PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY JOB ANNOUNCEMENT THE NETHERLANDS INSTITUTE OF SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION SERVICES Internet and ICT are radically changing the way in which academic research is carried out. This is having far-reaching consequences on information and communication processes in the sciences and humanities. The Netherlands Institute of Scientific Information Services (NIWI), located in Amsterdam, has recently begun a programme of research to chart these changes. To increase the scope of its research domains, our research group of presently three full-time researchers is seeking 2 research associates (M/F) Vacancy number PZ 167 (40 hours full-time *1) to fulfill new positions. NIWI is an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. NIWI aims at providing scientific information in the fields of biomedicine, the social sciences, history and Dutch language and literature. In addition, NIWI provides information on research and researchers throughout the Netherlands. NIWI's main office is situated in Amsterdam. Recently, NIWI has formed a new research department to respond to the transformation of scientific publishing, communication and information. The successful applicants will be part of our team that will ultimately consist of ten people. NIWI's research goals are laid down in our research programme (http://www.niwi.knaw.nl/nerdi). Our present team members are concentrating on: ethnographic research on the role of trust in data-sharing the function of digital data in research quantitative research on Web based scientific information modelling and simulating of innovation processes quality control in science and scholarship access to scientific information We hope that the two new members will be able to address one of the fllowing questions: 1 How do scientists experience ICT-mediated collaboration and how are virtual scientific communities being built? 2 What influence are the new virtual research institutes and networks of research institutes - which rely heavily on communication through the Internet - having on the production of knowledge? 3 How does the use of ICT in science affect social stratification processes (including gender and centre-periphery relationships) and how does stratification in its turn shape the use of ICT in research? We will also welcome any novel ideas by the applicants. Our hypothesis is that the sciences, social sciences and humanities are in the midst of an informational turn. This has important, yet largely uncharted implications for the researcher. Studying these implications is the main objective of our research programme. For this reason, we wish to characterise the informational turn, study its properties, in particular its implications for the use and creation of scientific information by the individual research group and scholar. Although this means that many aspects of the development and of the social impact of information and communication technologies will be involved in our research, our programme differs from existing research efforts, in that it puts the researcher in central place. Many research projects in information and library science are related to the development of specific technologies or information sources. There has been far less research on how the development of ICT affects the conduct of scientific research. Yet, it is the combination of technological and social developments at research group or individual scholar level, which is largely responsible for shaping the future of scientific information and communication patterns and needs. We have therefore chosen to concentrate our research on the changing role and needs of the researcher in scientific information and communication. As well as research aimed at creating new knowledge about the interaction between the researcher and ICT, we are also developing applied research. This is aimed at providing solutions to problems emerging from the practice of library and information services. Applicants should hold a PhD (or be awarded their PhD shortly) and be available to start work in the short term. They should moreover have acquired research experience in a relevant field. Job responsibilities The research associates will be responsible for their own research project (one of the two mentioned above). They will be responsible for the acquisition of funding for additional research projects and submit grant applications. In collaboration with university researchers, some supervision of PhD students may be required. The members of NIWI Research act in an advisory capacity with respect to applied research projects within the institute. The main output of NIWI Research consists of journal publications, books, lectures and conference presentations. NIWI Research will also organise workshops and conferences on a regular basis. Research associates will be expected to share in these activities. Education and experience 1. Demonstrable relevant research experience, attested by a PhD degree and a list of publications in peer reviewed journals. 2. An excellent knowledge of the English language, both oral and written. 3. Experience in either qualitative or quantitative methods of research, preferably both. 4. Candidates should have a particular interest in transformations of academic research and be able to work independently and in a project-orientated manner 5. Candidates with creativity and who are inclined towards/ interested in groundbreaking work are encouraged to apply. Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands Salary: Maximum full-time gross salary of 8.390 Dutch guilders per month in accordance with salary scale 11 in the academic sector Starting date: With immediate effect For further information please contact: Dr. aul Wouters e-mail:paul.wouters@niwi.knaw.nl Please send applications accompanied by a C.V. and marked with vacancy number PZ 167 to: NIWI Personnel Department PO Box 95110 1090 HC Amsterdam the Netherlands email: henry.duindam@niwi.knaw.nl *1: The reduction in working hours ruling applies here NIWI is an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences