The IAS's mission is to drive pioneering interdisciplinary research, uniting diverse fields to tackle complex scientific and societal challenges. Its work is organised in four broad domains (Social Dynamics, Coupled Human and Natural Worlds, Health Complexity, and Digital Societies and Infrastructures) and two cross-cutting themes: Governance of Complexity, and the Foundations and Methods programme that forms the institute's core. Besides developing interdisciplinary methodology and offering space for exploration and slow science, the IAS acts as an incubator for new interdisciplinary collaborations. For more details, please have a look at our most recent Annual Report here.

With a compact office staff, the IAS relies on, and is shaped by, its active research community, including Fellows, an Artist-in-Residence, Associates from all faculties, and Research Leads who co-create new initiatives and events that cross domains.

Principal Investigators are at the heart of that community. With this call, we want to ensure a broad coverage of domain expertise across the university and further strengthen capacity to deliver on IAS's mission.

The role

As an IAS Principal Investigator, you help shape what the institute works on and with whom, beyond your own research agenda. You identify and mobilise new initiatives across the humanities, sciences and social sciences, and model and lead interdisciplinary research collaborations at the IAS.

Together, the Principal Investigators support the IAS Leadership and set the agenda for its research activities.

We strive to appoint PIs at different levels of seniority, background and disciplinary expertise.

• Appointment: 0.2 fte, alongside your position at your home faculty; the IAS compensates your faculty for this time
• Start: 2027
• Term: a minimum of two years, with the possibility of yearly renewal after that

Who can apply

Any UvA staff member with relevant research interests and expertise who is employed for the duration of their appointment as IAS PI. We invite expressions of interest across levels of seniority or role and explicitly seek broad representation of backgrounds within our team.

What we seek

The future development of the IAS is closely tied to the research themes set out in the UvA’s strategy. We aim to strengthen our capacity in these areas: Responsible Digital Transformations, Systemic and Fair Climate Solutions, Fair and Resilient Societies, and Healthy Future. We are also looking for candidates who can help further shape IAS NEXT, the IAS network for young scholars. To advance our methodological work, we would welcome experts in the philosophy of science, artificial intelligence, and the emergence of complex systems. Finally, we welcome candidates who can contribute to our Art & Science programme.

What we offer

• A regular workspace at the IAS, in a shared office, so you are part of the daily life of the institute, including community lunches and events
• Organisational and financial support to organise workshops, seminars and other activities

What we ask

• Regular presence at the IAS, working from the institute on a regular basis
• Scouting and programming: identifying talented researchers, within the UvA and beyond, and encouraging them to propose themes, join activities or apply for a fellowship; and co-creating the IAS programme
• Representing the IAS, acting as an ambassador for its visibility within and outside the UvA
• Curiosity, openness and a collaborative mindset

How to express interest

This call is open to UvA faculty (including AUMC) across all stages.

We expect you to have had an initial conversation about your availability and agreement in principle from your relevant supervisor/faculty to a 0.2 fte appointment for 2 year (the IAS compensates the faculty for your time).

Please send a short expression of interest (max. 2 pages) including:

1. Short CV
2. Your motivation to express interest
3. How you would contribute to scouting and programming at IAS

Send your expression of interest to ias@uva.nl by 27 November.

Next steps

IAS Leadership will review all expressions of interest with a view of fit with the mission, its priorities and the composition of the current and envisaged research community.

We will respond to all expressions of interest to discuss possibilities and next steps.

Questions can be addressed to Han van der Maas, IAS Director, at H.L.J.vanderMaas@uva.nl, and Julia Hoffmann, IAS Institute Manager, at j.hoffmann@uva.nl.