Come work with us
For this position, you combine an academic-level education as a metals conservator and proven experience as a conservator working in that field, with a PhD degree, and experience as an educator in the field of metals conservation.
As the ideal candidate, you have a strong profile in research that enhances our understanding of the material composition, making, ageing and conservation of archaeological metal objects, preferably with experience in collaborating with archaeologists or with a background that includes archaeology courses. Experience in the use of participatory practices (forms of community engagement) is of additional interest.
Teaching within UvA Conservation and Restoration is primarily connected to the metal conservation specialisation. However, we expect the candidate to expand approaches to other specialisations, playing a role in programme-wide courses and collaborating with our other specialisations to teach the conservation of archaeological objects composed of other materials besides metal, such as glass, ceramics, textiles, and wood.
This is what you will be doing
Your professional activities will be divided between research and teaching. Your duties also include contributing to the renewal and improvement of the curriculum, and you will play a role in the organisational side of teaching and research within the programme.
Your research area of the Assistant Professor Conservation Approaches for Archaeological Materials extends from practices of research and care for the material nature of archaeological objects and their associated immaterial values, to practices aimed at the involvement of (local) stakeholder communities. Historically, the fields of conservation and archaeology have evolved along different paths, leading to distinctive approaches and methodologies based on different value systems. Recent trends in conservation steer us more towards people-centred practices, drawing the two fields closer together and motivating the development of new collaborations and cross-overs.
Your research will draw on the historical development and epistemologies underpinning practices developed in conservation and archaeology, collaborating towards the development new participatory approaches and strategies that serve both fields and beyond.These activities are supported by our strong relations with the professional field.
As Assistant Professor you will further extend such existing collaborations, for instance with the archaeology department of the city of Amsterdam and the Allard Pierson Museum, with Museum Kaap Skil and the Province of North Holland for conservation research on the objects excavated from a 17th century shipwreck (BZN17), and with conservation scientists and archaeologists from the RCE and conservators from Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
Furthermore, you will be:
- designing and conducting independent research within the field of the conservation of (archaeological) metal objects and related aspects, resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals and/or books as well as publications for the wider professional field;
- actively pursuing external funding for research, notably funding from national and international research councils;
- actively contributing to and developing national and international research networks and other forms of cooperation;
- developing, coordinating and teaching courses in the Master and APP programme of Conservation & Restoration, and in the minor Conservation & Restoration;
- supervising Bachelor, Master and APP theses and tutoring students; co-supervising PhD theses;
- working with our conservation lecturers and technical art history lecturers to further develop our interdisciplinary learning environment;
- actively contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department;
- taking part in committees and working groups, and carrying out departmental administrative tasks as required.
This is what we ask of you
We are looking for a dynamic, inspiring and engaging researcher and teacher in Metals conservation, someone who enjoys guiding the students in their development towards the conservation profession, and someone who likes to take responsibility for maintaining the quality of our education programme in close collaboration with the rest of the team. You are an enthusiastic team player whose CV shows your capacity to work independently as well as in teams. You show initiative and have a flexible and inquisitive nature. Your publications reveal broad knowledge of the issues encountered by conservators in their daily work, and innovative solutions to support them.
You have:
- a PhD in conservation with a research focus on archaeological metal objects;
- a Master’s in metals conservation;
- advanced skills and experience in metals conservation practice;
- a strong (inter)national academic network in the research area concerned;
- an active and ambitious researcher with a strong publication record;
- the demonstrable ability and ambition to obtain external research grants;
- broad and relevant teaching experience at BA and MA levels;
- experience in valorisation and practice-based education and/or research;
- an excellent command of English - note that the language of the teaching programme is English. If Dutch is not your mother tongue, an active and passive command must be acquired within two years of the employment contract and the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II must be passed;
- having obtained the Dutch Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO), or willing to acquire this within the first two years of your appointment;
- experience with digital and audio-visual teaching facilities and affinity with IT in university teaching;
- a good team player and versatile at all levels, capable of interdisciplinary cooperation;
- excellent and demonstrable skills in organisation and communication.
