For the realization of a socially just transition to a sustainable society, it is crucial that individuals, groups, organizations and societies are involved in tackling the climate crisis and support the policies and plans that are developed to that end. As part of the newly created University Wide Academic Collaborative Center on Climate and Energy, we are looking for a talented and motivated postdoctoral researcher, who will conduct scientific research on issues in relation to the governance of the energy transition, with an emphasis on questions about the organization of public participation, the role of community-led energy systems and the promotion of social equity in the energy transition, and who will help coordinate the research and activities of the Center on these issues.

Job description
As a postdoctoral researcher, you will be positioned within the University Wide Academic Collaborative Center on Climate and Energy (in Dutch: Academische Werkplaats Klimaat en Energie). Within this Center, researchers from various disciplines are working closely together with partners from practice on sustainability, climate change and energy transition related issues. You will combine conducting scientific research with connecting science and society. In coordination and collaboration with other researchers and partners from practice, you will contribute to the overall research agenda and strategy of the Center. In particular, you will help to plan and organize the research and activities of the Center on issues in relation to the governance of the energy transition. You will play a crucial role in setting up, carrying out, and leading scientific research together with our partners, developing your own research projects, writing research proposals for the acquisition of additional funds, and bringing fellow scientists as well as students together to participate in the research and activities of the Center. You will work closely together with two other postdoctoral researchers having similar roles within the University Wide Academic Collaborative Center on Climate and Energy, but conducting scientific research on, respectively, the regulation and the digitalisation of the energy transition.

Below, we outline our expectations of the candidate. We are aware that no one may fully meet all requirements. We are also aware that lists of requirements may deter qualified candidates. We therefore invite candidates to indicate in their cover letter not only which requirements they meet, but also which they would like to develop further.

For this position, we are looking for a researcher who:

• has completed or is about to complete a PhD thesis in Public Administration, Public Governance, Policy Sciences, Political Science, Sociology, Public Law, Organization Studies, Urban Planning, Human Geography or in a related discipline. 
• has demonstrable knowledge of or a specific expertise in scientific research related to the governance of societal transformations, preferably the energy transition, and/or public participation. 
• is a good collaborator and connector and can easily switch from working with researchers to working with partners from practice. 
• has good communication qualities, presentation skills and can work well with people having diverse backgrounds, functions and experiences. 
• is fluent in English and preferably also in Dutch. 
• is proactive, for instance when it comes to identifying opportunities for research and funding, can work independently, and has a creative vision. 
• shows personal leadership, possesses a good level of self-knowledge, and is able to critically reflect on the societal impact of research. 
• enjoys helping to build a new center, as part of a transdisciplinary team, and is motivated to contribute to an engaging and energizing work environment.

To maintain a vibrant and active university community, it is important that we meet each other regularly and that the connection between us remains good. Therefore, the premise is that all staff members carry out their work in the Netherlands.

Fixed-term contract: 2 years with possible continuation.

Tilburg University offers excellent employment conditions with sufficient room for flexibility and (personal) development. We recognize and reward our employees and encourage the use of talents and strengths.

Tilburg University strives for an open and inclusive culture, embraces diversity and stimulates the mutual integration of groups of employees and students. We create equal opportunities for all our staff and students, so that everyone feels at home in our university community.

We work in a bustling and lively (working) environment on our beautiful campus, near the forest and easily accessible by public transport. We are committed to a sustainable society and challenge you to make an active contribution to this.

