Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics

Sport Society; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 59,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent employment prospect

Holiday pay 8%

Year-end bonus 8.3%

Pension scheme

Job summary

The Mathematical Institute at Utrecht University seeks an Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics to develop a strong research programme, teach across Bachelor’s and Master’s courses, and inspire students. You will collaborate with scientists to apply mathematics to real-world problems and help integrate data-driven modelling and AI into education.

You will balance research and teaching, supervise PhD candidates and postdocs, and contribute to an interdisciplinary, impact-driven environment

Job description

Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics

Join the Mathematical Institute of Utrecht University! As Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics, you’ll develop your research programme, inspire students and advance education. Collaborating closely with colleagues and students, you’ll apply mathematics to tackle societal challenges and bring new data-driven modelling, experiment, and computer-aided mathematics into education. We welcome applicants from all areas of applied mathematics.

Working in Applied Mathematics within the Mathematical Institute means contributing to research that connects mathematics with the wider sciences, from life sciences and medical imaging to climate and ocean dynamics, and to teaching in which students meet current research first-hand. As a team, we aim to develop models and methods that are mathematically sound, computationally powerful and useful to other disciplines, and to prepare students to use new tools with confidence and care. Our societal impact is reflected in close collaborations with partners such as UMC Utrecht, RIVM and CWI (see below for more), and in work on pressing problems such as the spread of diseases and changing climate.

We are looking for an assistant professor (UD) in applied mathematics who can strengthen our Mathematical modelling research group, both substantively and strategically. We are open to candidates with an interdisciplinary research focus in mathematical modelling with a strong orientation toward real-world applications, as well as to candidates who can contribute to developing a sustainable vision on the role and impact of AI within mathematical research.

As an assistant professor in applied mathematics, you will balance research and teaching (approximately 50% each) in a role that allows you to grow as a leader while making a real impact on society.

In your research, you will develop your own line, driven by real-world problems. You’ll collaborate with scientists across disciplines, securing funding and building partnerships to amplify your impact. And as a mentor and supervisor, you’ll guide the next generation of mathematicians, including PhD candidates and postdocs.

In teaching, you’ll have the opportunity to teach and develop courses at every level, from core first-year Bachelor’s courses to advanced Master’s courses. Master’s courses can be taught either at the local level or as part of the national master programme, Mastermath. You’ll also supervise theses and smaller-scale projects. With university funding available for innovation, you’ll play a key role in defining the future of our curriculum, ensuring it remains resilient and adaptive in the face of fast-changing research methods.

By getting involved in the daily life of the Mathematical Institute , you’ll play an active and committed role in the academic life of our department and faculty. In addition, you help shape the future of the department, bringing fresh ideas and energy to our community.

Our offer

• a position for one year, with the prospect of permanent employment following a positive evaluation;
• a gross monthly salary, depending on qualifications and experience, between €4.925 and €6.682 (salary scale 11 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)). The salary is based on a 38-hour working week;
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment set out in our collective labour agreement, we offer attractive additional benefits, including opportunities for personal and professional growth, flexible leave arrangements, and extra vacation days. Through the UU Terms of Employment Options Model, you can tailor your employment package to your needs. In this way, we encourage you to grow in what you do, both in your work and in your development.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Working at the Faculty of Science

External link means bringing together inspiring people across disciplines and with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. The Faculty has six departments: Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Information & Computing Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together, we work on excellent research and inspiring education. Visit us on LinkedIn and discover how you can become part of our community.

The Mathematical Institute of the Department of Mathematics organises and teaches the Bachelor's curricula in Mathematics as well as the (English-taught) Master's programme in Mathematics and some service teaching in mathematics. The Institute is internationally recognized for its research in both pure and applied mathematics. It houses the Utrecht Geometry Centre and Mathematical modelling group and maintains a long-standing tradition of transdisciplinary collaboration with other scientific fields including, among others, atmosphere/ocean sciences, computational life sciences, mathematical biology, mathematical economics, medical and seismic imaging, theoretical computer science, and theoretical physics. We participate in university focus areas in Complex Systems and Applied Data Science. Funds are available for accessing national supercomputer centre SURF.

You will be part of the Mathematical modelling group, where collaboration across disciplines and sectors is an important part of our research environment. As a part of the Mathematical Institute, the group has close ties with the Departments of Biology, Physics, Information and Computer Sciences, the Faculty of Geosciences, UMCU (Utrecht University Medical Center). And also with companies such as Rabobank, European Investment Bank (EIB), ASML, TNO and Canon, and institutes such as KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute), RIVM (The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) and CWI (the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science). These connections create opportunities to develop interdisciplinary research and engage with academic, public-sector and industry partners.

More information

For more information, please contact Prof. Jason Frank. External link (chair of the selection committee) at [e-mail].

Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to [e-mail].

Timeline: The in-person interviews are scheduled for the week of January 11, 2027. In case of a large number of applications, a first round of online interviews will be scheduled on November 23, 2026.

The preferred starting date is September 1, 2027 or earlier.

Knowledge security screening can be part of the selection procedures of academic staff. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology.

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The application deadline is 31 October 2026.