Postdoctoral Researcher in Interdisciplinary Education

Welcome to Maastricht University!
The world is changing rapidly – and so are we. At Maastricht University, your work makes a difference. Whether you're exploring the future as a researcher, inspiring students in the classroom, or helping to build the foundations that support our education and research – you belong here.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Interdisciplinary Education

• Our goal: Gaining insight into the actual effectiveness of interdisciplinary undergraduate education in Maastricht.
• Your colleagues: An interdisciplinary project team with representatives from five bachelor's programmes at UM and Zuyd University of Applied Sciences.

What is the added value of interdisciplinary education? That’s the central question in this two-year research project, funded by the Dutch Research Council for Education (NRO). While more and more institutions are embracing interdisciplinary education, we know little about its actual impact on students' development of skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and creativity. This project, hosted by the Department of Society Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS), investigates how interdisciplinary programmes contribute to student learning – from the perspectives of students, educators and alumni.

You will coordinate the project independently, in close collaboration with representatives from the five participating programmes: Global Studies, Digital Society and University College Maastricht (UM), and Interdisciplinary Arts and European Studies (Zuyd). These programmes serve as ‘field labs’ for collecting data through surveys, interviews and focus groups. You will share your findings both within and beyond academia, through academic publications, workshops, blogs and practice-oriented reports. You will also further strengthen the network of researchers on interdisciplinary education in the Netherlands, and initiate and maintain a productive collaboration between the five participating bachelor programmes.

In addition to your research, you will also contribute to teaching at FASoS – specifically in quantitative methods and global citizenship skills. You will also supervise bachelor's and master's theses.

Are you curious about the impact of interdisciplinary education? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring
We’re not looking for checklists – we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Does this sound like you?

• Skilled researcher with methodological expertise – You’re confident using both quantitative and qualitative methods, as demonstrated in your PhD dissertation or journal publications. 
• (Almost) completed PhD – You hold (or are close to completing) a PhD in educational science, pedagogy, educational psychology, sociology, or a related field.
• Research coordinator – You’re experienced with research coordination and primary data gathering in an educational context, preferably using surveys, interviews and focus groups.
• First teaching experience – You’ve taught at university level, ideally in courses related to quantitative methods. A university teaching qualification (UTQ) is a plus.
• Organised and self-directed – You’re capable of independently planning and executing a complex research project.
• Collaborative and communicative – You enjoy working with colleagues across institutions and know how to build and maintain strong networks. You will further strengthen the network of researchers on interdisciplinary education in the Netherlands, and initiate and maintain a productive collaboration between the five participating bachelor programmes. 
• Interdisciplinary and internationally minded – You thrive in an international academic environment where multiple disciplines come together.
• Linguistically confident – You have excellent communication skills in English. Knowledge of Dutch is a plus.

What we offer
As Postdoctoral Researcher in Interdisciplinary Education at Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale 11 according to UFO profile Researcher, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €4537,00 and €6209,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of months with a scope of 0,6 - 0,8 FTE.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. 
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. 
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'. 
   

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences FASoS is a close-knit community of approximately 250 staff members and 2100 students. During breaks and before meetings, you can often find us at our favourite local coffee spot Bandito Espresso.  
 

Communication lines within our faculty are short and colleagues are always ready to assist each other. FASoS consists of a highly international student population and a significant part of our staff comes from abroad. Our faculty offers four bachelor programs, eight masters programs and two research master programs that are all characterized by their interdisciplinary approach.
 

Our research institute studies societies and cultures as they have developed in the modern and contemporary periods. We adopt a radically interdisciplinary approach, analysing the interconnections between Europeanization, globalization, scientific and technological advancement, political change, and cultural innovation. 
 

In addition to teaching and research, our colleagues enjoy expressing themselves creatively. They create podcasts, write poetry as well as fiction. 
 

Working at FASoS means working in a challenging yet informal environment. We believe in crafting your own career path and are always ready to help you in making the most of your job. For more information about FASoS, you can visit our website FASoS
 

Department
The PhD will be embedded in the Department of Society Studies at FASoS. This Department brings together scholars with knowledge and expertise in the interdisciplinary fields of Science, Technology and Society studies (STS) and Globalisation, Transnationalism and Development research. 

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Joris Boonen at joris.boonen@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information. 

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new postdoctoral researcher? Apply now, no later than August 22nd for this position. Please upload your CV (including publication list), motivation letter and contact information of 2 referees. 

The first interviews preferably take place mid-September. The second interviews will preferably be held in the last week of September 2025. 

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

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.