This is what else we offer you
We offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation, following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 12 months with a probationary period of two months. If you already have an employment contract with the UvA, we offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 18 months. The employment is for 30.4 hours per week. The preferred starting date is 15 October 2025.
The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week, ranges between €4.537 (scale 11) to €7.056 (scale 12) dependent on relevant experience. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.
We additionally offer:
- excellent research facilities due to our collaboration within the NICAS, Netherlands Institute for Conservation+ Art+ Science+ and the many other (inter)national networks we are part of;
- excellent opportunities for professional and personal development;
- an inspiring and international academic working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.
This is where you will be working
Together with the other main lecturer within the specialisation of Metals conservation, you will carry responsibility for the MA and APP education of conservators in this track, guiding them in the development of academic and practical knowledge and skills with inspiring lectures and workshops, developed according to the latest insights. You will supervise student conservation treatments and internships, and mentor and advise students during their 4 years of study, and support and (co-) supervise student research projects at MA, APP and PhD level. You will also teach an introduction to the conservation of Metals in the BA minor programme, and contribute to programme-wide courses on general topics according to your background (e.g. in modules on science, historical source research or conservation ethics and theory).
As the successful candidate, you will join a dynamic context with ample opportunities for research and for the development of innovative teaching methods. In your teaching and research, you have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers and lecturers in our team that covers ten different specialisations. Your research will be part of the Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture, one of the five research schools of the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research. Within the AHM Research School, archaeologists and conservators already collaborate, for example, in their joint AHM theme, “Materiality and Material Culture”.
The Department of Arts and Culture at the UvA is a large academic department that connects research and teaching in Art History, Cultural Studies, Theatre Studies, Music Studies, and Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage.
The section Conservation and Restoration, Department of Arts and Culture (faculty of Humanities) is offering a position for an Assistant Professor (UD) Conservation Approaches for Archaeological Materials, with special focus on metals.
Come work with us
For this position, you combine an academic-level education as a metals conservator and proven experience as a conservator working in that field, with a PhD degree, and experience as an educator in the field of metals conservation.
As the ideal candidate, you have a strong profile in research that enhances our understanding of the material composition, making, ageing and conservation of archaeological metal objects, preferably with experience in collaborating with archaeologists or with a background that includes archaeology courses. Experience in the use of participatory practices (forms of community engagement) is of additional interest.
Teaching within UvA Conservation and Restoration is primarily connected to the metal conservation specialisation. However, we expect the candidate to expand approaches to other specialisations, playing a role in programme-wide courses and collaborating with our other specialisations to teach the conservation of archaeological objects composed of other materials besides metal, such as glass, ceramics, textiles, and wood.
This is what you will be doing
Your professional activities will be divided between research and teaching. Your duties also include contributing to the renewal and improvement of the curriculum, and you will play a role in the organisational side of teaching and research within the programme.
Your research area of the Assistant Professor Conservation Approaches for Archaeological Materials extends from practices of research and care for the material nature of archaeological objects and their associated immaterial values, to practices aimed at the involvement of (local) stakeholder communities. Historically, the fields of conservation and archaeology have evolved along different paths, leading to distinctive approaches and methodologies based on different value systems. Recent trends in conservation steer us more towards people-centred practices, drawing the two fields closer together and motivating the development of new collaborations and cross-overs.
Your research will draw on the historical development and epistemologies underpinning practices developed in conservation and archaeology, collaborating towards the development new participatory approaches and strategies that serve both fields and beyond.These activities are supported by our strong relations with the professional field.
As Assistant Professor you will further extend such existing collaborations, for instance with the archaeology department of the city of Amsterdam and the Allard Pierson Museum, with Museum Kaap Skil and the Province of North Holland for conservation research on the objects excavated from a 17th century shipwreck (BZN17), and with conservation scientists and archaeologists from the RCE and conservators from Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
Furthermore, you will be:
- designing and conducting independent research within the field of the conservation of (archaeological) metal objects and related aspects, resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals and/or books as well as publications for the wider professional field;
- actively pursuing external funding for research, notably funding from national and international research councils;
- actively contributing to and developing national and international research networks and other forms of cooperation;
- developing, coordinating and teaching courses in the Master and APP programme of Conservation & Restoration, and in the minor Conservation & Restoration;
- supervising Bachelor, Master and APP theses and tutoring students; co-supervising PhD theses;
- working with our conservation lecturers and technical art history lecturers to further develop our interdisciplinary learning environment;
- actively contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department;
- taking part in committees and working groups, and carrying out departmental administrative tasks as required.
