The LDE PortCityFutures research program focuses on the social, spatial, and cultural components of port city regions. It argues that innovations  to address the multiple contemporary challenges of the ongoing energy, digital, social transitions require close collaboration between social and technical sciences. We posit that a new multidisciplinary methodology is needed to critically asses the long term spatial and social dimensions that are inherent in port city regions over time and ultimately improving the relations among all stakeholders of port city regions.

Key responsibilities
The Postdoc will have in-depth knowledge of port city literature and social scientific theories and methods (anthropology, cultural geography, sociology). They should be able to conceptualize and theorize port city region’s relationships, cultures, and institutions as they occur in and through space. He/she will collaborate with researchers from diverse disciplines in Leiden, Delft and Erasmus and is expected to commute to these locations. Your work will consist of:

• Delivery of an annotated bibliography based on literature review;
• Identify grant opportunities and time lines;
• Play a key role in writing a grant application for this LDE program under the PI’s supervision, working towards an independent research centre;
• Take initiative to advance the consortium and work closely with faculty staff members involved in the project;
• Build upon the extensive international networks of the faculty members involved to establish a global group of port city region scholars who can apply for advanced research grants;
• Work with colleagues who engage with local and national port city related institutions, including through participatory actions;
• Collaborate in joint publications.

• Relevant PhD and publications;
• Experienced social scientist (preferably in cultural anthropology or cognate discipline) with extensive field research experience;
• Knowledge of port city literature;
• Fluency in English (spoken and written);             
• Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a research team;
• Strong communication and organizational skills;
• Strong interdisciplinary background.

We offer a two years temporary position for 0.5 FTE starting 1 March 2020. The salary ranges from €2,709.- to €4,274.- gross per month for a full time appointment (pay scale 10, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities), depending on qualifications and experience. ranges

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package including additional holiday pay (8%) and end-of-year bonus (8.3%) and training and career development. Our individual choice-model allows employees to tailor their own set of benefits within this framework. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Leiden University

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences comprises four institutes: education and child studies, political science, psychology and cultural anthropology & development sociology. The Faculty also includes the Centre for Science and Technology Studies. The Faculty is home to 5,000 students and 600 members of staff. Our teaching and research programmes cover diverse topics varying from adoption to political behaviour.

We study the everyday practice of individuals, groups, and communities worldwide and at home to situate them within the complex processes of social and global change. In Leiden, we specialise in the impact of globalisation on environment, equity, and economy, and the ethnographic analysis of visual and material culture. Our unique combination of interdisciplinary interest, a comparative area studies approach, and social scientific research methods positions us within a larger partnership of Leiden Institutes and links our research and teaching to the extensive interdisciplinary and international networks we are currently involved in.