Researcher in Religious Studies (SpEx Care I - HFM24-10) (M/V/X)

20 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Royal Military Academy

Department

Defence

Research Field

Other

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Belgium

Application Deadline

26 Apr 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)

Type of Contract

Permanent

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

38

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Reference Number

SpEx Care I - HFM24-10

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

In the framework of the study SpEx Care (Spiritual-Existential Care is a concept of religious and moral support provided by chaplains and moral advisors within Belgian Defence), the Patrimony of the Royal Military Academy plans to hire a full-time researcher with a master's degree in Religious Sciences or related field (M/F/X). This study can lead to a PhD. The Royal Military Academy (RMA) is strongly committed to promoting diversity and gender equality. Therefore, women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
 

Context
The Royal Military Academy (RMA) is a military institution for university education, responsible for the basic academic, military, and physical training of future officers, as well as the ongoing advanced training of officers during their active careers in Defense (www.rma.ac.be ). The Royal Military Academy also conducts scientific research at the university level within the framework of projects funded by Defense or external sources, including in the fields of social and religious sciences.

Project
The aim of the project is to develop the spiritual component of the new model of the Belgian Defence Wellbeing Policy, which encompasses the work of military chaplains and moral counselors on one hand and addresses the systemic spiritual needs of Defense on the other hand. This project aligns with emerging efforts at the European and NATO levels. The outcome of this project is the development of spiritual assessment tools that can be applied within the general management framework and during operations.
 

Main tasks
As a researcher at the Department of Behavioral Sciences of the Royal Military Academy, you will perform the following tasks:

• Conducting theoretical and practical research in the field of social and religious sciences, culminating in the preparation of a doctoral thesis;
• Establishing close collaboration with various national and international research groups;
• Participating in national and international conferences and workshops;
• Promoting the research findings through academic publications;
• Organizing conferences, seminars, exhibitions, and workshops.

Requirements

Research Field

Other

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Technical skills

• The candidate holds a master's degree in Social and/or Religious Sciences or a related field.
• Possesses the ability to conduct interdisciplinary research, demonstrating the capacity to conduct university-level research and produce scientific outputs (papers and participation in scientific conferences).
• Proficient in historical research methods and sociological research techniques.
• Ability to use both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Capacity of synthesizing historical and sociological information coherently.
• Demonstrates the ability to organize scientific activities, including conferences and seminars.

Personal skills

• Critical thinking
• Ability to read, comprehend, and memorize substantial amounts of material.
• Possesses analytical and synthetic skills, coupled with a critical and creative approach.
• Capable of working independently and collaboratively within a group.
• Ability to conduct research at the university level, including producing the required scientific output.
• Demonstrates organizational skills, decisiveness, and the ability to take initiative.
• Sensitivity to cultural and religious nuances, especially relevant to the context of military chaplaincies.
• Ability to adapt research strategies based on the evolving nature of the project and emerging findings.
• Able to work in a religious and philosophical interfaith environment.

Other skills

• Good knowledge of military chaplaincies’ work
• Experience with (Belgian) military chaplaincies
• Experience in interreligious/interconvictional dialogue platforms
• Experience in work (military) international organizations
• Have a contact with international research network
• Due to the international context of the research, the candidate must possess excellent oral and written English skills.
• Proactive approach in identifying research gaps and proposing solutions.
• Capability to be deployed abroad in order to get empirical data and insights.

 

Specific Requirements

Specific skills
Ideally employee have a contact with military environment, ideally as active duty, reservist or civilian. The employee might be working with classified information and, therefore, may be required to obtain a corresponding security certificate. The candidate is required to consent to the background check required to obtain this clearance, and the check will be conducted by the Belgian Defence.

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Good

Languages

FRENCH

Level

Basic

Languages

DUTCH

Level

Basic

Research Field

Other

Years of Research Experience

1 - 4

Internal Application form(s) needed
20240320_Job-description_SpEx Care_1_HFM24-10.pdf
English
(244.76 KB - PDF)
Download
Additional Information
Benefits

Contract

• Probable date of recruitment: 02 September 2024 or later, by agreement with the candidate;
• Status: long-term contract, full-time job (38h/ week) with the Patrimony of the Royal Military Academy (you will not be a civil servant). Please do note that the financing of your contract is tied to the “SpEx Care” project (which lasts 4 years).
• Pay scale: NA11 (Master holder). RMA-Patrimony applies a merit-based research career track, allowing researchers to advance in wage scale based upon annual evaluations.
• Holiday pay.

Extra-legal benefits

• Possibility to benefit from a bilingualism allowance (Dutch/French) following a SELOR test;
• End-of-year bonus;
• Free DKV hospitalization insurance. Possibility of additional affiliation for one or more persons living under the same roof: spouse, child(ren) (50% of the price per additional member);
• Bike allowance / Free public transport (home-work commute);
• Meal vouchers (6€ / day);
• On-campus restaurant and cafeteria with democratic prices (discount on the daily menu);
• Free access to campus sports facilities outside working hours;
• Flexible working hours within the 38-hour week;
• Teleworking possible with allowance ;
• Holidays o 29 days holiday / year from the 1st year of contract (then from 45 years: +1 day holiday every 5 years) o + 1 week OFF every year between Christmas and New year’s Eve (independent of the annual balance of holidays).
• Advantages and interesting offers thanks to the Benefits@work card (discounts, vouchers...);
• Entitlement to services offered by the ‘Office Central d'Action Sociale et Culturelle de la Défense’ (OCASC): among others holiday centres, discount on travel organised by the tour operator...;
• Possibility of benefiting from the nursery funded by Belgian Defence (subject to availability).

Selection process

Application
You will be employed in a military environment. For this reason, every employee undergoes security verification. Please attach to your application the completed document which can be downloaded from the RMA site: http://www.rma.ac.be/nl/aanvraag-veiligheidsverificatie
Steer:

• A cover letter;
• A full CV;
• A scan of your identity card (two sides);
• The safety investigation document, completed and signed: http://www.rma.ac.be/nl/aanvraag-veiligheidsverificatie

Clearly indicate the project reference: " SpEx Care I - HFM24-10".
Send your application by e-mail to the RSWO department ([email protected] ), to the following member of the RMA Behavioral Sciences Department: Mr Dr Dewyn ([email protected] ) and to Mrs Tatiana Letovaltseva ([email protected] )
The deadline for submission of candidature is 26 April 2024.
Interviews will take place at the Royal Military Academy, Rue Hobbemastraat 8, 1000 Brussels. The date and timing will be communicated to the selected candidates.

Additional comments

Workplaces

• Main workplace: Queen Elizabeth Headquarters, 1140 Evere
• Secundary workplace : Royal Military Academy, Avenue de la Renaissance 30, 1000 Brussels;
• Visits to partners and/or occasional trips abroad;
• Stimulating work environment.

Contact points

• Regarding the vacancy: Mr Dr Dewyn ([email protected] ) and Mrs Tatiana Letovaltseva ([email protected] ). Regarding the method of recruitment: the RSWO service (Scientific Research : [email protected] ).
• For more information about the scientific research at the Royal Military Academy: Research departments | RMA

Website for additional job details

https://www.rma.ac.be/nl/jobs

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Royal Military Academy - Patrimony

Country

Belgium

State/Province

Brussels

City

Brussels

Postal Code

1000

Street

Hobbemastraat 8

Geofield

Where to apply

E-mail

[email protected]

Contact

State/Province

Brussels

City

Brussels

Website

http://www.rma.ac.be

Street

Hobbemastraat 8

Postal Code

1000

E-Mail

[email protected]

Phone

+3224413750

STATUS: EXPIRED