round of interviews will take place on Tuesday 31 May. The second round of interviews will take place on Thursday 16 June. You would preferably begin employment on 1 September 2022.
We can imagine you’re curious about our application procedure. It offers a rough outline of what you can expect during the application process, how we handle your personal data and how we deal with internal and external candidates.
We drafted this vacancy to find and hire our new colleague ourselves. Recruitment agencies are kindly requested to refrain from responding.