We seek a self-standing social scientist upon the relationship between digitalization and sustainability. A scientist who would like to collaborate within our 'Digital collective', an abbreviation of 'Strategic Intelligence for Digitalization of Societal Domains' (SI4DS), which has five scholars at the core. Exploring and articulating collective values of digitalization (inclusion, justice, sustainability) and building a platform for civic engagement is the mission.

Digital sustainability

Driven by digitalization, more decentralized, data intensive, virtual and pluralistic modes of coordination in society build up. New business opportunities and new forms of participation, collaboration, monitoring and surveillance are crafted. Sustainability lenses include the biophysical impacts as well as the social footprint (fair, equal and inclusive society). For instance, some actors will gain due to the digitalization of the energy transition, others will lose, a new flexible actor arises, the prosumer, and vulnerability to energy poverty might occur. Emerging digital platforms might enable circularity though might also come with adverse effects. Governance arrangements, rules and incentives are in need of responsible (re-)design in order to guide the complex patterns of interaction between digitalization and sustainability towards effective, efficient and fair outcomes.

The research strategy builds upon legal, economic and governance analysis in a socio-technical system approach, combined with interactive design, scenario's, reflection, (policy) implementation strategies and a strategic niche management approach.

The Digital Platform (SI4DS)

As part of the team you will collaborate and focus upon digitalization in the energy and other sustainability domains. Your work will support society to anticipate impacts of digitalization and develop responsible innovations. This will also require interaction with societal partners. Rethinking digitalization for societal and individual well-being will draw on qualitative and quantitative data and analysis.

Responsibilities

The key job responsibilities include:

• Research: o-acquisition and co-execution of research projects, producing high quality journal publications, and securing (inter)national scholarly visibility;
• Education: teaching at different levels; supervision of BSc and MSc thesis projects;
• Valorization: engage with relevant partner organizations across government, NGOs and private sector;
• Organization: participate actively in the digital community and committees within the TPS cluster and the broader Faculty;
• The position will be open at Associate professor level if your candidacy clarifies that you envision to lead the team of five researchers and your track record shows that you are able to keep the team afloat in terms of cohesion, projects and impact.

You are a highly motivated and qualified academic who has an ambition to combine innovative teaching and groundbreaking research and you want to contribute to intelligence for policymaking in the area relevant to the position. Furthermore you are prepared to work with social scientists, humanities, engineers, societal partners, industry and policy makers. You will educate social science students and students in engineering programs.

Some other criteria that foster success:

• A relevant PhD degree;
• An interdisciplinary track record, with a keen interest in relating social science to natural and engineering science innovations;
• In-depth knowledge, skills and experience of and in quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies within social sciences appropriate for the profile;
• Affinity with digital technology and digitalization;
• High quality research is validated by your publication record in peer-review journals;
• International research experience and experience as a post-doctoral researcher;
• Possession of a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) certificate, or are willing to acquire the latter, and have a real passion for, and the ambition to become a creative and effective teacher;
• Experience in acquiring grants will strengthen your application;
• You have very good communication and presentation skills, and an excellent command of English, C2 level required.

We will offer a 1-year contract with a prospect for a permanent position (1.0 FTE). The starting salary, depending on experience, ranges between € 3,974 to € 6,702 gross per month (in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities). Furthermore, the University of Twente offers additional attractive employment conditions (8% holiday allowance, 8.3% end-of-year bonus, solid pension scheme, sabbatical leave, professional and personal development programmes, etc.).

The Department of Technology, Policy and Society (TPS) at the University of Twente (UT) constitutes a multidisciplinary department in the BMS Faculty. Our five groups explore and assess how emerging technologies and innovation affect our societies, institutions and daily lives, and vice versa. We help to craft responsible and sustainable solutions. TPS board will support the research program of community, daily coordination and guidance of your work is done in the CSTM group (Governance and Technology for Sustainability), one of the five TPS groups.