The Hydroinformatics and socio-technical innovation department focuses on catalysing change in society, technology and policy, and enhancing the use of enabling ICTs, towards sustainability and resilience. The department intends to recruit:

These positions contribute to projects, education and capacity development activities of the Knowledge & Innovation Studies research group, led by Dr. Uta Wehn, Associate Professor, who will guide the researchers.

Do you share our passion for working with diverse stakeholders in innovative ways, combining high quality scientific action research with the ethical responsibility for creating impact in communities and society? Then we offer a dynamic and challenging position in an international environment!

The research of the Knowledge & Innovation Studies research group focuses on knowledge and innovation dynamics and aims to understand and shape their role in transformative change processes. It contributes to the deeper understanding and analysis of the objectives, purposes, processes and instruments of innovative, problem-driven forms of knowledge co-creation and application as well as innovation processes in the water sector world-wide addressing complex societal needs. The research is implemented using Action Research (including participatory action research) in the context of water-related multi-stakeholder projects, triggering action and change, while accompanying these with critical reflection based on sound social science research (cutting across behavioural sciences, political science, knowledge management, management studies and development studies). The research of the group cuts across all areas of water management and governance: water resources management, water services, as well as flood and drought risk management, and also extends to other areas of environmental management.

These positions will contribute to the research activities of the Research group in ongoing and newly starting projects which focus on the theory and practice of citizen science, inclusive stakeholder engagement (incl. via LivingLabs), participation dynamics and the uptake of citizen-generated data in decision making.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the Research group’s research activities by advancing and applying conceptual frameworks and methods for the group’s research themes, building on the KIS Research group’s knowledge base and other relevant research;
• Ensure research contributions and project deliverables are of high quality, on time and within budget;
• Disseminate research results in creative and effective ways by drafting, writing and presenting scientific papers, conference papers and other outreach materials;
• Design and implement topic-related capacity development interventions and derive theoretical insights from practice;
• Lead, or make major contributions to, project-related funding opportunities and acquisitions;
• Contribute to the Research group’s education activities, as needed;
• Supervise MSc thesis, as needed.

• Motivated to contribute to sustainability science with social science research on innovative stakeholder engagement in participatory water and environmental governance, and to work in an international cooperation context;
• MSc degree in a relevant social science discipline, e.g. innovation studies, sociology, psychology, or political science with demonstrable training in qualitative and quantitative research skills, and with excellent grades;
• At least 3 years of experience with undertaking high quality social science research on citizen science, stakeholder engagement, and/or social innovation in the field of water and environment (demonstrated by publications and projects);
• Demonstrable track record with successful project acquisition (or key contributions);
• Strong analytical skills and ability to identify key issues; meticulous information processing;
• Excellent writing skills and written and spoken command of English, as demonstrated by previous course work and/or publications in English; Spanish, French and/or Dutch language skills are an advantage;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills within multi-national and cultural contexts; and ability to deal with a wide range of stakeholders and project partners in a highly professional manner;
• Strong team spirit and willingness to embrace change to capture emerging opportunities.

The employment contract is for 38 hours per week.

The candidate will be stationed in Delft, the Netherlands. The position is in accordance with scale 10 of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.

IHE Delft offers an attractive, multiple-choice employee benefits scheme, year-end bonus and generous pension scheme). Candidates must be prepared to carry out short-term missions abroad.

The appointment implies entry into the Netherlands' Civil Service Pension Fund (ABP). We also offer 31 days’ leave based on 38 hours working week.