Opening for a Research Network Coordinator ‘Societies in Context: Interactions between humans and rural-urban environments’ – deadline 28 February 2026

The N.W. Posthumus Institute is currently looking for a new Coordinator for the Research Network ‘Societies in Context: Interactions between humans and rural-urban environments’, who will be coordinating this netwerk in close cooperation with fellow-coordinator Kate Frederick. The position is considered to be a great opportunity for networking, developing coordination skills, and mentoring the next generation of social and economic historians.

Requirements

The Research Network Coordinator is expected to:

• be affiliated as a Fellow with the N.W. Posthumus Institute (if not, do contact us about this)
• have affinity with the network’s research themes
• have a position at a university or research institution in the Netherlands or Flanders that is an institutional participant in the N.W. Posthumus Institute
• commit to working as a Research Network Coordinator for at least three years

Tasks

• Each of the current six research networks is being coordinated by (at least) two coordinators, who foster connections between members of their network, by stimulating meetings and collaborative initiatives.
• Each year, the research directors receive an overview of the new PhD candidates who wish to join their network. The coordinators are expected to make sure that new PhD candidates joining their network feel welcome and are apprised of opportunities for joining network meetings and applying for event funding via the network.
• Network members who intend to organise a workshop, conference, or masterclass may approach the coordinators of their network to request financial support for these initiatives (e.g., for catering, room rental, and possible travel and accommodation costs for a keynote speaker).
• The coordinators will organise one to three sessions for the annual Posthumus Conference. These sessions, which consist of presentations both by fellows and PhDs of the network, are organised in cooperation with one or more PhD candidates from their network.
• Each year, there will be a meeting of all network research directors together with the N.W. Posthumus staff members, to be updated on recent developments (such as new PhD candidates or administrative matters) and to discuss issues that they believe should be communicated to the board.
• Each year, the research network coordinators are asked to submit a short text about the activities of the network in the preceding year to be included in the annual report of the N.W. Posthumus Institute.

How to apply

If you are interested to act as our new Research Network Coordinator, please send an e-mail to René van Weeren, Office Manager of the N.W. Posthumus Institute before 1 March 2026.