Netherlands : PhD position-Dutch as a Second Language

Employer: Radboud University
Study Subject: Dutch as a Second Language
Level:PhD
Scholarship Description: As a PhD student you will investigate how the variation in proficiency in Dutch as a second language can be predicted/explained by means of a number of individual and contextual determinants. The key objective of the study is the development of a new and empirically validated measure of linguistic distance that overcomes the weaknesses of existing distance measurements.

In doing so, you will apply multi-level regression techniques to an existing database. Besides test scores on oral, written, listening and reading proficiency, this longitudinal database contains background information on a huge number of language learners from virtually every country in the world.

You will write at least four papers on the basis of this research, which should be published in high-impact international journals, and will also present the research at international conferences. Your dissertation will consist of the papers, preceded by a General Introduction and followed by a General Discussion.

As a PhD student you will be considered a regular employee. You will be part of a large research group and will be supervised by Prof. Roeland van Hout and Dr Frans van der Slik.

Requirements
You should have:
- a background in Linguistics and/or Sociology, and be well versed in statistics; - excellent proficiency in English (spoken and written);
- an interest in Language Typology is required;
- knowledge of multi-level analyses will be considered an advantage.

Organization
Radboud University Nijmegen is strategically located in Europe and is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. Established in 1923 and situated in the oldest city of the Netherlands, it has nine faculties and enrolls over 17,500 students in 107 study programmes. Our personal style of teaching offers plenty of opportunity to work closely with instructors and fellow students in small seminars. It is a place with a personal touch, with top-flight teaching and research, a beautiful leafy campus, and state-of-the-art facilities.

The Faculty of Arts consists of ten departments in the areas of language and culture, history, history of arts, linguistics and business communication, which together cater for about 2,900 students and collaborate closely in teaching and research.

The department of Linguistics is one of the top linguistic departments in the Netherlands, and offers the Bachelor degree programme in Linguistics and Master’s degree programmes in Linguistics and Language and Speech Pathology. The department is explicitly internationally oriented and is highly successful in attracting MA and PhD students from all over the world.

Research at the Faculty of Arts is embedded in two research institutes: the institute for Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies (HLCS) and the Centre for Language Studies (CLS).

The Communication unit takes care of the university’s internal and external communications, from advice to implementation. The unit consists of the Academic Editorial Board, the Internet Editorial Board, the Journals Editorial Board and the Internal and External Communications Department. The 25 members of staff constitute a service centre for communication services throughout the university.
Website: http://www.ru.nl/facultyofarts

Conditions of employment
Employment: 1,0 fte
The gross starting salary is €2,042 per month based on full-time employment.
The total duration of the contract is 3.5 years. You will be offered an initial contract for 18 months with the possibility of extension by 2 years.

Additional Information Dr. Frans van der Slik
Telephone: +31 24 3612941, +31 24 3612900
E-mail: f.v.d.slik@let.ru.nl

Application
You can apply for the job (mention the vacancy number 23.22.10) before 1 February 2011 by sending your application -preferably by email- to:

RU Nijmegen, Faculty of Arts, Personnel Department
P.O. Box 9103, 6500 HD, Nijmegen (NL)
E-mail: vacatures@let.ru.nl

Application Deadline : 1 February 2011