This is what we ask of you
We are looking for a dynamic, inspiring and engaging researcher and teacher in Metals conservation, someone who enjoys guiding the students in their development towards the conservation profession, and someone who likes to take responsibility for maintaining the quality of our education programme in close collaboration with the rest of the team. You are an enthusiastic team player whose CV shows your capacity to work independently as well as in teams. You show initiative and have a flexible and inquisitive nature. Your publications reveal broad knowledge of the issues encountered by conservators in their daily work, and innovative solutions to support them.
You have:
- a PhD in conservation with a research focus on archaeological metal objects;
- a Master’s in metals conservation;
- advanced skills and experience in metals conservation practice;
- a strong (inter)national academic network in the research area concerned;
- an active and ambitious researcher with a strong publication record;
- the demonstrable ability and ambition to obtain external research grants;
- broad and relevant teaching experience at BA and MA levels;
- experience in valorisation and practice-based education and/or research;
- an excellent command of English - note that the language of the teaching programme is English. If Dutch is not your mother tongue, an active and passive command must be acquired within two years of the employment contract and the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II must be passed;
- having obtained the Dutch Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO), or willing to acquire this within the first two years of your appointment;
- experience with digital and audio-visual teaching facilities and affinity with IT in university teaching;
- a good team player and versatile at all levels, capable of interdisciplinary cooperation;
- excellent and demonstrable skills in organisation and communication.
This is what else we offer you
We offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation, following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 12 months with a probationary period of two months. If you already have an employment contract with the UvA, we offer permanent employment upon a satisfactory evaluation following a temporary employment contract of a maximum of 18 months. The employment is for 30.4 hours per week. The preferred starting date is 15 October 2025.
The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week, ranges between €4.537 (scale 11) to €7.056 (scale 12) dependent on relevant experience. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.
We additionally offer:
- excellent research facilities due to our collaboration within the NICAS, Netherlands Institute for Conservation+ Art+ Science+ and the many other (inter)national networks we are part of;
- excellent opportunities for professional and personal development;
- an inspiring and international academic working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.
This is where you will be working
Together with the other main lecturer within the specialisation of Metals conservation, you will carry responsibility for the MA and APP education of conservators in this track, guiding them in the development of academic and practical knowledge and skills with inspiring lectures and workshops, developed according to the latest insights. You will supervise student conservation treatments and internships, and mentor and advise students during their 4 years of study, and support and (co-) supervise student research projects at MA, APP and PhD level. You will also teach an introduction to the conservation of Metals in the BA minor programme, and contribute to programme-wide courses on general topics according to your background (e.g. in modules on science, historical source research or conservation ethics and theory).
As the successful candidate, you will join a dynamic context with ample opportunities for research and for the development of innovative teaching methods. In your teaching and research, you have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers and lecturers in our team that covers ten different specialisations. Your research will be part of the Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture, one of the five research schools of the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research. Within the AHM Research School, archaeologists and conservators already collaborate, for example, in their joint AHM theme, “Materiality and Material Culture”.
The Department of Arts and Culture at the UvA is a large academic department that connects research and teaching in Art History, Cultural Studies, Theatre Studies, Music Studies, and Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage.
If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the link below. The deadline for applying for this vacancy is 29 June 2025.
Applications should include the following information (submitted in one .pdf):
- a letter of motivation;
- a detailed CV;
- a list of publications;
- the names and email addresses of two referees
Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered. The first interviews will be held the week of July 7-11. A trial lecture may be part of the application procedure.
For questions about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Dr. Maarten van Bommel via Secretariaat-CenR@uva.nl
