It is projected that climate change will amplify flooding on a global scale, yet underlying causes that drive flood change remain in many cases unresolved. Understanding the factors driving flood trends and variability is crucial, given that floods result in billion-dollar damages annually, and these costs are steadily rising. Despite groundwater contributing significantly to river flow, its impact on flooding remains poorly quantified. This Ph.D. project seeks to elucidate the role of groundwater in global flooding through the use of global datasets, innovative data analysis, and model experiments. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with international scientific partners, enriching your Ph.D. experience.

Your duties

• present your research at scientific conferences and publish your results in scientific literature,
• contributing to teaching and supervising bachelor and master students

• degree in MSc, specializing in hydrology, landscape or physical geography, earth science, environmental science, or equivalent
• affinity and preferably experience in hydrological modeling and/or data analyses
• experience with programming languages such as Python, R, or Matlab
• interested in doing cutting-edge scientific research
• excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.770,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.539,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• contribution to commuting expenses
• solid pension scheme (ABP)

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The Department of Earth Science
The Department of Earth Sciences studies all aspects of the dynamics of the Earth with an integrated approach to quantify the interplay and feedback between the interior, surface, and atmosphere of the Earth and how these processes lead to risks and opportunities for society, the economy, and the environment. Research in the department is focused on two general areas: Geology & Geochemistry and Earth & Climate. The Department of Earth Sciences has approximately 35 permanent staff members organized into twelve research groups. This research will take place in the Hydrology Group of the Earth & Climate Cluster. The position will be supervised by Wouter Berghuijs and Ype van der Velde. Moreover, the PhD candidate will be given opportunities to conduct part of the research with collaborators in the international scientific community.

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 5,500 staff work at the VU and over 30,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.