Professor of Archival Science

The Media Studies department of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is seeking a dynamic and visionary Professor of Archival Science to lead the Netherlands only programme that awards the official archivist qualification (Archivistics A) granting eligibility for positions throughout the Dutch public archival sector.

Join us!

The Professor Archival Science will be actively engaged in leading developments in the Dutch archival landscape through teaching research and institutional as well as community partnerships. Within the UvA the Professor will be a member of the Media Studies department and have a research school affiliation with the Amsterdam School for Heritage Memory and Material Culture () unless an arrangement with another research school is preferred.

This is what you will be doing

We are looking for a candidate with a broad interdisciplinary perspective who can connect their research in archival studies to our Masters programme in Archival and Information Studies as well as related programmes in Media Studies and beyond such as Cultural Data & AI New Media & Digital Culture Film Studies Heritage Studies and Information Science. The successful candidate will help shape the future of Archival Studies at the UvA nationally and internationally.
The successful candidate will have a strong academic track record an international reputation and proven leadership and management skills to inspire colleagues and students alike.

Context of the chair
Archival Studies at the University of Amsterdam goes beyond traditional archiving covering the full records continuum from creation and use to preservation access and cultural heritage with a strong focus on societal impact. The current programme is built around continuum-thinking a decolonial perspective sustainability and a vision of information as a socio-technical complex providing students with a framework to critically engage with archival theory practice and societal impact. The Professor of Archival Sciences will provide leadership in emerging areas such as digital archiving community archiving and critical archival studies and is responsible for advancing the curriculum guiding research in the Archival and Information Studies team and fostering innovative projects that respond to technological societal and cultural developments.
The successful candidate will also be expected to have or be able to develop within a few years expertise in the Dutch archival landscape including its institutions and relevant legislation.

Teaching
You will teach in the Bachelors programme Media & Information including the minor Publieke Waarden in Informatiemanagement and in the Dual (professional) Masters programme Archival and Information Studies. The MA programme collaborates closely with the Dual Masters programme Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image. You may also have the opportunity to contribute teaching to Masters programmes in Heritage & Memory Studies as well as Critical Data & AI. You will teach in both Dutch and English.
You will foster rigorous socially engaged education by ensuring that teaching methods are continuously reviewed and updated while promoting critical thinking and connecting archival studies to societal and interdisciplinary issues. You will build connections between Archival Studies and other degree programmes such as Heritage Studies and History integrating perspectives on diversity decolonization inclusion and sustainability into teaching and curriculum development. You will support collaboration with a wide range of partners from heritage institutions to community archives as well as contribute to a collegial democratic and interdisciplinary academic environment.

Research
The successful candidate will have a substantial track record of research in the field of Archival Studies with a focus on the history theory and practice of archives in a digital interdisciplinary and globally engaged context. You will work across disciplinary and institutional boundaries to explore how archival methods technologies and concepts can generate new historical and cultural insights including approaches informed by decolonial and antiracist that sense the ability to engage critically with the histories and legacies of (Dutch) colonialism and their impact on contemporary archival practices would be advantageous as would an interest in collaborating with marginalized and global communities and initiatives to develop inclusive sustainable and socially responsible forms of recordkeeping.
You will play an active role in shaping the programmes research agenda by developing innovative projects strengthening collaborations with related fields such as heritage studies information science and digital humanities and advancing methodological ethical and sustainability-oriented reflection within archival research. Beyond the programme you will also have the opportunity to lead the research group Archives and Records in Transition which is part of the Amsterdam School for Heritage Memory and Material Culture (
The role includes securing external funding mentoring colleagues and fostering collaborations across the University and with international partners. Importantly you will contribute to a positive research culture that values interdisciplinary ethical and socially engaged scholarship and that recognizes sustainability in all its meanings within the archival domain as a key value aim and prospect for the future of the field.

