Open Science is potentially revolutionary for scientific advancement in all research disciplines. Whereas many universities have implemented Open Science principles in their institutions, the evaluation of universities’ Open Science programs barely receives attention in the scientific literature. A significant gap in the extant literature is the lack of a framework that enables scientists to evaluate the effects of universities’ Open Science programs. 

We are looking for an enthusiastic, analytical, and proactive postdoc to work on two main tasks:
1) To investigate what novel framework can be used for the evaluation of Open Science programs of Dutch universities. This task is part of the NWO project “4OpenScience: A novel and innovative framework to evaluate the positive and negative effects of Dutch universities’ Open Science Programs”. 
2) To apply the developed framework to the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management of TU Delft and to investigate the wider applicability of the framework by presenting it to the other faculties of TU Delft and beyond. 

In the first year of the postdoc, you will mainly focus on the first task, i.e., the development and testing of an innovative evaluation framework enabling the identification of the positive and negative effects of Open Science Programs of Dutch universities, thereby contributing to a completely novel standard for universities’ Open Science program evaluations and establishing an essential, new research direction. Focusing on Open Science program elements with the most positive effects may lead to increased openness in science, potentially contributing to transparency, rigor, and the accumulation of knowledge.

In the second year of the postdoc, you will focus mainly on the second task, i.e., applying the developed framework to Open Science practices at the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management (where the postdoc will be based). Moreover, you will investigate the wider applicability of the framework to other faculties of TU Delft and other universities in the Netherlands (e.g., by giving presentations, organizing workshops, and conducting interviews and surveys). This will lead to the refinement and dissemination of the Open Science evaluation framework developed in the first year. In this way, you will contribute to improving the knowledge base for the development of Open Science programs at Dutch universities. 

For both tasks, you will work together with Anneke Zuiderwijk, Associate Professor of Open Data. Both tasks additionally require collaborations with the Open Science Program team of the TU Delft Library and Open Science program managers and practitioners of all Dutch universities. 

The position is established within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) section, which is part of the department Engineering Systems and Services (ESS). The ICT section hosts expertise in open data, open science, cybersecurity, AI, distributed systems, IT architectures, digital government, health systems, and digital platforms. By combining our domain expertise with systems thinking, ESS addresses socio-technical challenges, such as digital innovations for energy, industry, health, logistics, and mobility systems.

In this postdoc position, you will also be part of the Open Data Research Lab, see the lab’s website: https://www.tudelft.nl/tbm/open-data-research-lab.

We are looking for a postdoc who:
•    is interested in transdisciplinary research and wants to contribute to making scientific research more open;
•    has recently completed a PhD (or is about to finish a PhD soon) in the field of information science, library science, science communication, science and technology studies, or modelling of complex systems, with an academic background in and/or affinity for open science, open data, FAIR data, or a related area;
•    has excellent academic qualifications concerning at least qualitative research methods and preferably also quantitative research methods;
•    has strong analytical and communication skills;
•    has hands-on experience in conducting literature reviews and organizing workshops, focus groups, and/or (group) interviews;
•    enjoys working in an interdisciplinary group and is a team player.
Very good communication and writing skills in the English language are required. Knowledge of the Dutch language is an advantage.

Fixed-term contract: 2 years.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation. An International Children's Centre offers childcare and there is an international primary school.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

 Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.