Postdoc position ‘Socio-political impacts and future adaptability of hydrogen systems’

In recent years, hydrogen is promoted as a versatile energy carrier expected to complement electrification efforts in enabling a profound transformation of energy systems and industry sectors, aimed at mitigating climate change. Still, the future role of hydrogen in the energy and raw materials systems may take very different forms, depending on technological, (geo)political, economic and social developments, ranging from regional to global scales. How these systems will take shape, in terms of technologies, infrastructures, (geo)spatial distribution, scale and related investment needs matters for how and which stakeholders are affected, who gains or loses power, and how benefits and burdens are distributed. Moreover, it affects which technical and geopolitical path dependencies and, on the other hand, which potential for adaptability emerges.

As the successful candidate you will compare different system configurations with regard to their socio-political impacts, their potential for adaptability and how stakeholders try to anticipate and cope with the related uncertainties. Methods will include qualitative interviews and scenario workshops. The position is embedded in the HySuccess project that is part of the national research and innovation programme Groenvermogen. In addition, you will contribute to a related project that studies the responsible design of electrolyzer materials.

We are looking for an enthusiastic postdoc candidate to join our Knowledge, Transformation & Society (KiTeS) research group. Our new colleague has the following profile:

• you hold (or are close to completing) a PhD in science and technology studies (STS), sustainability transitions, innovation studies, futures studies, policy studies or another relevant (social science) field,
• preferably you have researched an energy- or infrastructure-related topic
• experience in qualitative research methods, such as interviews or focus groups
• you are comfortable, and ideally have experience, with engaging stakeholders, experience with scenario methods is an asset
• excellent writing skills and a track-record of peer-reviewed academic publications and conference presentations
• You are proficient in English, Dutch language skills are an asset
• you are an excellent team-player and excited about working in an interdisciplinary team
• you are able to manage your time and research activities efficiently and independently
• You are highly motivated to contribute to academic and societal challenges
• Experience in teaching is an asset.

We offer a full-time research position for 29 months on a highly relevant topic, in a dynamic and international environment. The University of Twente (UT) offers excellent working conditions, an exciting scientific environment, dedicated employees’ and PhD training and a green and lively campus with lots of sports facilities and an international scientific community! Enschede is a high tech city with 30.000 students at three universities, excellent cultural facilities including musea, theaters, the regional concert and opera hall.

We follow the terms of employment by the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO). It also includes:

• Gross monthly salary between € 3.546 and € 5.057 for the PostDoc position;
• Excellent benefits, including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme;
• 29 holidays per year in case of full-time employment;
• A green campus with free access to sports facilities and an international scientific community;
• A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid).

A full status as an employee at the UT, including pension, health care benefits and good secondary conditions, are part of our collective labour agreement CAO-NU for Dutch universities.

You will join the Knowledge, Transformation & Society (KITES) section within the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences. KiTeS is an interdisciplinary research group with a strong base in science and technology studies.

KiTeS is dedicated to analysing and improving the contribution of Knowledge to Transformations in Society to address intersecting societal and environmental challenges, including growing disparities and inequities, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Our group works across diverse disciplines and scholarly fields and draws on critical, historical, participatory, design-oriented, and arts-based methods and approaches. We work in different domains such as science and innovation policy, higher education, and environmental governance and we collaborate closely with policy makers, social movements and grassroots organisations, cultural institutions, scientists and engineers, and business and financial institutions. Guided by values of justice, pluralism, sustainability, and care, our work is aimed at creating spaces for collaboration, critical analysis, reflection, and learning.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our university. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.