Two Assistant Professorship Positions in Sustainability Studies

Job description

We seek new enthusiastic colleagues whose academic training and research experience provide a clear foundation for contributing to:

Position 1: Social science, quantitative and qualitative methods, governance and policy studies, innovation and transition studies, participatory approaches, co-creation, transdisciplinary research, particularly in the domain of energy and climate change.

Position 2: Spatial data science, modelling (incl. ABM) and visualization, economic methods, and aiming for transparency, trend analysis and evidence-based policies, in multiple domains and upon multiple sustainability challenges.

Responsibilities

You will contribute to CSTM's research and teaching activities on pressing sustainability challenges, such as the energy transition, water governance, and climate change. Through your research, you will strengthen the research profile by contributing to collaborative projects, publishing in leading academic and professional outlets, and pursuing opportunities for external funding. This includes actively engaging with policymakers, practitioners, communities, and industry partners to ensure that research findings contribute to societal impact and are accessible to a broad range of stakeholders.Working closely with colleagues and research partners at regional, national, and international levels, you will contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration, academic networks, and the co-supervision of PhD candidates.In education, responsibilities include teaching and, over time, coordinating courses at Bachelor's and Master's level within your field of expertise. You will create engaging, research-informed learning environments, supervise undergraduate and graduate students, and contribute to the further development of CSTM's educational portfolio.As an active member of the academic community, you will support an inclusive, collegial, and intellectually stimulating working environment.The position includes engagement in relevant departmental and university activities, participation in committees and academic initiatives appropriate to career stage, and contributions to the collaborative culture that characterises CSTM.

Career DevelopmentAs our new team member you will receive opportunities to develop a teaching portfolio, to establish and expand their research profile, and collaborate within and beyond the CSTM team, pursue external research funding and run and contribute to research projects. Close collaboration with experienced researchers and educators provides opportunities to further develop academic expertise while taking responsibility for parts of research projects and teaching activities.

Your profile

A completed PhD, or equivalent doctoral qualification, by the time of appointment.

A University Teaching Qualification (UTQ), or the willingness to obtain one at the earliest opportunity offered by UT.

Demonstrated interest in contributing to the CSTM research programme and advancing its themes of Energy Transition, Circular Economy, Water Management, Climate Adaptation, and Regional Sustainable Development.

Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and engage with societal partners.

Ability to work independently, take initiative, and actively contribute to a collaborative academic environment.

High level proficiency in Dutch and English.

For Position 1, candidates should hold a PhD in a relevant social science area. This includes public administration, governance, policy studies, political science, transition studies, sociology, planning, human geography, or behavioural, institutional, or sustainability economics. You have experience with multidisciplinary research and are comfortable working across disciplinary boundaries. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, or a clear motivation to further develop one of these areas and apply them in transdisciplinary research settings.

For Position 2, we are looking for a candidate with a background in geoinformatics, geography, spatial data science, geomatics, machine learning, or a related field. You have experience with spatial data analysis, modelling and/or computational methods, and possess strong programming skills, preferably in Python. Experience with approaches such as agent-based modelling, dynamic modelling, structural equation modelling or other quantitative methods is considered an asset. We particularly welcome candidates who are eager to broaden their methodological toolkit and contribute to interdisciplinary sustainability research.

Our offer

• A full-time position for 18 months with a two-month probationary period. With the intention of a permanent contract in case of a positive evaluation of performance and if financial conditions remain unchanged;
• The starting salary, depending on your experience, ranges between € 4537 to € 6209 gross per month (in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities), based on the job profile of Assistant Professor;
• 8,3% end-of-year bonus and 8% holiday allowance;
• minimum of 29 holidays in case of full-time employment;
• an attractive pension scheme;
• possibilities to save up holidays for sabbatical leave;
• professional and personal development programmes;
• a family friendly institution.

Information and application

Are you interested in being part of our team? Please submit your application before 30 th September and include:

• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages A4) outlining your interest, qualifications and motivation for the positions, be explicit with regard to the job-profile of preference and your affinity with CSTM research program themes.
• A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages A4), including an overview of relevant teaching activities, an overview of relevant research activities, an overview of acquired funding (if applicable), a list of publications, and a list of relevant certifications. You are encouraged to include the names and contact details of two academic referees.
• Proof of English proficiency (IELTS or TOEFL).
• Proof of Dutch proficiency (CEFS Scale).

Additional information can be acquired via email from dr. Kris Lulofs; k.r.d.lulofs@utwente.nl.

Applications should be submitted through the UT job application system.

Screening is part of the selection procedure.

About the department

The successful applicant will join the Governance and Technology for Sustainability (CSTM) group of the Technology, Policy & Society (TPS) Department at the Faculty of Behavioural, Management, and Social Sciences (BMS). Our team brings together research on sustainability, governance, technology, and societal change.

Planet and people are threatened by climate change, overextraction, overconsumption, pollution, inequalities, and exploitation of ecosystems. Our mission is to inform society and policymakers and to co-create responsible solutions for these societal and environmental challenges together with stakeholders through scientific research, academic education and knowledge exchange.We take an interdisciplinary approach to addressing complex societal challenges, combining insights from social sciences with technological and data-driven approaches. Our focus is on the planning, institutional, governance and managerial aspects of protecting and improving quality and proper use of the natural resources.