Professor (research) within Mathematics and Data Science

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. 

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. 

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again. 

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Research is looking for a part-time professor. 

More concretely your work package contains: 

Education and Research domain:

• You will be part of research group Mathematics and Data Science (MADS).
• The research group specialises in the pillars of mathematics consisting of Algebra, Analysis, Geometry and Statistics, including:
  • Discrete mathematics, finite geometry, and algebraic combinatorics;
  • Groups, Rings, and Associated Structures;
  • Category theory, e.g. in the context of representation theory and abstract topology;
  • Functional analysis, in particular the theory of operator algebras, partial differential equations and harmonic analysis;
  • Statistics and stochastic processes;
• The research group investigates the applications within data science, with specific research themes:
  • Coding Theory and Cryptography;
  • Computer vision;
  • Natural Language Processing;
  • Mathematical Foundations of Artificial Intelligence, in particular with respect to interpretability.

Education tasks:

• You can contribute to the teaching tasks by giving guest lectures, and by supervising bachelor's and/or master’s theses.

Research tasks:

• You will strengthen the specific research specialties in the MADS research group by bringing in expertise that is compatible with the main research themes within the research group.

• Preferably, the research is located in the intersection of different domains, or offers the potential to bring different lines of research together.

• You will also support the research group by attracting national and/or international funding, and by publishing in high-impact journals.

• You can also contribute by (co-)supervising PhD students. Possibility of cooperation with industry is a plus. 

Other tasks:

• You will to contribute to the valorisation of research results in the context of social service and active participation in outreach activities.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base. 

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You have an excellent academic record, including:

  • Peer-reviewed publications in leading high-impact journals;

  • Experience or potential in acquiring research funding at national and/or international level;

  • Experience in supervising research at master's and/or PhD level.

• You subscribe to the university’s vision of education. The full text in relation to this is available on the university website.

• Every first appointment is dependent upon the successful delivery of a teaching session.  

• Language regulations:

A member of the academic staff who is entrusted with a teaching assignment must also be able to demonstrate that the language of instruction is known at ERK level C1 through a qualification certificate or through an adequate diploma. The VUB also provides courses in, for example, academic English.

The administrative language of the VUB is Dutch. In case of insufficient knowledge of Dutch, the VUB will provide an integration course. After a maximum of five years, a member of the academic staff must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the administrative language (ERK level B2).

For a complete overview, please consult the complete language regulations on https://jobs.vub.be/content/Regulations-concerning-language-proficiency/. 

Certificates demonstrating knowledge of the language can already be added to the application. 

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered an appointment as professor, for an assignment of 0.1 FTE, for 2 years (renewable, on condition of the positive evaluation of the activities), with planned starting date 01/10/2024. 

You’ll receive a salary linked to one of the scales set by the government.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 13/05/2024, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your motivation letter, including your vision on education and research, and an explanation about the development of your future research;
• your curriculum vitae, including you academic dossier; 
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni) and language certificates.

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Secretariaat Research at rd.secretariaat@vub.be or on +32 (0)2 629 21 08.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.