For this position we offer:

• A function based on 0.8-1.0 fte (32-40 hours per week);
• This vacancy is temporarily financed on the basis of project financing in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 7 sub b Cao Dutch Universities. You will receive a temporary employment contract for a period of 24 months. Continuation of this position is subject to the availability of financial resources;
• A salary of a minimum of €3,974 and a maximum of €5,439 gross per month for full-time employment, based on the UFO profile Researcher 3 and salary scale 11 (if you have completed your PhD thesis) of the Collective Labor Agreement Dutch Universities. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system for grading based on relevant education and work experience;
• Vacation allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8.3%);
• Vacation days (41 days for a 40-hour work week);
• Full reimbursement of commuting expenses for sustainable travel: walking, biking and public transportation;
• Options Model for benefits and reimbursement of moving expenses;
• Employees from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a tax-free allowance of 30% of their taxable wages. We will apply for this reimbursement for you;
• You will be enrolled in the General Pension Fund for Public Employers (ABP) through us;
• Various training courses, for example in leadership skills, personal effectiveness, and career development;
• A wide range of amenities and facilities and various arrangements to create an optimal work-life balance;

Visit working at Tilburg University for more information about our terms of employment.

Tilburg University

Tilburg University's motto is Understanding Society. Based on this vision, our almost 2,800 employees conduct research, inspire more than 19,000 students of 110 nationalities, and bring people from different disciplines and organizations together to learn from each other. In this way, we want to contribute to solving complex social issues. In doing so, we work from the fields of economics, business and entrepreneurship, social and behavioral sciences, law and public administration, humanities and digital sciences, and theology. We seek the connection between the various disciplines to find solutions to the major issues we face as a society. Our students are educated to become responsible and entrepreneurial thinkers, driven by solidarity, a sense of responsibility, and empathy, who are able to influence and give direction to a rapidly changing society in an innovative way. Tilburg University has a culture of collaboration and co-creation, at local, regional, national, and international level.

Since its founding in 1963, Tilburg Law School has become one of the leading law schools in Europe. Through top research and the provision of high-quality university education, the School contributes to society. Tilburg Law School is organized into five Departments: Public Law and Governance; Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, Markets and Society; Private, Business and Labour Law; the Fiscal Institute Tilburg; and Criminal Law. The mission of the School is to understand and improve the role of law and public administration in addressing the social problems of today and tomorrow. Through research and education, our scholars contribute to that mission. 

More than 4,000 students pursue a Bachelor's, pre-Master's or Master's degree at Tilburg Law School. Through this education, we train students in law, public administration, and data science. The Tilburg Educational Profile (TEP) is unique in the Netherlands. Central to it are three core concepts: knowledge, skills, and character. A university education provides students with the latest substantive knowledge and trains them to be critical thinkers and resilient professionals. In addition, the School is committed to innovative educational concepts and, partly in response to the coronavirus crisis, has invested heavily in the quality of online education and in innovative didactic tools to make and keep students inquisitive. 

Tilburg Law School's research is highly regarded nationally and internationally. The Tilburg Law School Departments work closely together in their research in four signature research programs: 1) Global Law and Governance; 2) Law and Security; 3) Connecting Organizations; and 4) Regulating Socio-Technical Change. 

The Department of Public Law & Governance (PLG) is a unique collaboration of researchers in the fields of International Law, European law, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Environmental Law, Public Administration, Legal Philosophy, Political Science, Legal History, and Jurisprudence. Collaboration within the Department is very much inspired by joint research interests.

Academic Collaborative Centers 
Tilburg University has several University Wide Academic Collaborative Centers. In these centers, researchers work together with partners from practice in co-creating solutions for urgent and important societal issues. This takes place in the form of multi-year partnerships involving a variety of research and teaching related activities. The centers combine the power of practice and scientific research to create social impact through new knowledge and innovative learning. Collaboration across schools is fundamental to all collaborative centers, and for each collaborative center, two professors from different schools serve as academic leads. In case of the Center on Climate and Energy, the leads come from Tilburg Law School and Tilburg School of Economics and Management. They steer the work of the various researchers involved in the Center, as well as the collaboration with external partners. As the Academic Collaborative Centers have only recently been created, there is still a lot of room for development. The centers therefore periodically exchange experiences and best practices with each other. The ambition is to also involve students in innovative ways, for instance through challenges and case-based education, and via student teams.