The new interdisciplinary Coastal landSCAPE (C-SCAPE) project aims to explore sustainable long-term sand nourishment strategies. Inspired by recent large-scale sand nourishments like the Sand Motor and Hondsbossche Dunes, the project examines how such strategies affect morphology and ecology, and how they translate to societal acceptance. The specific responsibilities for the PhD candidate include:

• Development of an integrative evaluation framework for different forms of coastal engineering, based on ecosystem services;
• Review and evaluate indicators of ecosystem services of coastal engineering;
• Quantitative analysis and modelling of morphological, ecological and socio-economic data related to sandy coasts and ecosystem services;
• Stakeholder analysis on the social value of coastal ecosystem services;
• Scenario analysis of different sand nourishment designs over time and space, based on ecosystem service.

• MSc degree in Earth system science, Environmental science, Civil Engineering, Geography, Ecology or related discipline with a clear focus on sustainability and ecosystem services assessment;
• Excellent ability to think conceptually and quantitatively;
• Experience with data processing, numerical modelling, GIS and visualization;
• Excellent ability to communicate in English and preferably in Dutch, both orally and in writing;
• Interest to carry out interdisciplinary research in a real-world, multi-disciplinary policy context, in collaboration with academic and governmental project partners;
• Good organizational skills and ability to work independently.

We offer a full-time one year term, after a positive evaluation of the progress of the thesis, personal capabilities and compatibility the appointment will be extended by a further three years. Salary range from €2,325.- to €2,972.- gross per month (pay scale P, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses(8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Diversity
Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Leiden University

The Faculty of Science is a world-class faculty where staff and students work together in a dynamic international environment. It is a faculty where personal and academic development are top priorities. Our people are driven by curiosity to expand fundamental knowledge and to look beyond the borders of their own discipline; their aim is to benefit science, and to make a contribution to addressing the major societal challenges of the future.

The research carried out at the Faculty of Science is very diverse, ranging from mathematics, information science, astronomy, physics, chemistry and bio-pharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences. The research activities are organised in eight institutes. These institutes offer eight bachelor’s and twelve master’s programmes. The faculty has grown strongly in recent years and now has more than 1,300 staff and almost 4,000 students. We are located at the heart of Leiden’s Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s biggest science parks, where university and business life come together.

The Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) is positioned in the Faculty of Sciences. The core business of CML is to perform research and education in the interdisciplinary field of Environmental Sciences. CML has two Departments: Industrial Ecology (CML-IE) and Environmental Biology (CML-EB). Presently, over 90 fte (including postdocs and PhDs) are employed at CML. CML collaborates with the TU Delft and Erasmus University in the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability (LDE-CfS).

All our PhD students are embedded in the Leiden University Graduate School of Science. Our graduate school offers several PhD training courses at three levels: professional courses, skills training and personal effectiveness. In addition, advanced courses to deepen scientific knowledge are offered by the research school.