Are you interested in better understanding socio-technical systems in the context of plastic waste recycling? Are you not afraid of systems thinking, for example related to how behavior of consumers and firms is influenced by the environment and vice versa? Then join our Urban Economics group for a 4-year PhD position focused on the development of a Digital Twin! In this position, you will be part of a collaborative team of enthusiastic researchers, waste treatment professionals and key societal organizations dedicated to solving environmental sustainability challenges.

This PhD position is part of the NWO Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) MUNITION project that involves a broad consortium of Wageningen University, Radboud University, various waste treatment and plastic sorting companies as well as local governments. The overall aim of MUNITION is to quantify the effects of alternative Dutch national plastic household waste sorting policies on the recycling potential and corresponding environmental impacts (including climate change and resource use) of resulting plastic recycling systems.

You will be working on combining insights in sorting technologies, environmental impacts and household behaviour from WPs 1-3 into a Digital Twin of the regional system, with its specific demographics available infrastructure and rural/(sub)urban geography. An agent-based modelling (ABM) approach, i.e. distinguishing between different types of agents in different spatial contexts will allow you to compare waste collection scenarios in different regions to inform municipalities, as well as regional public and private actors. You will collaborate in a team of 4 PhD students, who will each cover a different aspect of the project:

1. the development of a digital twin of the urban regional plastic waste system (you, based on input from PhDs 2-4).
2. behavioral aspects and interventions,
3. environmental aspects (eg., life-cycle assessment),
4. technological aspects (of the sorting process),

The research is embedded within the chair Urban Economics, which is led by Prof. Eveline van Leeuwen (link LinkedIn page chairholder or page at WUR site). You will be co-supervised by prof. Gert Jan Hofstede.

• You hold a degree in regional science, economic geography, environmental or ecological economics, industrial ecology, or another relevant background that includes systems thinking to incorporate both social, technical and/or environmental dimensions.
• You have experience in programming and/or agent-based modelling (i.e. using Python or Netlogo) and/or you are willing to (further) develop such skills.
• Experience in or affinity with behavioral economics or environmental impact assessments is appreciated.
• You are not afraid of working with a diverse set of stakeholders
• You enjoy team-working and contributing to group processes.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.541,- per month rising to € 3.247,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the "Best University" in the Netherlands for the 18th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling. For instance under the "30% rule", certain categories of international staff can receive tax exemption on approximately 30% of their gross salary.

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR's Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

Urban Economics Chairgroup
You will be based in the Urban Economics chairgroup, at Wageningen University & Research. To use the potential of cities and their inhabitants to foster change, the Urban Economics (UEC) group at Wageningen focusses both on micro and macro processes.

At the micro level, the research of the UEC group concentrates on economic behaviour, institutions, and the incentives that can contribute to more sustainable urban consumption and healthy lifestyles. We combine insights from behavioural- , micro- and spatial economics and apply this to behaviour with respect to choice and social decision making, while taking into account subjective factors, spatial and social context and (expected) consequences of behaviour.

At the macro level, the UEC group focuses on the impacts of urbanization on actors and activities in the urban-rural interface. Important issues in this respect are the economic analysis of the changed relation between food production and consumption as well as the potential for energy and circularity transitions in cities and their hinterland. We use spatial econometric and regional input-output modelling approaches to better understand optimal interactions between cities and rural areas, for example in the context of regional food supply systems, climate change mitigation, nature conservation and recreation activities.

As a group, we aim to execute impactful research. We are well connected to AMS (the Advanced Metropolitan Solutions Institute in Amsterdam), which aims to increase the connection between science and practice and supports the experimental testing and implementation of innovative scientific solutions in urban settings, usually through living labs.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.