Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI) at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) of Maastricht University offers a 3,5-year Postdoc position, starting on September 1 2020. Eligible candidates must have successfully completed a PhD in Sustainability Science or a Social Science study and obtained relevant courses on sustainability during the Master’s degree (MSc or MA). The candidate have a good competence in written and spoken English next to command of the Dutch language. Students of Design studies with affinity with social science who have worked with stakeholders in a design for sustainability project are also eligible.

We are looking for a candidate who has a strong interest in doing transdisciplinary research. Past experience in transdisciplinary research is desired and a multidisciplinary background with strong research skills in qualitative research is a minimum requirement. The work involves a study of sustainability initiatives in Brainport Smart District in Helmond (NL) https://brainportsmartdistrict.nl/en/ in a broad multidisciplinary team led by Prof René Kemp (MSI), Prof John Grin and Dr Michaela Hordijk of the University of Amsterdam. In the project we study and facilitate attempts at multiple value creation through integrated design.  

The candidate is expected to contribute to teaching activities at the department, taking max. 15-20% of his/her time.

We offer a dynamic and challenging job in an internationally oriented organisation. MSI has strong collaborations with other institutes and departments at Maastricht University and elsewhere.

We are looking for a self-driven, curious person with a strong interest in contributing to socio-technical change, who is a critical and systematic thinker who can easily shift between the concrete and abstract and has a record of high academic achievement. In the project, you are expected to engage with issues of complexity, normativity and uncertainty, in direct encounters with practitioners.

Key responsibilities of the postdoc are to:

• Undertake transdisciplinary research which involves engaging  effectively with key stakeholders on the project and support their work
• Conduct coordination activities for the project (led by MSI)
• Undertake relevant coursework and other training;
• Contribute to the writing of high-quality, high-impact publications
• Contribute to project aquisition of MSI;
• Contribute to the teaching programmes (max 15-20% of the contracted time)

Fixed-term contract: 0.8fte for 3,5 years.

Remuneration will be according to standard salary levels for postdoc researchers starting with a gross monthly salary between € 3.637,- and € 4.978,- gross per month, based on a fulltime appointment, according to the collective labour agreement (CAO) of Dutch Universities Each year the standard salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

You should be willing to move to (the vicinity of) Maastricht.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website: http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 18,000 students and 4,400 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts six faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. For more information, see https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/maastricht-sustainability-institute-msi; http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

Maastricht Sustainability Institute

MSI (formerly known as International Centre for Integrated assessment and Sustainable development) is Maastricht University’s scientific institute for sustainable development. MSI's vision is that research, education and learning for sustainable development provides a knowledge base for policymaking and innovation in the pursuit of sustainability. MSI contributes to the scientific debate about sustainable development, but also tries to achieve a constructive social impact towards sustainability in practice. Therefore MSI collaborates intensively with other partners, such as governments, business, NGOs and other research institutes. MSI is hosting MUST, the Graduate School which offers a PhD programme and Master programme in Sustainability Science and Policy.