Vacancy (Junior) Researcher – Fulfilled

DRIFT is seeking to expand its team with a new researcher, to support its on-going and new research projects and to support bringing science to practice in consultancy and (professional) education. The researcher will spend about half his or her time supporting the European CONNECTING Nature-research program and the other half of the time on other projects.

Update: we found ourselves a new colleague. Thanks for your interest!

Cities are transitionscapes, where transformative change can be scaled and amplified. For this to happen, traditional planning processes become counterproductive since they do not entail mechanisms to take up lessons from experimentation, nor address scaling up conditions and mechanisms of transformative practices. In the HORIZON 2020 project CONNECTING Nature, a research and innovation project on accelerating the scaling of nature-based solutions in European cities, Drift’s team is proposing a new master-planning cycle, that will connect experimentation and lessons from it to on-going policy and market needs.

Moreover, the cycle will include operational mechanisms to accelerate the scaling of nature based solutions, as well as tactical mechanisms and guiding principles in turning socio-economic and institutional barriers into opportunities. We aim to connect and capitalize upon on-going and finalized research projects of DRIFT on urban sustainability transitions and their governance with the action research in 25 cities in Europe, Brazil, Armenia and China that CONNECTING Nature brings together as cities in action.

We seek a motivated transdisciplinary researcher that can work in the interface between theory and practice, with illustrated experience in translating theoretical knowledge into practice and practice-based knowledge into novel conceptualizations for urban planning and governance with a focus on co-creation and co-designing nature-based solutions in European cities for climate resilience. Experience with working with cities, meaning designing, implementing (with urban planners, climate change officers and/or finance officers) and analyzing participatory processes are considered essential prerequisites for applying to this position.

Other activities
In the other projects and activities the (junior) researcher will support acquisition of research proposals, bridging science to practice by supporting consultancy projects and also supporting education with DRIFT’s Transition Academy.

The candidate should have:

• A completed university B.Sc./B.A. and M.Sc./M.A. degree in Environmental Science, Policy Studies, Architecture, Urban Planning, Sociology, Urban Studies, or Governance studies;
• Experience in transdisciplinary research in the urban context; Ability to connect theory with practice and practice-based knowledge to novel conceptualisations for urban planning and governance;
• Illustrated ability of academic writing. An executive summary of the MSc thesis highlighting the methodology used and key findings of max 2 pages needs to be included in the application;
• Capability to work in an intercultural team; and flexibility to work with a large team remotely, meaning that most of the communications and coordination of the activities will happen virtually (using emails, Skype and other teleconference tools);
• Able to work independently, entrepreneurial attitude, pragmatic and chaos-resistent.
• Ability and motivation to work in an hybrid, transdisciplinary institute between science and society
• Proficient in English is required, proficiency in Dutch is highly preferred for this position.

 Conditions of employment
DRIFT offers a dynamic and challenging environment and has attractive employment conditions, which include a holiday allowance of 8 %, a good leave arrangement, a flexible pension plan and various collective insurances. Employees can use the sport accommodation and the university library. The salary for this contract is subject to salary scale 7 CAO-NU (€2,161 to €2,917 gross) or scale 8 CAO-NU (€2,465 to €3,292 gross). The Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) is explicitly not applicable. Prolongation of the contract is possible under the same operating conditions  and on good performance. This for assessment by the employer.

We offer a dynamic and challenging environment and good working conditions as well as a flexible pension plan and various collective insurances. Employees can use the sport accommodation and the university library.

 Job application
Deadline for applications is the 11th of April 2018. Applicants are invited to send their application consisting of the following to Maryce Koedood:

•  Up-to-date resume / CV ( max 2 pages ), in English
• Application / Motivation letter of maximum 500 words, in English
• 1-2 publications (published academic articles) or abstracts of manuscripts under review
• An executive summary of your MSc thesis, in English, highlighting the methodology used and key findings of max 2 pages and your MSc thesis.