This fully funded PhD position is part of the EU Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska Curie ITN project entitled "ODECO: Towards a Sustainable Open Data ECOsystem" (see www.odeco-research.eu). ODECO is a four-year project involving 15 PhD projects covering each a specific part of the open data ecosystem. The central aim of the ODECO consortium network is to train the next generation of creative and innovative early stage open data researchers, to unlock their creative and innovative potential to address current and future challenges in the creation of user driven, circular and inclusive open data ecosystems.

Current developments in the field of open data are characterised as highly fragmented. Open data ecosystems are often developed in different domains in isolation of each other and with little involvement of potential users, resulting in approaches that significantly limit open data reusability for users. This reduces innovation and the ability to create new valued added goods and services. Isolated domains also undermine interoperability for users acting as a barrier to data sharing. Efforts are also uncoordinated in open data training and research, where multidisciplinary approaches are scant.

Bringing together different sectors (research, private sector, government, non-profit) and different perspectives (public administration, law, business, engineering), ODECO aims to address the central challenge of realizing a user driven, circular and inclusive open data ecosystem. Through its novel research and training programme, ODECO will provide early stage researchers with relevant open data knowledge, skills and research experience.

The offered PhD position - ODECO ESR1 - is to raise data awareness and to build digital capacity to empower civil society in finding solutions and to take actions that improve their lives. By using participatory design methods to include a broader audience of non-specialist data users (e.g., citizens or civil servants) and connect them with data professionals, to co-create new public services, the ESR1 project aims to:

1. Identify potentials and barriers of equal access to and data use
2. Develop novel collaborative techniques and participatory methods to engage non-specialist data users constructively in co-creation with open data
3. Examine the impact of participation in co-creative ‘data-sessions’, by conceptualising and assessing data literacy, empowerment, and reuse of data for the development of new public services
4. Developing a set of practices and strategies for building data capacity and empowering civil society.

During the PhD, the candidate will conduct this research and prepare scientific articles presenting the research at conferences and in journals. To enable the candidate to do this successfully, TU Delft offers personal and professional training courses in the form of a graduate school, in which the candidate will participate (the fee is paid by the project and there are no additional costs for this). Furthermore, in addition to her/his scientific supervisors, the applicant will receive an independent senior researcher as mentor, to aid her/his personal career development.

As a Marie Curie ITN researcher, you will have the opportunity to conduct practical internships at world leading universities and case studies through the EU ITN network. The PhD candidate will be working at the Human-Centered Design Department (IDE faculty) and jointly supervised by dr. Ingrid Mulder (Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering) and prof. Marijn Janssen (Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management) and co-supervised by dr. Rikke Magnussen (Aalborg University).

The TU Delft will recruit prospective talented researchers of any nationality, gender, culture, religion, sexual orientation or age.

Since this PhD position is part of a Horizon Marie Curie ITN project, several hard selection criteria apply to be eligible:

• You comply with the early-stage researcher definition: at the time of recruitment (January 2022), you must be in the first four years (full‐time equivalent research experience) of your research career and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.
• You comply with the mobility rule, meaning that you must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date (January 2022).
• You are expected to be embedded for 2 to 3 months at other organizations in Denmark and the Netherlands in the consortium as part of placements and assignments; secondments.

In addition, you must have a master's degree in a relevant field within the social sciences (e.g., design, educational science, organisation science, public administration), or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to the EU master's degree. Experience with (participatory) design research and qualitative research methods is expected while experience with quantitative research methods as well as the ability to run workshops, co-design activities and collaborate with various stakeholders are 'nice to have'. Proficiency in English is required, as well as good communication skills, both oral and written.

Fixed-term contract: 48.

TU Delft offers PhD-candidates a 4-year contract, with an official go/no go progress assessment after one year. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2395 per month in the first year to € 3061 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills. (www.tudelft.nl/phd)

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact! 

Faculty Industrial Design Engineering

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Delft designers act as a bridge between advances in technology and the needs of people, organisations and society to create products, services and systems with purpose.

IDE is a leader in design research across the application areas of mobility, sustainability and health, as well as its development of design tools and methods. A 350-strong research team and over 2,000 students work together in our inspiring hall, labs and studios.

In close cooperation with industry, the public sector and NGOs we rehearse possible futures in research and education to design for a complex future.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.