- Nieuwe Universiteitsgebouw (NU)
- Amsterdam
- 0.8 / 1
- Faculty of Science
- Teacher
- MSc
- Closes on
  
  28-06-2026
- Publishing date
  
  19-06-2026

Do you believe teaching is key to a sustainable future? Want to help train the next generation of sustainability professionals and gain teaching experience? Apply for the Junior Lecturer position at the Institute of Environmental Studies (VU).

Your function

The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) engages in a range of sustainability related bachelor and master programmes and courses, including the bachelor programme Aarde, Economie & Duurzaamheid (AE&D), the master programmes Environment and Resource Management (ERM) and Hydrology, and the Earth Science master track Global Environmental Change & Policy (GEC&P).

We are looking for a Junior Lecturer (Junior Docent) to support IVM’s teaching engagements. The candidate will join a small team of Junior Lecturers, working in a vibrant research and teaching environment at IVM.

You should have a clear affinity with interdisciplinarity, and a strong interest in sustainability-related areas, such as climate, biodiversity, food, energy, water and land use. You should have clear ambitions and interest in academic teaching, demonstrating the ability to promote our students’ intellectual and personal development, and prepare them to succeed, lead and serve a more sustainable society. You should be comfortable teaching in English (Dutch is an advantage) at bachelor and master levels, including thematic, methodology and research design courses. You should also be open to a wide range of teaching formats including lectures, working groups; qualitative and quantitative research methods; as well as, an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving.

Your duties

you support teachers in coordinating and executing their courses
you (occasionally) provide lectures and lead working groups (e.g. interactive class elements, computer practicals, and group assignments)
you (occasionally) support field work activities and excursions
you assist in developing high-quality teaching materials both off- and online
you acquire a basic qualification in teaching (BKO)
you engage in the professionalisation track of junior teachers at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, participating in peer-to-peer exchanges with other junior teachers

Your profile

you have a university masters’ degree in interdisciplinary sustainability studies and/or social science with a strong focus on sustainability
you have good knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (e.g. content analysis, statistics, computer coding or GIS), including their use in interdisciplinary research design
you posses good presentation skills
you have organisational, communicative and connective skills that allow you to collaborate with a wide variety of students and teachers
you are flexible, independent and adaptive to take on new tasks and learn new skills.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not (fully) meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

a salary of minimum € 3.5460 (salary scale 10.0) and maximum € 5.538,00 (salary scale 10.12) gross per month, on a full-time basis. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
a position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will last 4 years. The job profile (Docent 4) is based on the university job ranking system (UFO).

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
solid pension scheme (ABP)
contribution to commuting expenses
a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

Additionally, we also offer participation in the training scheme towards the University Teaching Qualification.

About us

Institute for Environmental Studies
The work will be carried out at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognized for its high quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The mission of the institute is to contribute to sustainable development and care for the environment through scientific research and teaching. IVM aims to do excellent problem-oriented research that is useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally. A unique strength of our research is to understand sustainability problems in their social and economic context. IVM research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Policy Analysis; Environmental Geography; and Water and Climate Risk. IVM is part of the Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (www.ivm.vu.nl).

Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means collaborating with students, lecturers and researchers who are focused on their field, yet have a broad view of the world. We are proud of a positive and inclusive workplace culture within the faculty, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy and just future.

From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from helium to the universe and from genetics to medicine: our education and research cover the full breadth of science, from molecules to mankind. Our academic education and research are highly experimental, technical and interdisciplinary in nature. That is why we collaborate extensively with leading scientific institutes and industry. The faculty has more than 8,000 students studying in one of the 39 programms and employs more than 1,400 staff across 10 scientific departments, making us one of the largest science faculties in the Netherlands.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Interested

Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? In that case, we encourage you to submit your application. Please ensure your application includes:

a) a CV listing at the end the names and contact details of two referees

b) a 1-2 page cover letter outlining your background and how you envision your contribution to our department and your vision on teaching.

Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.

Selection will take place within 3 weeks after the deadline.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.

Your function

Your duties

you support teachers in coordinating and executing their courses
you (occasionally) provide lectures and lead working groups (e.g. interactive class elements, computer practicals, and group assignments)
you (occasionally) support field work activities and excursions
you assist in developing high-quality teaching materials both off- and online
you acquire a basic qualification in teaching (BKO)
you engage in the professionalisation track of junior teachers at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, participating in peer-to-peer exchanges with other junior teachers

Your profile

you have a university masters’ degree in interdisciplinary sustainability studies and/or social science with a strong focus on sustainability
you have good knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (e.g. content analysis, statistics, computer coding or GIS), including their use in interdisciplinary research design
you posses good presentation skills
you have organisational, communicative and connective skills that allow you to collaborate with a wide variety of students and teachers
you are flexible, independent and adaptive to take on new tasks and learn new skills.

What do we offer?

a salary of minimum € 3.5460 (salary scale 10.0) and maximum € 5.538,00 (salary scale 10.12) gross per month, on a full-time basis. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
a position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will last 4 years. The job profile (Docent 4) is based on the university job ranking system (UFO).

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
solid pension scheme (ABP)
contribution to commuting expenses
a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

Additionally, we also offer participation in the training scheme towards the University Teaching Qualification.

About us

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Questions about the vacancy?

Please contact

Oscar Widerberg

Associate Professor

Interested

a) a CV listing at the end the names and contact details of two referees

b) a 1-2 page cover letter outlining your background and how you envision your contribution to our department and your vision on teaching.

Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.

Selection will take place within 3 weeks after the deadline.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.

Questions about the vacancy?

Please contact

Oscar Widerberg

Associate Professor

Your function

Your profile

What do we offer?

About us

Interested

Your function

Your profile

What do we offer?

About us

Questions about the vacancy?

Oscar Widerberg

Interested

Questions about the vacancy?

Oscar Widerberg

Application procedure

Junior Lecturer Environmental Studies

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