Postdoc Researcher 'Ways of Water - Port of Amsterdam'

Port-city areas have stated ambitious goals to reach the EU’s Green Deal, but different port actors impede coherent sustainability pathways. We are looking for an independent and interdisciplinary postdoctoral researcher who will investigate the perceptions of various actors of the port area’s water system in Amsterdam in the context of the energy transition.

Researching the energy transition in the city-port area of Amsterdam
We are looking for a Postdoc to join our team in the WoWPoA project Ways of Water to work in a highly interdisciplinary environment involving the Faculties of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, Economics and Business, and Law. The chosen candidate will investigate the perceptions of various actors of the port area’s water system in the context of the energy transition – its meaning and potential future risks and benefits resulting from changes of this system. Inventorizing its multiple functions, actors and users of the port water system, she/he/they will place these perceptions within the context of the broader social, ecological and technological system (SETS) elements that make up the urban metabolism of the PoA. The research will be carried out in co-development with stakeholders in the port area. It will contribute to creating a shared vision of a sustainable water system in the port area, to understanding its SETS dynamics, as well as identifying bottlenecks and feasible pathways for achieving a more resilient and sustainable water system for all.

The Postdoc will be part of Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR) and collaborating with Dr Jannes Willems (UP/FMG) and Dr Elisabeth Krueger (IBED/FNWI). The research team will also consist of Prof Maria Kaika, (UP/FMG), and Dr Mark van de Veen (FEB).

What are you going to do
As a Postdoc, you will be an integral part of the Ways of Water project. You will undertake empirical fieldwork in the Port of Amsterdam region and examine how the social, ecological and technological system elements make up the urban metabolism of the Port of Amsterdam. Data collection will focus on stakeholders perceptions (surveys/interviews), but will also include data on the effects of the energy transition on ecosystem functioning (e.g., salinity dynamics, fish migration), economy (e.g., trade, businesses and resource flows), technology (e.g., infrastructure mapping, urban plans/construction), as well as potential sources of risks and benefits, including pollution from industry and agriculture, protecting ecological functions, navigational use for trade and businesses, tourism, as well as residents’ needs. Stakeholder perceptions will be elicited from stakeholders located in, affecting and affected by changes of the port area’s water systems.

You are expected to position the case of Amsterdam in relation to urban and port developments elsewhere in Europe, and to bridge epistemological approaches from the social and environmental sciences to explain the different ways of valuing water in port-cities.

You will/tasks:

• apply an innovative and interdisciplinary conceptual framework to analyse the urban metabolism of port areas, applied to the case of Amsterdam;
• collect and analyse empirical data related to the Port of Amsterdam, both qualitative and quantitative;
• present and discuss your work with local stakeholders and communities;
• translate your research into both academic output and societal output relevant for local stakeholders;
• join the research groups of UP and IBED and co-organize seminars and workshops;
• participate in international conferences, workshops, seminars and other scholarly activities.

What do you have to offer
We are looking for an enthusiastic and curious candidate who has a passion for doing interdisciplinary research and is keen on working on issues at the intersection of the natural and the social sciences with respect to urban water systems in port-cities and under threat from climatic and socioeconomic changes. You have an interest in conducting fieldwork, as well as bridging different theories and concepts, including urban metabolism and SETS approaches. The successful candidate will be able to adjust to different and unexpected conditions, work across disciplinary boundaries, and find creative solutions to research problems.

Candidates should hold a PhD in human geography, urban and regional planning, urban studies, environmental planning and management, or a closely related field. Preference will be given to participants with experience across more than one of the aforementioned disciplines.

Successful candidates are those who:

• are passionate about and have demonstrated aptitude for conducting interdisciplinary research;
• have demonstrated experience with both qualitative and quantitative methods;
• have demonstrated transdisciplinary research skills, seen in previous work with stakeholders and/or communities;
• have very good writing skills and are able to develop critical complex arguments;
• have very good English skills (written and verbal), and preferably speak Dutch (relevant to the fieldwork);
• are a team player and able to work independently.

What else do we offer you
The position concerns a temporary employment of 38 hours per week. The employment is for 14 months.

The candidate will have the opportunity to attend training courses, and to present at (inter)national conferences. We will also cover resources for fieldwork and local workshop.

In this department, you will work
We offer an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam. You will work with an enthusiastic and warm supervision team with whom you will collaborate in research and publications. Ideas and input are highly valued. You will be embedded in the Urban Planning research group (Amsterdam Institute for Social Science), but also affiliated with the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED). Both are internationally leading research groups that are open to new colleagues.

If you recognize yourself in this profile and are interested in the role, we look forward to receiving your motivation letter and CV. You can apply via the red button until 21 September 2025. Interviews will take place in the week of 29 September 2025. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be given preference over external candidates.

For questions about the vacancy, you can contact:

• Dr Jannes Willems, Assistant Professor in Urban Planning, j.j.willems@uva.nl
• Dr Elisabeth Krueger, Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, e.h.krueger@uva.nl