Professor, Civil Engineering

Professor - workleader in preventive conservation of cultural heritage monuments and collections in the face of (climate change affected) humidity and temperature challenges. FULL TIME POSITION (50% ACADEMIC TENURE TRACK PROFES-SOR KU LEUVEN & 50% SW2 WORKLEADER KIK-IRPA).

(ref. ZAP-2023-2)

A full-time position is available on preventive conservation of cultural heritage monuments and collections in the face of (climate-change affected) humidity and temperature challenges. This vacancy consists of 50 % academic tenure track at KU Leuven and 50 % SW2 work leader at the Royal Institute of Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA).

”This position implements the FED-tWIN research profile “CNSRV/HU&TE” (code: Prf-2021R-004) which is part of the Belgian federal FED-tWIN Programme of sustainable research cooperation between the federal scientific institutes and the universities.

The 50% academic tenure track position at KU Leuven is located in the Science, Engineering and Technology Group, Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Civil Engineering, Building Physics and Sustainable Design section; the 50% work leader position at KIK-IRPA is located in the Monuments and Monumental Decorations Laboratory.

Place of employment.

KU Leuven, Department of Civil Engineering, Building Physics and Sustainable Design, Kasteelpark Arenberg 40, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
Royal Institute of Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA), Monuments and Monumental Decorations Laboratory, Jubelpark 1, 1000 Brussel, Belgium.

KU Leuven’s Building Physics and Sustainable Design section is internationally recognized as one of the leading building physical groups in the world, with a core expertise on hygrothermal building performance assessment and optimisation. To that aim, the section develops and performs numerical and experimental research activities on a wide spectrum of scales, from building materials over building components and whole buildings to building districts. To support these research activities, the section actively develops and maintains a wide range of experimental research facilities, and equally employs and improves a varied array of hygrothermal simulation models.

The Building Physics and Sustainable Design section is a member of Energyville, a partnership of KU Leuven, VITO, imec and UHasselt. The section also is a member of the KU Leuven Institute for Cultural Heritage HERKUL, KU Leuven Material Research Centre and KU Leuven XCT Core Facility. At the national level, the section collaborates strongly with KIK-IRPA, Buildwise, Flemish and Federal governments, … Internationally there is a strong interaction with building physics groups in the framework of European projects and collaborative research projects of the International Energy Agency. The section e.g. acted as work package leader in the H2020 RIBuild on internal insulation of historic buildings.

The Royal Institute of Cultural Heritage is one out of the ten federal scientific institutions that are part of the Belgian Science Policy. The KIK-IRPA has been devoted to documenting, investigating and conserving the artistic and cultural heritage of Belgium. Particularly, it targets the inventory, the research, the conservation as well as the promotion of the country’s artistic and cultural heritage.

The institute, whose prime mission is scientific research and public service, represents a unique instrument for the (im)movable cultural heritage of Belgium.

KIK-IRPA’s three departments bring together art historians, photographers, scientists and conservator-restorers. By comparing their research and observations, reference data can be collected and the degree of intervention required for possible restoration work can be determined, from different points of view: their composition, evolution, ageing of materials and how to treat them. Their specialists advise researchers and curators of both public and private collections.

The Monuments and Monumental Decorations Laboratory develops numerical and analytical research activities in fields as salt crystallization in porous media, consolidation treatments of heritage materials and the analysis and mitigation of the effects of climate change on cultural heritage. The laboratory currently is the coordinator of the national research projects PREDICT and CLIMPACTH. There moreover is a strong national and international collaboration with universities and governmental organizations.

Interested? 

For more information on the contents of the job, please contact:

• prof.dr.ir. Hans Janssen, FED-tWIN position promotor at KU Leuven: hans.janssen@kuleuven.be, +32 16 32 13 26; or
• • ir. Roald Hayen, FED-tWIN position promotor at KIK-IRPA: roald.hayen@kikirpa.be, +32 2 739 68 67

You can submit your application until 04-04-2023, only through our online application system. If you have problems submitting your application online, please send an email to solliciteren@kuleuven.be.  

Please do note already that the interviews will take place on 24-04-2023.
Add to your application following documents in English (more information is available on the KU Leuven job site):

• your biosketch in which you indicate your added value as an academic for research, education and service to society of your past career and of your future activities (maximum 2 pages);
• a file on your five most important publications or realisations;
• an extensive cv including a full publication list and if applicable a portfolio of your projects;
• your research plan with focus on the development of your research line and research team in relation to the colleague-researchers of the entity of employment (maximum 4 pages);
• your vision on academic education and its organisation (maximum 2 pages);
• your contribution to society by outreach and public communication on science and technology, internal representation in boards and councils and service activities directly in relation to your developed expertise (maximum 1 page);
• your vision on leadership (maximum 1 page).

KU Leuven and KIK-IRPA are committed to creating a diverse environment and are therefore equal opportunity employers. They explicitly encourage candidates from groups that are currently underrepresented at the university and the institute to submit their applications. 

KU Leuven places great importance on research integrity and ethical conduct and will therefore ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.

You can apply for this job no later than April 04, 2023 via the online application tool

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.