KU Leuven has a vacancy for a part-time tenure track position as a junior professor (ZAP) in the field of interiorarchitecture/architecture. We are looking for internationally oriented candidates with an excellent research file in Architectural Design, with strong teaching competence in interior architectural and/or architectural design (studio) and an excellent interior architectural and/or architectural practice.
The structure of KU Leuven combines faculties and research departments in a multi-campus model.
The candidate will contribute to the research of the Department of Architecture at the Sint-Lucas Brussels and Ghent Campus within the research unit Architecture & Design, This unit unites researchers from both the Faculty of Architecture and the Faculty of Engineering Science. The Department offers an international research environment of excellence. www.architectuur.kuleuven.be
The candidate will contribute to the education of the Faculty of Architecture. The Faculty of Architecture consists of the academic architecture programmes (interior architecture, architecture, urban design and spatial planning and the educational master) on the Sint-Lucas Brussels and Ghent campus. The faculty is driven by a consciously assembled diversity of practices and is renowned for its future-oriented education that cultivates a freedom of exploration. www.arch.kuleuven.be
Website unit
Duties
Research
The cultural importance of architectural details, as essential elements of our built environment, is central to this profile. Architectural details are here to be understood as including interior architectural detailing. Advances in the development of new materials, alternative and innovative construction methods and the implementation of new technologies each present substantive challenges to the further development of architectural details that support qualitive architectural design.
A heightened awareness of cultural contexts drives a growing emphasis on low-tech approaches and regenerative materials, enabling buildings to be easily assembled, disassembled, and even composted. Innovative materials like "thinking" materials and self-assembling substances, along with concepts such as programmable matter and smart geometries, are also at the forefront of architectural advancements, continually shaped by cultural influences. This supports a sustainable approach to building that deeply integrates cultural backgrounds with material, energy, and information economies. The architectural detail should, in the context of this profile, always be an expression of a vision that responds to the needs of programs and contexts.
This is the context wherein you develop a research programme with the architectural details as main focus.
- In this context, you will have demonstrable expertise and skills in designing and constructing/materialising architectural details within real-world situations, linked to theoretical thinking frameworks as situated above.
- The research should connect with ongoing research programmes.
- You set up collaborations within and outside the department.
- You support national and international collaborations of the research group/section and help to promote and develop them. You will also actively participate in the development of future research projects of the group/section.
- You publish and generate scientific output, including ADRO (Artistic and Design-related Research Output) at the relevant scientific level within the field of Interior Architecture/Architecture, acquire resources for fundamental and/or applied research, build (international) cooperation. You are involved in, facilitate and stimulate PhDs with a design focus, as a supervisor or as a member of the supervisory committee. Your research contributes to the development of individuality and the further strengthening and anchoring of design-based, artistic and practice-based research at the Department of Architecture and is based on the development of a critical academic design practice linked to innovative learning environments.
Teaching
You provide high-quality teaching within the field of design in interior architecture/architecture with a clear commitment to the quality of the educational programme as a whole. You will also contribute to the teaching project of the faculty/university by supervising master's theses and as supervisor of doctoral students.
You will develop your teaching in line with KU Leuven's vision of activating and research-based education and make use of the opportunities for educational professionalisation offered by the faculty and the university.
Your teaching assignment is determined in consultation on the basis of your specific profile. In doing so, the faculty pays great attention to the balance between research, teaching and (internal) service time.
The focus of the teaching is on the design studios in interior architecture/architecture. (Bachelor/Master). This can be via a separate course or through targeted studio work in the Bachelor and/or specific design studios in the Master.
Service
- You are prepared to provide scientific, social and internal services.
- You are committed to playing a role in academic management and the further consolidation of design as the core (Key Performance Indicator) of the programmes within the Department/Faculty of Architecture.
- You play an active role in the image and profiling of the department/faculty with regard to current and new students and the broad professional field. This can be done through participation in public performances, information days, introductory moments, etc.
- You will maintain close contact with the practice of (Interior) Architecture. In particular, this is done by further developing your own (interior) architecture practice.
Profile
- You hold a Master's degree in Interior Architecture/Architecture, or an equivalent degree, and a PhD whereby the subject of your doctorate’s thesis was related to the research and educational field (design-driven and/or practice-based).
- You have a strong research record in the field of Interior Architecture/Architecture. The research quality is demonstrated by ADROs (Artistic and Design-related Research Output), publications in leading/international journals, and international research and/or practice experience. Your CV/portfolio shows an active link with (Interior) Architecture and demonstrates this in particular through realised ADROs.
- You have demonstrable qualities for academic teaching. You have extensive experience in the studio/studio working format as a learning environment..
- You have organisational skills and a collegial attitude. You also possess leadership skills in a university context.
- A good command of English is required. KU Leuven provides courses in academic English.
- The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in meetings.
- Before teaching courses in Dutch, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch to the required level.
Offer
We offer part-time employment (70%) in a vibrant and intellectually stimulating design environment. It is also possible to motivate a part-time employment of 50%, this must be indicated in the biosketch. KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly focused on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and strives for international excellence. In this regard, the university actively works together with research partners in Belgium and abroad and provides its students with an academic education that is based on high-quality practice and scientific research.
As member of the Faculty of Architecture, you will work on the Sint-Lucas Campus both in Brussels and in Ghent. Your main workplace is determined by mutual agreement. The Department of Architecture is active at locations in Brussels, Ghent and Leuven.
Since this a vacancy for a junior professor, you are appointed as assistant professor on the tenure track for a period of 5 years; after this period and a positive evaluation, you are permanently appointed (or tenured) as an associate professor.
KU Leuven is well equipped to welcome foreign professors and their families and offers practical support in the areas of immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, ... To facilitate scientific integration and research in the first phase, start-up funding of 110 000 euro is offered to new professors, who have no substantial other funding and are appointed for at least 50%.
Interested?
For more information on the content of the position, please contact:
- Prof. dr. Rajesh Heynickx, Chair of the Department of Architecture (
[email protected])
- Prof. dr. Thierry Lagrange, head of the Research Unit Architecture & Design (
[email protected])
You can apply, exclusively via our online application. If you encounter any problems when applying online, please mail to
[email protected]Add the following elements to your application (more information can be found on the jobsite KU Leuven):
- a biosketch demonstrating your added value as an academic for the core tasks of research, teaching and service in your past career and for your future activities (maximum 2 pages); It should include the following elements: 1) the crucial elements and their importance/impact from your past career; 2) the main lines of your future vision and the future activities you plan (with an emphasis on the first 5 years); 3) the added value of your activities for KU Leuven and the collaboration within faculty/department/campus;
- a file on your five most important publications or achievements;
- a comprehensive CV (including a portfolio of your architectural projects and a full publication list, including ADRO);
- your research plan with focus on the development of your research line and research team in relation with the colleague-researchers of the entity of employment (maximum 4 pages);
- your vision on academic education and its organisation (maximum 2 pages);
- your contribution to service activities (internal representation through membership in councils and governing bodies, contributions to society from designing, teaching and research, outreach and science communication) (maximum 1 page);
- your vision of leadership (maximum 1 page).
We ask that all documents be drawn up in English.
KU Leuven attaches great importance to scientific integrity, acting ethically and with integrity and will ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.a declaration to this effect upon recruitment.
KU Leuven is committed to creating a diverse environment and is therefore an equal opportunity employer. It explicitly encourages candidates from groups that are currently underrepresented at the university to submit their applications.
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