Leadership
You may be asked to take on the role of leader of the Chair Group in AID (Archival & Information Studies and Digital Humanities) where you will play a connecting role creating an environment in which team members can develop and feel recognized. Beyond this role you will be willing and able to take on administrative responsibilities within the Department and Faculty. You are committed to fostering collaborations with renowned archival institutions such as the National Archives or the International Institute of Social History as well as with grassroots and community archiving initiatives.
You value working closely with ministries and governmental agencies on issues related to information management and recordkeeping. The Professor of Archival Studies maintains contact with the Ministry of Education Culture and Science (OCW) regarding the Archival & Information Studies teaching programme and is frequently consulted for expert opinion by government organisations and ministeries in relation to the national archival system and recordkeeping in the public sector.

Your tasks and responsibilities

• Teaching in the field of Archival and Information Studies;
• supervising Bachelor and Master students as well as PhD candidates;
• contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department;
• maintaining your own research profile while also developing a research agenda together with the Chair Group;
• actively pursuing external funding for research notably funding from research councils national as well as European;
• carrying out HR responsibilities within the chair group Archival & Information Studies and Digital Humanities in accordance with the UvA adaptive leadership approach;
• carrying out administrative and management tasks as needed within the Department Faculty and University.

This is what we ask of you

You are an excellent initiative-oriented lecturer and researcher who is able to inspire students and colleagues; your management style can be described as collaborative and solution-oriented. You create an inclusive environment in which team members can develop feel recognized and contribute effectively. You take initiative in fostering connections across disciplines between professional organizations and the University and with grassroots and community archiving groups.

Required

• PhD in archival studies or a related field;
• excellent international academic reputation and publication track record;
• experienced and enthusiastic teacher at all levels of university education and experience in developing teaching programmes at Bachelor and Master levels;
• Demonstrable experience in academic leadership HR responsibilities and governance;
• established track record of acquiring external research funding;
• experience with supervising PhD projects and junior researchers;
• extensive national and international network with academic political and cultural institutions;
• experience with collaborative projects and able to establish productive connections with other academic disciplines within as well as outside the department;
• able to contribute to knowledge exchange and societal impact in public as well as academic settings;
• a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) (if you have not attained a UTQ you are required to start with the UTQ track upon commencement of your employment contract and obtain the qualification within three years of employment*);
• good command of Dutch and English (if you do not speak fluent Dutch an active and passive command must be acquired within the first two years of employment and the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II must be passed*).

(*) The Faculty will assist in this process.
For more information go to the following website on being a professor at the UvA.

This is what we offer you

We offer permanent employment upon appointment. The employment contract is for 38 hours per week. The expected starting date is 1 January 2027.
The gross monthly salary based on 38 hours per week is in accordance with professor salary scale 2 excl. 8% holiday allowance and 83% year-end allowance. A favourable tax agreement the 30% ruling may apply to non-Dutch applicants. TheCollective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.
More information about working at the UvA can be found here: else do we offer

• the opportunity to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams;
• excellent opportunities for study and personal development;
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam;
• the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers at research institutes that - partly as a result of their interdisciplinary approach - are world-renowned.

More information for employees moving from abroad can be found here: Practical information for international employees Work at the University of Amsterdam.

This is where youll be working

The Chair Group Archival & Information Studies and Digital Humanities within the Department of Media Studies is a small multidisciplinary team of archival scholars information scientists and digital humanities scholars each with their own specialization. The team currently includes a Professor of Archival Studies and a Professor of Digital Humanities. Team members are affiliated with various research schools such as AHM ASCA and ILLC collectively covering a wide range of expertise across the regular meetings the team exchanges information on research and teaching and collaboratively develops annual teaching and capacity planning.
The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands largest university offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA 42000 students 6000 staff members and 3000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields connected by a culture of curiosity.
The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.

If you see yourself in the profile and are interested in the position we look forward to receiving your application. The vacancy closes on 31 March 2026. Only complete applications received within the response period will be first round of interviews will be held in the course of mid May 2026. A trial lecture and research presentation may be part of the application process.
Your application should include the following information:

• a cover letter (max. 2 A4 pages);
• a detailed CV;
• a list of publications.

Please submit the required information as a single PDF file.
For questions about the position or department you can contact us during office hours at:

• Prof. dr. Misha Kavka Professor of Cross-Media CultureChair of the Department Media Studies