PhD position: Deep transdisciplinary learning for sustainable transitions 929 views

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research at University of Amsterdam are inviting applications for a PhD position in Deep transdisciplinary learning for sustainable transitions.

About the research:

• These research projects will two PhD researchers (one based in Delft and one based in Amsterdam) and a postdoctoral researcher (based in Delft for the first two years and in Amsterdam for the latter two years) will be appointed.
• Candidate must have strong affinity with transdisciplinary research, who have proven academic skills to combine theoretical innovation and scientific rigour with interactive research practice aiming at societal change.
• All team members will work partly embedded in ongoing planning processes in the case-study areas.

Responsibilities:

• conduct transdisciplinary research that contributes to the project deliverables and the writing of a PhD thesis;
• engage effectively with key stakeholders on the project and support their work;
• be an active member of the Knowledge Action Network Kennisactiewater;
• undertake relevant coursework and other training;
• contribute to the writing of high-quality, high-impact academic publications;
• participate in the general intellectual life of the programme group Governance and Inclusive Development and the department Geography, Planning and International Development Studies.

Requirements:

• Candidate must have excellent and proven academic skills of interactive research and writing.
• Candidates to have proven interest in and ability to frame their PhD work within an ongoing research project, by fulfilling the expectations of the research project in combination with their PhD research.
• Candidate should be able to bridge the boundaries between science and practice, in a broad transdisciplinary team.
• Candidate must fulfill the following expectations:
• Master’s degree in a relevant cognate discipline (e.g. organisational and management studies, urban governance studies, transformative governance, institutional learning, urban planning and geography, and public administration studies) with an evident interest in theories of institutional learning, transformative governance, and/or sustainable transitions;
• familiarity with qualitative research methods or a strong desire to learn advanced qualitative methods that support engaged scholarship;
• a substantive interest in working with stakeholders in practice to drive behavioural change in sustainable transitions;
• native (or close to native) Dutch speaker with an excellent command of the English language;
• Strong critical thinking and academic writing skills (both in Dutch and English), visible in the writing sample;
• Affinity with science communication and popular communication;
• The ability to work independently, and as part of a team.

Applications:

Submit application online and the following documents, in a single pdf attachment:

• A letter of application
• CV
• A list of publications;
• Details of two referees
• Position paper (excluding the list of references) – 1,500-words
• The position paper should be written in English and contain a list of key references (max. 25) that informs the candidate’s position.