Researcher/Postdoc in Ecological Sustainability of Care Pathways

The environmental impact of healthcare is becoming increasingly important in policy development, clinical guidelines and shared decision-making between healthcare professionals and patients. . However, robust and standardised methods to consistently quantify this impact across entire care pathways are still lacking.

In this ZonMw-funded project at Amsterdam UMC, you develop and validate an advanced methodology to assess the environmental impact of healthcare pathways. You integrate health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks with life-cycle assessment (LCA) approaches, creating a method that is transparent, reproducible and suitable for real-world use.

Your work results in:

• a broadly supported consensus document with clear guidance on measuring the environmental impact of care pathways;
• an innovative hybrid methodological framework combining LCA, environmentally extended input-output analysis (EE-IOA) and HTA principles;
• actionable insights into the environmental impact of two care pathways: fibroid treatment and kidney failure care, directly relevant for policy, HTA and clinical decision-making.

This project sits at the intersection of healthcare, environmental sustainability, decision science and policy, and is carried out in close collaboration with a national, interdisciplinary consortium.

You will coordinate the work packages and connect partners across disciplines and organisations. Your activities include:

• engaging with healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders, including conducting a Delphi study to establish shared principles and system boundaries;
• analysing and interpreting existing LCA, HTA and healthcare datasets, translating complex data into actionable insights;
• developing an advanced methodology for assessing the environmental impact of care pathways, aligned with established HTA approaches;
• applying, testing and validating this methodology in two real-world care pathways using existing data and gold-standard LCA methods;
• supervising PhD candidates working on the quantification of environmental impacts in healthcare;
• contributing to peer-reviewed publications and co-authoring an open-access methodological guidance document;
• presenting and discussing results with scientific and societal stakeholders;
• actively contributing to dissemination and implementation, ensuring uptake in policy, healthcare practice and decision-making.

The position is offered for 24 months, with a preferred start date of 1 May 2026.

You are an analytically strong and independent researcher with a clear interest in sustainable healthcare. You bring:

• a completed PhD in health sciences, (bio)medical sciences, health economics/HTA, sustainability science/LCA, or a related interdisciplinary field;
• a strong affinity with sustainability in healthcare and the ambition to create real-world impact;
• interest in, or experience with, methodological and applied research in complex healthcare settings;
• experience with, or strong interest in, LCA, HTA and policy-relevant research;
• strong analytical and organisational skills, with the ability to integrate diverse data sources and perspectives;
• a creative and flexible mindset that allows you to bridge disciplines and work with uncertainty;
• excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• a proactive, connecting working style and the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Proficiency in Dutch is preferred but not required.

• A 24-month appointment (0.8-10 fte of which 0.8 in Amsterdam UMC and possibly 0.2 at Radboud UMC).
• Collaboration with a leading national consortium
• Plenty of opportunities for in-depth development, publications and network-building.
• You will be employed by Amsterdam UMC Research BV.
• Salary scale 10: € 3.598 to € 5.669 gross based on full-time employment (depending on education and experience) and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. Calculate your net salary here.
• Holiday hours: 190.4 per year for fulltime and a possibility to save additional hours.
• Pension accrual with BeFrank, a modern, comprehensible and fairly priced pension.
• For >7 km each way, 100% reimbursement for public transport travel costs and, for private transport, €0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km each way.
• Do you prefer walking or cycling? Take advantage of our good bike scheme. Moreover, you will receive a reimbursement of €0.18 per km.

Watch this video with more information about joining Amsterdam UMC Research BV.

You will work at Amsterdam UMC in a multidisciplinary research environment that combines healthcare, policy and sustainability science. You collaborate closely with a national consortium of academic researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders.

Amsterdam UMC offers a strong academic setting with access to high-quality data, established HTA expertise and a growing focus on sustainable healthcare. You work in an open and collaborative culture, with room for initiative, innovation and societal impact.

Your day-to-day supervision team consists of:

• Wouter Hehenkamp: Professor of Efficient and Sustainable Healthcare and gynecologist
• Niek Sperna Weiland: anesthesiologist and Scientific Director of the Center for Sustainable Healthcare
• Eva Cohen: medical researcher and expert on the environmental impact of healthcare

The project is embedded in a strong national consortium, including:

• Radboud UMC: Tim Stobernack
• RIVM: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Susanne Waaijers and Floris Teunissen
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: School of Business and Economics (Xander Koolman)
• PRé Sustainability: Luca Zampori and Laura Golsteijn
• Zorg Evaluatie & Gepast Gebruik (ZE&GG): Anneke Kwee

Because the selection committee is shared with members of the national consortium, your application will also be shared with them.

During the publication period, applications will be handled continuously. If the vacancy is filled, it will be closed prematurely.

If you have any questions about this position, please feel free to contact Niek Sperna Weiland, anesthesiologist and Scientific Director of the Center for Sustainable Healthcare, at n.h.spernaweiland@amsterdamumc.nl.

For more information about the application procedure, please contact Chey Edwards, recruitment advisor, at c.i.edwards@amsterdamumc.nl.

A reference check, screening and hiring test may be part of the procedure. Read here whether that applies to you. If you join us, we ask you for a VOG (Certificate of Good Conduct).

Internal candidates will be given priority over external candidates in case of equal suitability.

Acquisition in response to this vacancy will not be considered.