A unique opportunity for Radboud University and Radboudumc employees, holding a PhD, with or without a research position
Are you a talented academic with leadership ambitions? Would you like to team up with enthusiastic colleagues from different faculties, departments and institutes? Are you keen to engage in interdisciplinary research and education? Would you like to contribute to the academic culture and give advice to university board members? Then you might want to consider Radboud Young Academy membership!
Interdisciplinarity
As a member of the Radboud Young Academy (RYA) you will have a unique opportunity to meet colleagues with different backgrounds and start interdisciplinary projects. Members present and discuss their respective expertise and field of interest to stimulate outside-the-box academic collaborations. For example, current members work on several interdisciplinary initiatives: they identify the enablers and barriers in interfaculty collaborations and create an interdisciplinary student lab. As RYA member you could join the RYA’s book club and contribute to the organization of the Serendipity Sessions and Cross-Faculty Catapult Grants.
Academic culture
RYA members explore how different faculties and departments deal with shared challenges and opportunities in terms of, for instance, open science, recognition and rewards, internationalisation, social safety, diversity and inclusion. By joining one or more of our project teams you can voice your opinion and influence university policies. Members work closely together with the university’s teams on recognition and rewards, open science and social safety and regularly give their opinion in position papers, statements and letters.
Discuss you ideas
As a member, you are expected to join the bimonthly RYA general assembly meetings and join at least two teams working on themes regarding academic culture and interdisciplinarity. During the RYA meetings, members discuss their own and their team’s plans and ideas, and socialize while sharing a drink or having lunch. In addition, you are expected to participate in the regular discussions with faculty boards, the Rector Magnificus, and the President of the Executive Board regarding the ideas and views of RYA. During the informal lunch meetings members can network with each other. The average time investment will be about two hours per week.
Profile
We are looking for academics from the Radboud University or Radboudumc who:
- At 1 September 2026 have obtained a PhD between 2 and 10 years ago.1 A current research position is not needed. We encourage academics without a research position to apply.
- Would like to contribute to the initiatives of RYA and have ideas to stimulate interdisciplinarity and contribute to the academic culture.
- Have obtained successful academic results in science, education, management, impact and/or patient care and have academic leadership ambitions.
1 In line with the Extension regulations of the KNAW, this period may be extended by a maximum of five years due to a new child (biological mothers 18 months per child; other parents 6 months per child), illness, care for loved ones or medical specialist training (total time spent on training).
We are
The RYA was founded in October 2020 to build bridges between Radboud’s future academic leaders and give (un)solicited advice to the university boards and managers. We are a diverse group of young, talented and ambitious staff, working in different positions and representing all faculties, the Radboud Teachers Academy and Radboud Services. A membership takes four years and is open to everyone who is strongly motivated to develop their academic field, engage in interdisciplinary collaborations, and to contribute to the academic culture of the Radboud University, Radboudumc and beyond. New members join RYA yearly and the total amount of members is 32. Radboud Young Academy receives an annual budget from the Executive Board of the Radboud University.
We offer
An RYA membership broadens both your academic view and network, due to intensive collaboration and social interaction with colleagues from various disciplines, who are in similar phases of their career. You are in a privileged position to contribute to academic culture. In addition, RYA membership prepares you for membership of The Young Academy and other national and international organizations. In general, members are appointed for 4 years, but this can be shorter in case of a temporary contract with the Radboud University or Radboudumc.
Would you like more information?
Come and drink a coffee with us! We are happy to meet you and answer your questions.
When: Tuesday 7 April 2026, 13:00 – 14:00
Where: Erasmus building, 20th floor, room 20.27
It is also possible to ask your questions via email. Please contact Moniek Riemersma, youngacademy [at] ru.nl (youngacademy[at]ru[dot]nl).
Apply directly
If you would like to become a member, please apply and send us the following two documents:
- A letter of motivation, explaining (500 words maximum):
- Why you would like to become a member of the RYA.
- How you would like to contribute to the RYA.
- A CV (narrative or classic), including (500 words maximum):
- Academic profile (in a broad sense) and most successful results in research, education, management, impact and/or patient care.
- Most important experience concerning science policy, societal impact, interdisciplinarity, and/or science communication.
Please send your application in English by email, at latest 30 April 2026, to youngacademy [at] ru.nl (youngacademy[at]ru[dot]nl).
We are strongly committed to diversity and take diversity aspects in a broad sense into account during the selection. In addition, we select candidates on basis of the potential contribution to the RYA as a collective. Besides disabled people are very welcome to apply.
As soon as possible we will inform you if you will be invited for an interview. We invite a maximum of 14 candidates for an interview of 15 minutes with our selection committee. During this interview we would like to hear from you why you would like to become a member and with which ideas you would like to contribute to the RYA. Selected candidates will start officially in the autumn of 2026.