Assistant Professor in Storytelling and Digital Media

Welcome to Maastricht University!

Our university values research and teaching on narratives and storytelling because they are fundamental to how people understand the world, communicate ideas, and connect across cultures. Storytelling has long been central to disciplines such as literature, history, and the arts, but its significance now extends far beyond traditional forms. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, narratives are created and shared through multimedia, interactive technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and global platforms, shaping how knowledge is produced, circulated, and interpreted. In valuing narratives and storytelling, the university affirms their enduring importance while recognizing their transformation with digital tools and systems—preparing students and researchers to engage thoughtfully with a world increasingly shaped by diverse and dynamic forms of narrative.

Assistant Professor in Storytelling and Digital Media

• Our goal: We aim to strengthen our expertise in the study of narrative across media, especially how storytelling evolves across literary, audiovisual, interactive, and digital forms.
• Your colleagues: You will join the Literature and Art department and the research program Arts, Media, and Culture (AMC). Depending on your research focus, you may also collaborate with colleagues in one of our research centers, such as the Center for Gender and Diversity (CGD), the Maastricht Centre for Arts and Culture, Conservation and Heritage (MACCH), and the Maastricht Center for Citizenship, Migration, and Development.

The position and profile

We are opening an Assistant Professor position in Storytelling and Digital Media. We are looking for a colleague with a background in literary or media studies whose research explores how storytelling is shaped by digital media and technologies, examining emerging narrative forms such as immersive media, data visualization, games, social media, and other digital platforms. We are interested in research that addresses critical questions of representation, ethics, inclusion, and the role of digital infrastructures in shaping whose stories are told, how they circulate, and how they are experienced. In teaching, you will equip students with the conceptual and practical skills to critically analyze narratives across media and to create meaningful, responsible, and innovative forms of storytelling using contemporary digital tools. You will contribute to an interdisciplinary learning environment that brings together perspectives from the humanities, the social sciences, and technological fields, reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of storytelling with and through digital, creative, and interactive media.

What you do

You will contribute to the teaching in a variety of BA and MA programs at FASoS, such as the BA programs Digital Society and Arts and Culture and the MA programs Media Studies: Digital Cultures and Arts and Culture. Teaching tasks include tutoring, coordinating, and lecturing courses, as well as supervising internships and BA and MA theses. You will engage in field-leading research in storytelling with and through digital media, publishing in leading journals, presenting at conferences, and organizing research activities. At FASoS, teaching and research duties follow the regular division of 60% teaching and management and 40% research. The research time can be extended through external fundraising at the national and European level. FASoS is a collaborative environment, and you are expected to actively collaborate with colleagues from across departments in interdisciplinary teaching and research activities, especially in the context of the AMC research program.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring

We’re not looking for someone who ticks all the checkboxes; we are interested in who you are and what you bring.

Do you recognize yourself in this?

• PhD in digital humanities, media studies, literary studies, cultural studies or related fields
• Expert in the study of narrative in a digital context. You study how digital technologies and media transformations shape narrative forms, practices, and experiences. This may include research on transmedia storytelling, digital literature, audiovisual and interactive narratives, games, social media, immersive media, AI-generated narratives, or other emerging forms of storytelling. 
• Experienced researcher. You have a growing publication record, appropriate to your career stage, in internationally recognized venues, and are motivated to develop collaborative grant proposals.
• Technology-savvy: You have an affinity for digital tinkering at the intersection of the social sciences and the humanities and can teach courses that focus on hardware, software, networking, cybersecurity, and big data. You combine a strong conceptual understanding with a practical, hands-on approach, and are able to translate technological knowledge into applied settings and guide others in doing the same.
• Inspiring teacher. You have demonstrated experience in course coordination, teaching innovation, and thesis supervision. You encourage active student participation and value team teaching within our Problem-Based Learning (PBL) system. You are willing to obtain the Dutch University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within two years.
• Collegial and community-minded. You contribute to our academic environment through openness, collaboration, and a willingness to take on shared responsibilities.
• Multilingual communicator. You have an excellent command of English (C1 level, written and spoken). Non-Dutch speakers are expected to acquire an intermediate level of Dutch (B1) within three years.

For the successful fulfilment of this position, candidates should be willing to relocate to Maastricht or in the vicinity.

What we offer
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer: 

• An 18-month contract with the prospect of a permanent contract based on mutual satisfaction.

