Do you want to contribute to more biodiverse and healthier cities? Then this PhD position might be for you!

The ecology of Amsterdam’s water system, characterized by its historic canals and bridges, is pressured by the intense and diverse uses of these waterways. Quay walls are essential components of the canal systems of many cities. In Amsterdam, heavy usage and low maintenance have led to a deterioration of these structures, and therefore large-scale renewal will take place during the coming decades. This provides a unique opportunity to restore natural processes and create novel ecosystems. As urban areas located along major waterways can be a central and productive link in the ecological system, enhancing their ecological function can benefit existing and novel ecosystems in and surrounding cities, contributing to biodiverse, water-wise, green, and healthy cities.

Here, we propose that reconnecting the currently fragmented landscape and re-introducing ecological flows and dynamics across landscape boundaries is key to making the urban water system more biodiverse and climate-resilient. A well-functioning ecology will help meeting quality standards, such as formulated in the EU Water Framework Directive, and can provide input to nature-based solutions for water storage & treatment.

As part of a larger project focused on multiple aspects of novel designs for quay walls (e.g. heritage, construction, logistics, climate resilience), you will evaluate and validate preferred design options for multifunctional urban waterfronts from an ecological perspective in terms of benefits for the urban as well as the surrounding greater Amsterdam water system.

Do you enjoy working in an interdisciplinary research setting, and closely linked to end-users of your research results? The Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) is looking for an ambitious PhD on Biodiverse Urban Waterfronts. Your research will take place at the Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME) within the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED).

What are you going to do?
In this position, you will:

• Inventorize existing biodiversity monitoring data and collect new data using (semi-) automated (aquatic) biodiversity monitoring systems in the city and in connected (novel) ecosystems with a focus on insects and fish as indicators. This biodiversity information will be related to information on water flows and human pressures.
• Design scenarios for improved connectivity and dynamics (e.g. in temperature, salinity, water tables) across urban-rural-water landscapes. You will also inventorize and evaluate ecologically functional canal design possibilities, given urban constraints.
• Experiment with and test options related to quay wall restoration to improve connectivity, e.g. urban riparian zones, use of alternative materials, lay-out and design.
• Model organism dispersal patterns in different scenarios of connectivity and use of quay wall designs between the city and surrounding (novel) ecosystems.
• Validate preferred designs for multifunctional urban waterfronts from an ecological, water quality and health perspective in terms of benefits for the urban and the surrounding ecosystem.

Together with stakeholders, you will reflect on context-specific requirements for a fruitful implementation of the developed approach. You will work within an interdisciplinary cohort of young researchers from various Dutch academic research institutes. You will combine field, laboratory, and modelling work, and communicate your results via conference presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals. You will write a high-quality PhD thesis, showing your capabilities as independent researcher, while closely working with the program team. Furthermore, we expect you to be an active member of our research group and to take part in teaching efforts, including assisting in practical courses and supervision of bachelor and master students.

• A successfully completed MSc degree in biology with a focus on aquatic ecology or in environmental sciences;
• Relevant scientific and technical skills, preferably experience with practical field work and with modelling;
• Good analytical and statistical skills, including the use of programming languages;
• Excellent English language and communication skills;
• You are motivated to pursue a PhD, are independent and have the ability to collaborate and to engage in a multidisciplinary network.

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date is as soon as possible. This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 2.770,- and € 3.539,-. This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile PhD is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• a complete educational program for PhD students;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, handling stress and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• partly paid parental leave;
• the possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with your registration at UvA Staff Housing (application for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad).

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here.

Faculty of Science

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Together, we create a vibrant, challenging and well-equipped research environment at Amsterdam Science Park. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the systems underlying biological processes.

The Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics is one of eight research institutes of the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam. The research at IBED aims to unravel how ecosystems function in all their complexity, and how they change due to natural processes and human activities. At its core lies an integrated systems approach to study biodiversity, ecosystems and the environment. IBED adopts this systems approach to ecosystems, addressing abiotic and biotic factors, and the interplay between those. The IBED vision includes research encompassing experimental and theoretical approaches at a wide variety of temporal and spatial scales, i.e. from molecules and microorganisms to patterns and processes occurring at the global scale. The University of Amsterdam has excellent high performance computing facilities. Furthermore, IBED has a dedicated computational support team with specialized knowledge of bioinformatics, (geo)database management and scientific programming. IBED also works with non-academic partners to deliver transdisciplinary science for society.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.