This position is part of a European research project in which you will lead a transdisciplinairy study that explores the needs and expectations of key stakeholders within and beyond healthcare systems in Portugal, Germany, Greece, Peru and the Netherlands to engage with so-called nature-based therapies (NBTs). Nature-based therapies (NBT) are seen as treatments that promote well-being and support health prevention and rehabilitation through dedicated programmes in green spaces. Successful uptake of such therapies in present-day healthcare systems in Europe requires transformations in health care governance.

Your duties
You will lead the co-design of interaction platforms and guidelines that enable context-sensitive uptake NBTs in healthcare practices. The stakeholders you will engage with include authorities and regulators of green spaces, private and public healthcare sector representatives, planning authorities, representatives from the food, education and innovation sectors, and more.

Furthermore, you will work with and support a PhD student on the same topic as well as facilitate an Amsterdam-based field study performed by partners in the project, which investigates the short-, medium- and long-term benefits of nature-based therapeutic programmes in a quantitative manner.

Next to your research tasks (50%) you will teach courses (50%) in the master programmes of the Athena Institute: Management, Policy Analysis en Entrepeneurship in Health and Life Sciences and the research master Global Health. Your teaching tasks also include course coordination and thesis supervision.

• A completed PhD in science, technology & society studies, governance transformations, participatory design, innovation studies, or a related (inter)discipline; an additional background in the sciences is a plus;
• Experience with participatory research methods that co-shape technologies and practices to address societal challenges in an equitable way;
• Proven ability to be a strong collaborator within interdisciplinary teams (listening, flexible, adaptive, pro-active);
• Teaching skills and the ability to inspire students (demonstrated through a.o. positive student evaluations);
• A teaching qualification (in Dutch BKO) is a plus;
• An (inter)national network relevant to the position;
• Good command of Dutch and excellent command of English. Given the extensive collaboration with both international as well as Dutch partners, a good command of Dutch language is required for the position.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,960 (scale 10)
and a maximum €4,670 (scale 10), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for a period of one year with a possible extension conditional upon assessment of adequate functioning. The maximum duration of the appointment is 4 years.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment,
• 8% holiday allowance and
• 8.3% end-of-year bonus,
• solid pension scheme (ABP), possibility to save holiday hours, for sabbatical leave,
• child daycare facilities available on campus

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor - from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means working together with students, PhD candidates and scientists who are focused on their discipline, yet also have a broad view of the world. We are proud of the collegial working environment within the faculty, which is characterised by an ambitious and pragmatic attitude with commitment to the bigger picture. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex social issues for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from genetics to pharmaceuticals and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research cover the full breadth of the natural sciences. Scientific teaching and research is highly experimental, technical, computational and interdisciplinary in nature. This is why we collaborate extensively with leading research institutes and industry. The faculty has over 11,000 students studying across 40 educational programmes and employs over 1,600 staff spread over 10 scientific departments, making us the largest science faculty in the Netherlands.

Athena Institute, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences
The position is offered within the Athena Institute, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences. The institute's mission is to study and design interfaces between science and society to contribute both to a deeper understanding of innovation processes as well as a responsible implementation of research and innovation in society. Athena's research program amongst other focuses on analysing complex global health challenges, designing interventions and conducting participatory monitoring and evaluation research. The section presently has a position vacant for a Postdoc/Lecturer.
For more information about the Athena Institute visit our website.