Project description
The Postdoc researcher will work in the project ‘Integrative Mechanisms for Addressing Spatial Justice and Territorial Inequalities in Europe’ (IMAJINE), funded by H2020 Grant Agreement no. 726950. The research team further includes Tialda Haartsen (Principal Investigator), Bettina Bock and Dirk Strijker. In this team, the researcher will perform her or his own research task in close collaboration with the other team members and with the other international consortium partners in the project.

Project summary: The core aim of IMAJINE is to formulate new integrative policy mechanisms to enable European, national and regional government agencies to more effectively address territorial inequalities within the European Union, and to imagine a future for European regions in which the distribution of resources is consistent with principles of social and spatial justice. Territorial cohesion is a guiding principle for EU policy, alongside social cohesion and economic cohesion, yet in recent years territorial inequalities within the EU have widened as the post-2008 economic crisis and adoption of austerity policies have had an uneven geographical impact. There is a pressing need to re-appraise the appropriateness and efficacy of existing policy instruments for tackling territorial inequalities, and to consider and develop alternative mechanisms. In order to achieve this aim, IMAJINE will adopt a multi-disciplinary approach that combines qualitative and quantitative data and macro-scale analysis and case study research, involving economists, geographers, political scientists and sociologists.

IMAJINE involves 16 international partners led by Aberystwyth University in Wales, UK. The work programme will be delivered through ten work packages. The University of Groningen research team is responsible for Work Package 5 Migration, Territorial Inequalities and Spatial Justice. WP 5 aims at understanding territorial inequalities and spatial (in)justice through the lens of migration. It intends to discover if, where, how and why migration flows contribute to the uneven development of regions and to inequalities between social groups. In doing so, it includes a wide range of migration patterns that differ in motives, volume, distance, direction and timing, and in social groups moving.

Key objectives are:
- to investigate to what extent different types of migration flows and long distance commuting reflect spatial inequalities
- to examine if and how migration is motivated by experienced and perceived quality of life and/or perceived opportunities for social mobility, socio-economic chances and life opportunities, welfare and wellbeing, and, hence, reconfirming spatial inequalities
- to explore if and how migration affects quality of life and public attitudes towards territorial inequalities in the sending and receiving regions and if this contributes to social and territorial exclusion.

The key objectives will be achieved via analysis of literature and data on migration flows (quantitative) and interviews on perceptions and experiences of spatial qualities in sending and receiving regions, to examine the effects of in- and out migration.

We are looking for candidates with:
• a PhD in Human Geography, Economics, Demography, or Sociology - finished at the start of the project
• excellent skills in quantitative research methods using register data or large survey databases, and preferably also qualitative methods
• publications in international peer-reviewed academic journals in the field of migration, mobility and/or spatial inequalities
• proven ability to collaborate in a research team and to take the lead in organizing collaborative work
• fluency in English; preferably mastering some Dutch or willing to learn Dutch
• willingness to attend conferences and research consortia meetings abroad
• strong conceptual thinking
• strong motivation, good communicative skills, proactive and independent work attitude
• strong planning skills, ability to organize own work and related activities, ability to meet deadlines
• a great curiosity and enthousiasm for scientific research.

Competences of a Postdoctoral Researcher:
• conceptual capacity
• environment orientation
• presenting
• result orientation.

Fixed-term contract: 12 months.

The University of Groningen offers a salary dependent on qualifications and work experience of € 2,588 gross per month up to a maximum of € 4,084 gross per month (salary scale 10 Dutch Universities) for a full-time position. This position is defined according to the UFO function profile 'researcher 4'. The appointment is temporary for a period of 12 months with the perspective of prolongation with two additional years after a positive evaluation.

Starting date preferably between April and July 2018.

Procedure
Selection of candidates for job interviews will take place on 15 February 2018. Job interviews will take place on 21 and 22 February 2018.

How to apply
You may apply for this position until 14 February 23:59 h / before 15 February 2018 (Dutch local time) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

We ask you to submit:
A motivation letter; your CV, including a list of academic output and the names and contact details of two referees, a short note on which parts of the project you would be particularly interested in working on, and how this work would relate to previous work you have done.

The project proposal can be obtained from the secretaries of the Cultural Geography Department of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, secr.cg-eg@rug.nl

Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated.

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

The Faculty of Spatial Sciences at the University of Groningen (RUG) consists of around 95 members of staff and 95 PhD researchers. The Faculty focuses on high quality teaching and research in the fields of spatial planning, economic and cultural geography and demography. The research theme of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences is 'Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation'. Our mission is to produce research which is world-leading, distinctive, and policy-relevant. With two bachelor and eight master programmes, the faculty offers a wide range of courses within the field to about 900 students.