Postdoc Inclusive Climate Actions in European Cities
Postdoc Inclusive Climate Actions in European Cities
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Job description
The University of Amsterdam’s Urban Planning research group is looking for a postdoctoral researcher (3 years) to contribute to the new project “Growing Effective & Equitable Nature-based Solutions through Inclusive Climate Actions” (GREEN-INC).
To enhance the transition towards climate-proof and climate-zero cities, cities have to address existing and future urban inequalities and injustices when creating Nature-based Solutions. Both theory and practice have turned to Inclusive Climate Actions that could tackle climate change and inequalities simultaneously in cities. Yet, so far, a systematic evaluation of Inclusive Climate Actions is lacking. By comparing and contrasting cities that face different climate change impacts and patterns of urban inequalities, GREEN-INC aims to define institutional conditions under which Inclusive Climate Actions can flourish to develop just Nature-based Solutions.
The candidate will assess the performance of Inclusive Climate Actions in three European cities in order to create more climate-just and climate-effective cities. To this end, the candidate will conduct empirical comparative research to examine Inclusive Climate Actions in the cities of Amsterdam, Brussels and Bucharest. In addition, the candidate will combine critical and conceptual thinking on urban environmental justice and nature-based solutions with meaningful advice for policymakers and communities.
The postdoctoral researcher will be working directly with Dr Jannes Willems (GREEN-INC’s Principal Investigator), Prof Maria Kaika and Dr Mendel Giezen. The candidate will also become part of GREEN-INC’s consortium, which includes leading universities in Europe. The candidate will be embedded in the Urban Planning research group, in the Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies (GPIO) at the University of Amsterdam. The postdoc will become part of the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR) and the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS).
What are you going to do?
The candidate will become part of the GREEN-INC consortium and undertake research activities for three years that assess the urban environmental justice of Nature-based Solutions in European cities.
You will/tasks
To enhance the transition towards climate-proof and climate-zero cities, cities have to address existing and future urban inequalities and injustices when creating Nature-based Solutions. Both theory and practice have turned to Inclusive Climate Actions that could tackle climate change and inequalities simultaneously in cities. Yet, so far, a systematic evaluation of Inclusive Climate Actions is lacking. By comparing and contrasting cities that face different climate change impacts and patterns of urban inequalities, GREEN-INC aims to define institutional conditions under which Inclusive Climate Actions can flourish to develop just Nature-based Solutions.
The candidate will assess the performance of Inclusive Climate Actions in three European cities in order to create more climate-just and climate-effective cities. To this end, the candidate will conduct empirical comparative research to examine Inclusive Climate Actions in the cities of Amsterdam, Brussels and Bucharest. In addition, the candidate will combine critical and conceptual thinking on urban environmental justice and nature-based solutions with meaningful advice for policymakers and communities.
The postdoctoral researcher will be working directly with Dr Jannes Willems (GREEN-INC’s Principal Investigator), Prof Maria Kaika and Dr Mendel Giezen. The candidate will also become part of GREEN-INC’s consortium, which includes leading universities in Europe. The candidate will be embedded in the Urban Planning research group, in the Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies (GPIO) at the University of Amsterdam. The postdoc will become part of the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR) and the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS).
What are you going to do?
The candidate will become part of the GREEN-INC consortium and undertake research activities for three years that assess the urban environmental justice of Nature-based Solutions in European cities.
You will/tasks
- Develop a conceptual framework to assess the performance of Inclusive Climate Actions;
- Conduct a benchmark of Inclusive Climate Actions derived from translocal networks such as C40 Cities and ICLEI using qualitative research methods;
- Conduct fieldwork in Amsterdam, Brussels and Bucharest to assess the performance of Inclusive Climate Actions using qualitative research methods;
- Map hotspots of urban vulnerabilities through spatial analysis (GIS), in which you combine socio-economic and wellbeing characteristics of neighbourhoods with urban morphology and climate risks;
- (Co-)organize consortium meetings and workshops to share and discuss insights;
- Contribute to international debates relating to nature-based solutions, environmental justice and cities, for example by presenting your work at international conferences and achieve publications in high-ranked journals;
- Take a lead role in preparing publications and research outputs, including co-authored academic articles, policy briefs and community events.
Specifications
- max. 34 hours per week
- Amsterdam View on Google Maps
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University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Requirements
We are looking for an enthusiastic and critical scholar who would like to work on issues at the intersection of climate adaptation, environmental justice and (European) cities. You have an interest in bridging critical theory with hands-on policy advice. You have an interest in conducting comparative research, as well as bridging different theories and disciplines. You can work independently and you are able to establish contacts within new networks of scholars, policymakers and communities in order to conduct research in at least three different European cities.
Your experience and profile
Candidates should hold a PhD degree in urban and regional planning, urban studies, human geography, environmental politics or policymaking, or a closely related field. Candidates who do not hold a PhD upon application will not qualify.
Successful candidates are those who:
Your experience and profile
Candidates should hold a PhD degree in urban and regional planning, urban studies, human geography, environmental politics or policymaking, or a closely related field. Candidates who do not hold a PhD upon application will not qualify.
Successful candidates are those who:
- Have demonstrated experience doing field research on climate adaptation, urban environmental justice, and/or urban planning;
- Have an in-depth knowledge of the literature on climate adaptation and urban environmental justice;
- Have demonstrated experience doing empirical fieldwork in different geographical contexts;
- Have demonstrated experience with qualitative research methods and GIS analysis;
- Have demonstrated experience with conceptual thinking;
- Have demonstrated experience with participating in interdisciplinary research projects;
- Have demonstrated experience with participating in transdisciplinary research projects;
- Have proficient English skills (written and verbal);
- Have preferably published at least one or two academic articles, or a promising set of papers in the pipeline;
- Preferably speak a second language (in addition to English) that is relevant to the research project (Dutch, Romanian);
- Are a team player and able to work independently.
Conditions of employment
The position concerns a temporary employment of 0.9 fte for a maximum term of 3 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term can be extended by a maximum of 24 months. The candidate will have the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events. For this position the University Job Classification profile ‘Onderzoeker’ applies.
Depending on your experience, the minimum salary is €4.332 and the maximum salary is €5.090 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, in keeping with salary scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities.
We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.
What else do we offer
Depending on your experience, the minimum salary is €4.332 and the maximum salary is €5.090 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, in keeping with salary scale 11, as per the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities.
We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.
What else do we offer
- a position in which initiative and input are highly valued;
- a research team with a high international research profile, comprising enthusiastic and friendly academics with whom you will collaborate in research and publications;
- a leading research group that is open to new colleagues;
- resources for fieldwork abroad;
- an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.
Employer
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.The Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies is one of the six Departments in the FMG. Research and education are carried out by special institutes. The Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) is responsible for research in the social sciences. The College of Social Sciences (CSS) and the Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS) are responsible for undergraduate and graduate teaching programmes in the social sciences.
Research and teaching in the Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies is organized in five thematic programme groups: Governance and Inclusive Development (GID), Urban Geographies (UG) en Urban Planning (UP), Political and Economic Geographies (PEG) and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (ISW).
A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioral sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
