The Department for Public Administration and Organizational Sciences (PAOS) educates students for professional roles as policy advisors, consultants, managers, and researchers within the public, semi-public, and private sectors in Aruba. It is committed to developing dynamic leaders who are analytical, socially responsible, ethically grounded, and able to address emerging local and regional challenges. Alongside its educational mission, PAOS emphasizes knowledge creation within a small island state context. Its research aims to be directly relevant and of practical value to the University of Aruba and Aruban society. The department prides itself on a dedicated and skilled team of lecturers, strong ties to the Aruban professional field, a local and international academic orientation, active international collaborations, and successful bachelor’s and master’s graduates.

Your main responsibilities are:

• Teach, develop, and coordinate education for the WO bachelor students in the fields of organizational sciences, public administration, and management studies, with related administrative duties;
• Supervise theses in the Bachelor and Master programs;
• Contribute to the continuous innovation and quality processes of the programs;
• Initiate and conduct (commissioned) research with practical societal and academic impact, related to the Research Agenda OGM: Navigating complexity- Organizing quality in small island states;
• Teach, develop, and coordinate courses in the Master Governance and Leadership program;
• Provide training/workshops for the Aruba Institute for Good Governance & Leadership (GG&L);
• Perform and contribute to other administrative activities for the benefit of the state of affairs of the programs and faculty.

The ideal candidate:

• Holds a master’s degree in public administration, political science, or a related social science discipline (a PhD is a plus). Preferably possesses in-depth expertise in organizational sciences, including HRM, strategic management, communications, and project management;
• Has proven experience in academic research, teaching (community-engaged learning, blended learning), and coaching;
• Has the certificate "basiskwalificatie onderwijs" or a comparable certificate;
• Has ambition to contribute to the sustainable development of Aruba and other small island states through interactive contextual education and impactful research;
• Affinity for mixed methods research within the social sciences, with a specific expertise in quantitative research methods;
• Has excellent organizational, supervisory, and collaborative team-building skills;
• Can provide and receive constructive feedback to/from peers and students as part of his/her strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Has excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in Dutch is an asset and is willing to learn Papiamento and Spanish;
• Shows sensitivity to and awareness of cultural context, diversity, and inclusion;
• Key competencies: flexibility, accountability, process & result oriented, leadership, critical and analytic thinking, team player, and ability to (continue to) work independently on a long-term project.

We offer a pleasant working environment within a small university with around 800 students that is in full development. The small scale of our organization means that we offer a diversity of work and roles, from providing teaching and conducting research to holding administrative positions.

This position is for an appointment of 40 hours per week and for a salary in accordance with the remuneration scheme of the University of Aruba. The appointment is for a contract period of one (1) to three (3) years with the possibility of a contract extension based on a good performance evaluation and unchanged organization conditions. Part of our secondary employment conditions includes 30 vacation days, 13 ATV days, a vacation allowance, a pension plan, additional health insurance, and opportunities for personal and professional development.

Interested? Submit your application through https://careers.portal.ua.aw/ before March 31st, 2026. Information about our Bachelor's and Master’s programs can be found in the study guides on our website. For more information about the position, please contact the dean, Dr. Mieke de Droog (mieke.de.droog@ua.aw). One (or more) job interviews, a medical exam, an assessment test, and a certificate of good conduct are in accordance with our rules of application and a standard part of our recruitment and selection procedure.