The Business Economics (BEC) group starts up a PhD project focusing on improving the understanding of farmer's behavioural responses to the agricultural and environmental policy. Theories and methods from two fields, namely production economics and behavioural economics, will be combined in this project. The project should result in publishable research output.

Background
The European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was initially designed to enhance food security and farmers' incomes by increasing productivity. Policy makers realise more and more that pressure on the environment should decrease whilst increasing productivity to feed the growing world population. The new CAP instruments reflect this increasing focus on economic and environmental objectives. Modelling farmers' production decisions traditionally focused on marketable inputs and outputs, ignoring by-products such as greenhouse gas emissions. However, given the shifting priorities of the CAP, there is a need for understanding farmers' behavioural responses to the new CAP instruments.

We invite applications for the PhD position entitled: 'Modelling farmer's behavioural responses to agricultural and environmental policy'.

The candidate should:

• hold an MSc degree in a discipline relevant to the PhD project,
• have proven excellent analytical and writing skills,
• have knowledge of quantitative methods (e.g. mathematical programming and/or econometrics),
• be passionate about research. Affinity with agriculture is an advantage.

This position requires an excellent English language proficiency (a mininum of CEFR C1 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.

In principle this is a 48 month PhD position. We offer you a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended with 30 months if you perform well. Salary will increase from € 2.325 gross per month in the first year up to € 2.972 in the last year, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours a week) in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours and holidays can possibly be determined in consultation so that an optimal balance between work and private life is possible;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
• a flexible working time: the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra and thereby to build up extra leave;
• a choice model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
• a lively workplace where you can easily make contacts and where many activities take place on the Wageningen Campus. A place where education, research and business are represented;

Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for own initiative in a learning environment.

We offer a versatile job in an international environment with varied activities in a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialised research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With approximately 30 locations, 5,000 employees, and 10,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen.

For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at thespecial career site.

BEC is part of the Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR) and holds a strong position in disciplinary and interdisciplinary research with key areas, such as food supply chain economics, bio-economic modelling, and economics of animal health, food safety and plant health. Also, BEC is active in measuring and modelling performance and risk management of agro-supply chains and farms. Research is commissioned and funded by the Dutch government, the EU, non-governmental organisations, food processors, wholesalers, feed companies, pharmaceutical companies as well as banks, insurance companies and agricultural accountants.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.