Assistant / Associate Professor Designing for large groups and communities

Job description

The Department of Industrial Design (ID) is one of the nine departments of TU/e and has an internationally leading position because of its core commitment to research through design (RtD) and its strikingly original conceptual work. ID’s ambition is to be recognized as one of the top departments in the world that conduct exciting research in the intersection of Design, Technology, Human-Computer Interaction, and Social Sciences and Humanities. In particular, the department aims to inspire and educate a new generation of design engineers who can contribute with their novel designs, their fluency in AI/ML algorithms and data, and their academic critical questioning, to the imminent and complex societal challenges our world is facing nowadays.

The ID education program is competence-centered, self-directed and challenged-based. ID focuses on educating students to design through five different perspectives (called Expertise Areas), through core courses and electives:

• Math, data and computing.
• User and society.
• Technology and realization.
• Business and entrepreneurship.
• Creativity and aesthetics.

Students also learn to make connections between the different perspectives within project groups called squads. In addition, the ID education curriculum encourages and empowers students to take the ownership of their personal and professional development.  Supported by their academic coaches, through ID curriculum and their personal, industrial and research projects, students develop a unique competence of designing and related design approaches individually. Next to self-directed learning and competence development, the educational model of ID is challenge-based. ID students work together on challenging and authentic projects in which multiple perspectives or disciplines are incorporated to solve the challenge (for example by working within interdisciplinary groups) using an entrepreneurial mindset.

At the Industrial Design department we have two research groups: Systemic Change and Future Everyday.

Job description

As an Assistant / Associate Professor you will contribute to the department through both research and education.

Research: Building on existing approaches to engage with large groups of individuals and communities, you will generate knowledge by creating systems and evaluating interventions in a societal context, to understand how best to engage with individuals as building blocks for systemic change and societal transformation. Your research will expand extant expertise in social media, meta-design, transformative design in the domain of citizen science, platform design, groupware. It will bridge between the design and the use of applications for individual users, to address community-level and societal-level challenges. Understanding how to create viable communities, how to design moderation strategies, and understanding how costs and benefits to connect individual levels and group levels need to be addressed.

Education: You shall contribute to our educational expertise in Technology & Realization, Math, Data & Computing, and User & Society through courses at bachelor’s and master’s level in topics related to social computing and creative programming. Your remaining educational activities involve defining and supervising student design projects in areas related to the above topics, and addressing some of the application domains most relevant to the department, e.g., sustainability, inclusive society, smart mobility, healthcare, etc.

Job requirements

• Motivated researcher, with a PhD in Design, HCI, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering or other related disciplines.
• Ability to conduct high quality academic research, reflected by demonstratable products.
• Ability to teach, shown by experience or assistance in teaching. Informed vision on teaching and learning in your own discipline.
• Strong cooperation skills and ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
• Effective communication and leadership skills, including coaching and mentoring of students and staff or leading a project.
• Excellent proficiency (written and verbal) in English. 
• Experience in acquiring grants will strengthen your application.

Conditions of employment

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• A Tenure Track of five years with the prospect of becoming Associate Professor. If you have a more senior profile, a tailor-made career proposal will be considered.
• The opportunity to focus your career on education, research, or impact. You can develop your personal ambitions and objections within the strategic objectives of the university.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 11-12 (min. €3.821,- max. €5.943,-) for Assistant Professors and 13-14 for Associate Professors (min. €5.294,- max. €7.079,-).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• A dedicated mentoring program to help you get to know the university and the Dutch (research) environment.
• High-quality training programs for academic leadership and teaching.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as is a tax compensation scheme (the 30% Facility) and Partner Career Support.

Information and application

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-5-position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow. 
Curious to hear more about what it is like as a professor at TU/e? Please view the video. 

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact the prof.dr. Lin-Lin Chen, Dean of Industrial Design, l.chen[at]tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the terms of employment. You can also contact Hella Ploegmakers, Recruiter, h.a.m.ploegmakers[at]tue.nl or +31 648188323.

Are you inspired to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application

Please apply on the page of your preferred vacancy.
The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references.
• Description of your scientific interests and plans (1-2 pages).
• Statement of your teaching goals and experience (1-2 pages).

The vacancy will close September 20^th. CV screening will take place until September 30^th. Interviews will take place in October and November, on Monday afternoons or Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Job offers are expected to be sent in December and January.