English speaking vacancies in Holland: March 2014

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Vacancy: Junior Postdoc Fellow “Advancing the European Multilingual Experience”

Specifications - (explanation)

Location	Leiden
Function types	Postdoc positions
Scientific fields	Behaviour and Society, Language and Culture
Hours	38.0 hours per week
Education	Doctorate
Job number	14-076
Translations	en
About employer	Leiden University
Short link	www.academictransfer.com/22164

Apply for this job within 51 days

Job description

Leiden University has a longstanding tradition in research in the world’s languages and features unique linguistic expertise. LUCL combines current theoretical insights and modern experimental methods in its research profile area “Language Diversity in the World”. For more information, see: www.research.leiden.edu/research-profiles/language-diversity/.
The junior postdoc fellow will carry out the following tasks:

conduct behavioral and neuroscientific studies on topics such as effects of age-of-onset and language distance on ultimate attainment in L2 acquisition, effects of foreign-accented speech on communicative alignment, effects of multilingualism on the cognitive system in general (including healthy aging) and in particular on cognitive control, as well as language attrition due to L2 acquisition.

Requirements

The candidate should have:

a background in psychology and/or linguistics (or related disciplines) with a specialization in the psycho-/neurolinguistics of multilingualism;
a PhD degree in linguistics, psychology or neuroscience (or any related discipline such as biology or artificial intelligence);
a couple of years of post-doctoral experience;
hands-on experience with behavioral experimentation and at least one of the following neurocognitive methods: EEG/ERP, MEG or fMRI;
(extensive) experience in publishing results in international peer-reviewed journals in the field of psycho-/neurolinguistics (or related);
good social skills and ability to work in a team and potentially supervise (BA, MA, and/or PhD) students.

Previous work in one or more of these areas may be a plus. Although the research agenda for this position is well described, there may be room to add work of personal interest in multilingualism to the existing proposal.
Knowledge of English is essential; knowledge of Dutch is a plus but not a requirement. Knowledge of other languages besides English (and Dutch) may be advantageous.

Conditions of employment

The position is for 1,0 fte as Postdoc Fellow (Onderzoeker), for two years starting in September 2014. The salary depends on qualifications and
experience, and ranges from € 2.919,- to € 3.381,- per month (scale 10 and 11), commensurate with qualifications, with additional 8% holiday and 8,3% end-of-year bonuses. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Organisation

Leiden University

Leiden is a typical university city, hosting the oldest university in the Netherlands (1575). The University permeates the local surroundings; University premises are scattered throughout the city, and the students who live and study in Leiden give the city its relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.
Leiden University is one of Europe's foremost research universities. This prominent position gives our graduates a leading edge in applying for academic posts and for functions outside academia.

Department

The Leiden University Centre for Linguistics

The Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL) is hosting a 5 year research programme entitled “Advancing the European Multilingual Experience”, funded by the European Commission. This project takes an integrated approach towards the study of multilingualism in Europe by incorporating and combining linguistic, cognitive and sociological perspectives. Leiden co-leads the work package Being multilingual.
Research at LUCLLeiden University has a longstanding tradition in research in the world’s languages and features unique linguistic expertise. LUCL combines current theoretical insights and modern experimental methods in its research profile area “Language Diversity in the World”. For more information, see: www.research.leiden.edu/research-profiles/language-diversity/.

Additional information

For further information on this project please contact Prof. dr. Lisa Lai-Shen Cheng (L.L.Cheng@hum.leidenuniv.nl) or Prof. dr. Niels Schiller (N.O.Schiller@hum.leidenuniv.nl), or for practical matters Gea Hakker, (g.c.hakker@hum.leidenuniv.nl).

Introduction of the ‘European Blue Card’

As from 19 June 2011 the Netherlands has a new purpose of stay: the European Blue Card. The European Blue Card is a separate purpose of stay in addition to the existing National Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. The EU Blue Card Council Directive is intended for highly skilled foreign nationals who do not have EU, EEA or Swiss nationality, and who wish to work in one of the member states of the EU. The Directive is also meant to make it easier to settle in another EU member state. A residence permit will always be required in that other member state, however. To obtain this residence permit the employee must comply with the conditions applicable in that member state.

The conditions for residence in the Netherlands as an EU Blue Card holder are stricter than those for residence as a Highly Skilled Migrant. The employee must have a contract for highly qualified employment for at least one year, earning at least EUR 60,000 gross (in 2011). The employee must have completed a course of higher education lasting at least three years. The employee must prove this by having his diploma assessed by Nuffic. For a regulated profession, a competent authority will take decisions about the admission to that profession.

Advantages
One of the advantages of the EU Blue Card is that it is easier for an EU Blue Card holder and his family members to settle in another EU member state at a later date. After eighteen months foreign nationals who have an EU Blue Card are exempted from the provisional residence permit (MVV) requirement, if they want to work in another EU member State. In this second member state the employee must submit an application for a residence permit as a holder of an EU Blue Card. Each member state may implement the directive in slightly different ways. If someone holds a Blue Card in the Netherlands, this does not mean that the requirements are also met in other member states.

Another advantage is that after having stayed lawfully with the EU Blue Card holder in the Netherlands for two years, the family members may apply for a residence permit for ‘continued residence’. For other purposes of stay this is only possible after having stayed lawfully in the Netherlands for three years. The family members must have resided legally and continuously within the territory of an EU member state for at least five years, however. An employee who has stayed legally in the Netherlands as an EU Blue Card holder for two years may apply for the status of ‘long-term resident as a non-EU member country national’. He must have resided legally and continuously within EU territory for five years and must comply with the other conditions for this purpose of stay.

Highly skilled migrants from outside of the EU

A highly skilled migrant is a migrant who comes to the Netherlands to be employed, and has a gross annual income of at least €47,565, or €34,881 if he/she is under thirty. This income requirement does not apply if the employee enters service for certain functions in an educational or research institution. For information on the specific functions to which this clause applies, you can inquire at the IND office for labour and highly skilled migrants. When a foreign national has been granted residence in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant, the employer of the highly skilled migrant is not required to be in possession of a work permit for that foreign national.

Professional soccer players, ministers of religion, teachers of religion and prostitutes are not eligible for a residency as highly skilled migrant.

Important!
The amounts stated above will be indexed every year as of 1 January.