Vacancy Biblical Studies: Old Testament

(ref. ZAP-2023-92)

The Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies of KU Leuven and the Research Unit Biblical Studies invite applications for the position of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Full Professor of Old Testament.

You will join one of the world’s best theology faculties, benefiting from its extensive national and international networks and excellent research infrastructure. The Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies is currently ranked 3rd in Europe and 5th in the world in the subject “Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies” (2023 QS World Ranking).

You will become a member of the Research Unit Biblical Studies, which has a long and successful history. The research unit organizes international colloquia and seminars (e.g., the annual Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniense). Its members are responsible for internationally recognized journals and book series, and supervise a diverse group of talented national and international doctoral students.
Website unit

Duties

Research
The successful candidate will:

• Conduct research in the field of Old Testament studies based on your own expertise and interests.
• Be willing to work (as part of a team) to further shape the research focusses developed in the Research Unit Biblical Studies.
• Attract and support doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers.
• Attempt to acquire competitive research funding.
• Share research results by presenting at international conferences and publishing at the highest international level in peer-reviewed journals and book series.
• Be willing to take a leading role in international associations and learned societies.

Education

The successful candidate will:

• Develop and deliver teaching, covering all aspects of Old Testament study, including historical criticism, literary criticism, contextual hermeneutical approaches, Biblical theology, and reception history.
• Teach at all academic levels (BA, MA, PhD), both in Dutch and in English. On the BAlevel, the candidate might be asked to teach on the broad field of Biblical Studies (including the New Testament and language courses in Hebrew and/or Greek); on the MA and PhDlevel the candidate will mainly teach courses in the specific field of Old Testament Studies. The educational duties may include the teaching of the course Religie, zingeving en levensbeschouwing (Religion and Meaning) in other faculties of the university.
• Contribute to intra-disciplinary and team-taught courses both within and outside the Faculty.
• Participate in the international teaching cooperation projects of the Faculty (joint degrees, Erasmus)
• Supervise the writing of Bachelor’s papers, and Master’s and doctoral theses (in Dutch and in English).
• Support and stimulate international cooperation in teaching and research.

Service

The successful candidate will:

• Make research results available to the church and wider society and contribute to the development of didactic programmes for teachers and those in pastoral ministries.
• Contribute to the administration and governance in the Faculty and the University.

Profile

The successful candidate will meet the following requirements at a level appropriate to their career stage:

• A doctoral degree in Theology, specialization: Old Testament (PhD and preferably also STD, or equivalent).
• Teaching experience reflecting a broad knowledge of the study of the Old Testament, and of Biblical Studies in general.
• An excellent international research profile demonstrated by publications, research projects, and the successful supervision of MA students.
• The ability to teach courses/seminars in Dutch and in English at BA, MA, and PhD levels.
• Good communication skills and a cooperative attitude.
• Proficiency in English is required. The official administrative language and the primary teaching language of the KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not know Dutch at the start of your employment, the KU Leuven will provide language training (for a period of up to five years) to enable you to participate in meetings and to teach courses in Dutch.

Offer

We offer a full-time job in an intellectually stimulating context.

KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied research. It is highly inter- and multidisciplinary focused and strives for international excellence. To achieve this, it cooperates actively with its research partner in Belgium and abroad. At the same time it offers its students an academic formation based on high-level research.

You will work in Leuven, a historic, dynamic and lively city located in the heart of Belgium, within 20 minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam.

KU Leuven is well equipped to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, etc.

To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase, a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors without substantial other funding, appointed for at least 50%.

The position is available on a full-time basis from 1 September 2024.

We are looking for a junior or senior researcher. As a rule, junior researchers are appointed at the level of assistant professor (tenure track) for a period of 5 years; following upon this period, they will, pending a positive evaluation, be offered a tenured position as associate professor. Senior researchers will be appointed at the level of assistant professor, associate professor, professor or full professor, depending on their record and qualifications.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Bénédicte Lemmelijn, e-mail: benedicte.lemmelijn@kuleuven.be. For problems with online applying, please contact solliciteren@kuleuven.be.

Your application must be submitted together with a research proposal (max. 2 pages) in which you provide information about the original research programme which you intend to propose in your field of research. In addition you also submit a document in which you describe your vision of academic teaching (max. 1 page).

Interviews with theselected candidates are planned on campus on 29 November 2024.

The KU Leuven considers scientific integrity as well as ethical and integral behaviour very important. Those who are hired are asked to sign a declaration along those lines.
You can apply for this job no later than October 26, 2023 via the online application tool
KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.