• A gross monthly salary between €4,728 and €6,433 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on a full-time contract), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to partially work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS)
FASoS is a close-knit, international community of thinkers, doers, and connectors. We offer interdisciplinary education in cultural and social sciences, and our research focuses on societies in transition. Creativity and collaboration are central; ranging from European integration, digitalization, and culture to innovative educational projects. FASoS is small-scale, informal, and diverse, with room to follow your own path.

About the Literature and Art department

The expertise of the colleagues in the Literature and Art department spans a wide range of disciplines, including art and literary studies, media and cultural studies, the digital humanities, heritage and memory studies, cultural industries and cultural policy, gender and diversity studies, and sociolinguistics. Most of its staff members are affiliated with the research program AMC, and many contribute to the Maastricht Center for Arts and Culture, Conservation, and Heritage and the Center for Gender and Diversity. The department delivers teaching capacity to most notably the BA and MA Arts and Culture and the BA Digital Society and MA Media Studies: Digital Cultures at FASoS. It also offers an extensive catalogue of courses at the liberal arts program of the University College Maastricht. Our teaching highlights different methods of analysis like narrative, visual, and discourse analysis, (digital) ethnography, and design thinking.

Interested?
Do you want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Contact Dr. Costas Papadopoulos at k.papadopoulos@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

The deadline for submitting your application is Sunday 13 September.  

Please upload the following documents

• Your PhD degree certificate;
• A full CV (including a complete list of publications with clear differentiation between peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications and an overview of teaching experience, funding acquisition, management experience, and outreach activities);
• A motivation letter (2 pages);
• A research & teaching statement;
• Teaching evaluations;
• A writing sample (preferably a published article or book chapter);
• Any digital output (e.g., interactive narrative, game etc.) that you would like the committee to consider.
• The contact information of up to three academic referees (including e-mail, phone number, and relationship to the applicant).

Please note that the application process includes a series of screening questions in addition to the above documents that need to be uploaded. Therefore, please make sure to start your application in a timely manner.

Your motivation letter and research and teaching statement should include the following elements:  

Clearly explain why you are a strong fit for the position of Assistant Professor in Storytelling and Digital Media at FASoS and how you meet the expectations for a tenure-track appointment at our university. Please address the following elements: 

1. Motivation and fit 

• Explain your motivation for applying to our department and faculty;
• Describe how your expertise in storytelling and digital media aligns with our existing strengths, research themes, and curriculum;
• If applicable, indicate your interest in contributing to interdisciplinary initiatives, research groups, or societal impact activities. 

2. Research profile and agenda 

• Summarize your research background, including your main areas of specialization (AOS) and competence (AOC);
• Highlight your most significant contributions to date (e.g., published papers, book projects, working papers or other forms of digital, creative, and interactive outputs in line with the topics of the job vacancy);

• How does your research explore the creation of narratives through technology?

• Provide a concise overview of your research agenda for the next 3–5 years, including planned publications, funding applications, and potential collaborations (make connections with AMC);
• If relevant, briefly describe experience with grant acquisition, research leadership, or societal engagement. 

3. Teaching experience and philosophy 

• Outline your teaching experience, including courses taught, levels (BA/MA), formats (lectures, seminars), and responsibilities (course coordination, assessment);
• Describe your teaching philosophy, especially how you follow the principles of PBL, and support an inclusive learning environment;

• What is your experience with teaching technology-focused courses, particularly courses where students learn how to apply technological skills, e.g., to create narratives?
• How do you approach teaching students to use technology as part of the storytelling process?

• Indicate which courses in our curriculum you feel prepared to teach and what your contributions could be to further develop these courses;
• Mention any experience with supervising theses, mentoring students, or co-developing new courses. 

4. Contribution to the Academic Community 

• Describe your experience with academic service, such as committee work, organizing workshops or conferences, peer review, or departmental contributions;
• If applicable, mention experience fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

5. Contact Information and referees 

Provide your full contact details and include links to: 

• Your ORCID profile or other relevant links
• The names of up to three academic references who can speak to your qualifications for the vacancy.  

Note: Incomplete applications that do not include all required documents will not be considered.

The first round of interviews is scheduled for 16 October 2026. Candidates who pass to the following stage they will be asked to attend an interview on 26 October 2026. Please note that a presentation related to the candidate’s research expertise and a teaching-related assignment will be part of the second interview.

The successful candidate is expected to start in January 2027 or soon thereafter.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.