Are you fascinated by research? Do you want to contribute to new discoveries and innovations? Do you want to share your passion for your discipline with students through research or education? Then an academic position could be just right for you. There are various ways to develop an academic career at the University of Antwerp.
But other career options are possible too. Almost a quarter of our employees are members of the Administrative and Technical Staff (ATP). The University of Antwerp offers many career opportunities for ATP employees.
Academic careers
There are various ways to develop an academic career at the University of Antwerp.
Junior researcher
Junior researchers usually start as PhD students (a.k.a. doctoral scholarship holders). You carry out research as a University of Antwerp employee and after a period of about four years you can obtain a PhD. You receive a grant that is exempt from tax. The University of Antwerp may fund your grant. Alternatively, you could receive a personal grant from external organisations such as the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) or the Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT).
A doctoral scholarship is not the only option for working as a researcher. You can also be hired as an employee within the framework of a scientific project. In many cases this leads to a PhD, but short term projects are possible too. As a project worker you will be employed under a contract and will pay taxes like any other employee. Grant holders and project workers are considered Contract Research Staff (BAP).
Some junior researchers are hired as graduate teaching & research assistants. Graduate teaching & research assistants are members of the Academic Assistant Staff (AAP) and combine their own doctoral research with assistant teaching tasks alongside one or more professors. If you wish to focus particularly on teaching, you can work as a teaching assistant. Then, you are exclusively responsible for assisting professors with their educational tasks.
More information on doing a PhD can be found on the webpages of the Antwerp Doctoral School.
Postdoc researcher
There are several other possibilities for both Contract Research Staff and Academic Assistant Staff after obtaining a PhD. The Research Foundation Flanders and the Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology offer a number of post-doctoral fellowships, or you can continue to work on projects which receive external funding. You can also combine research and education as a principal research fellow. As a postdoc you take on more responsibility in teaching or research and you develop an (international) reputation as expert in your field. During this period you can continue to rely on the mentorship and support of an Antwerp University professor.
Most postdoctoral positions are linked to projects or appointments of limited duration but there are a limited number of possibilities to contribute long term to the education, research or valorisation activities of a department or team.
More information on these opportunities can be found on the UAntwerp webpages for postdocs.
Professor
As a member of the Senior Academic Staff (ZAP) you have the title of professor and are responsible for the three academic core tasks: research, education and services. This means you teach bachelor and master students in your area of expertise, you coach PhD and postdocs in their development as researchers and you lead a team. You also apply for research funding and bring these projects to realisation. In your role as professor you also commit to service responsibilities for the benefit of the university, society or your academic field. Within each of these tasks you enjoy full academic freedom but you also take on the responsibilities that come with this freedom.
There are various types of Senior Academic Staff: tenure track assistant professor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor and full professor. When appointed for a structural mission, you receive tenure after a period of probation. This is always preceded by an in-depth evaluation of your performance.
Career opportunities for ATP employees
Almost a quarter of the our employees are members of the Administrative and Technical Staff (ATP). They are active in a variety of fields including finance, student administration, ICT, communication, laboratories, infrastructure, logistics, management, policy and so on.
Promotions
Each ATP position is associated with a specific pay band, which is always mentioned in the vacancy. When you are hired, you normally start with the basic salary scale in the pay band with which your position is associated. During your career you can move up until you reach the highest scale in the pay band. Promotions are not automatically given but depend on your performance and the results you achieve.
Internal mobility
You can grow in your position but can also be promoted when changing positions. Maybe you are ready for a new challenge after some time and you think that you can use your experience in a new position. Career mobility is encouraged at the University of Antwerp. Internal vacancies are published regularly by Central Services and the various faculties and institutes. Staff in the Human Resources Department will help you find the job that best suits you.