We are looking for a driven, motivated and outstanding PhD researcher interested in sustainability transitions and resilience in general and in the relationship between urban water systems, society and culture in particular with a passion in linking scientific understanding and insights to social and environmental sciences, cultural representation and practice. Delta Urbanism Interdisciplinary Research Group, part of TU Delft Department of Urbanism, jointly with the Water Governance Chair group and Flood Resilience Chair group (FRG) of IHE Delft Institute for Water Education are seeking to expand their teams with a new driven, motivated and outstanding PhD researcher interested in sustainability transitions and resilience in general and in urban water systems, social sciences and environmental innovation in particular with a passion in linking scientific understanding and insights on urban water systems to societal behaviour, cultural representation and practice. The doctoral researcher will be part of the Water4Change research project and as thus connected to an international research consortium on fit-for-purpose water sensitive design for fast growing liveable cities in India. As part of the Delta Urbanism team, the researcher will also engage in other activities in the field of research and education.

The Water4Change project

The Water4Change research programme addresses the complex challenges to urban water systems faced by fast-growing cities in India. India is a country which is rapidly growing into urban agglomerations showing infrastructure deficits and adaptation gaps in relation to current and future climatic, societal and economic change. The programme embraces water as a basic necessity for life that is both an agent and catalyst of positive transformative changes that are needed to pro-actively deal with and respond to these challenges. To facilitate long-term sustainability and resilience of urban water systems, the programme will co-create and mainstream an integrative, fit-for-purpose and adaptive water sensitive design framework in close collaboration with stakeholders in three Indian cities. The framework will be developed by synergistically connecting four realms – governance, built and natural environment, technology and infrastructure design and societal behaviours – for the delivery of transformative change. The project is co-funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Indian Government Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Cooperation India – the Netherlands programme.

The focal aim of this doctoral research position is to develop a conceptual and methodological framework to enable water security and ecosystem health outcomes based on socio-cultural analysis and profiling. Shifting to and maintaining water sensitive urban systems places multiple new demands on the roles of individulas and communities. It requires to engage, adapt and cope with multiple uncertainties and shocks in the short- and long-term, to take interrelations and dynamics across the full water cycle. At the same time, it requires to ensure social innovation while providing for the maintenance of cultural representation, heritage and inclusiveness. Next to developing a novel framework for socio-cultural water sensitive behaviour in the Indian case study cities, your research will develop an integrated methodology for the understanding of the effect of individual and community, their influence and sensitivity, motiviation and abilities for the mainstreaming of water sensitive and climate responsive governance, planning and design. Your research will respond to relevant research gaps in sustainability transitions, resilience and adaptive design and governance literatures, addressing the following research questions: What are the social, economic and demographic factors affecting the performance of urban water systems? What are the roles of social innovation, cultural representation, and cultural heritage in enabling water sensitive behaviour in society?

The main objectives of the PhD research position are:

• Developing a conceptual and methodological framework for governing societal transitions to sustainability aiming at water sensitive, climate responsive and inclusive urban environments
• Analysing the influence of individuals, communities and the public sector in sustaining water security, access, inclusiveness and ecosystem health in Indian cities in the short- and long-term
• Conducting field research and workshops in India and collaborating with other PhD researchers from India
• PhD fellow should provide inputs that will form the basis for the reality check to the processes followed by the other PhDs in the Water4Change project on Planning & Design, Infrastructure & Technology, and Governance. Therefore the PhD should work closely with these PhDs and their supervisory teams. 
• Publishing research findings in scientific journals, presenting the project at international conferences, cross-fertilizing the results with local and international scholars and practitioners

 The research will be jointly supervised by an experienced and collaborative team comprising of members from both TUDelft Delta Urbanism Interdisciplinary Research Group and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education Water Governance Chair group and Flood Resilience Chair group. 

The successful applicant will have an excellent academic track record, a completed M.Sc., M.A. or equivalent university degree, and demonstrated capacity for interdisciplinary science research. We encourage candidates with a multi-disciplinary background/interests in Social Sciences, Urban Planning and Design, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Water Management to apply.

An affinity with sustainability transitions, the concepts of urban water systems, societal innovation and governance, cultural representation and transdisciplinary research are highly desirable. Ideally, the candidate has first-hand experiences working with theories of sustainability transitions, social behaviour and cultural representation, water management, adaptive design and governance. The candidate should be able to understand the societal contexts of water problems and posess writing/presentation skills that helps creating narratives like an ethnographer and synthesise the outcomes.

The project requires frequent traveling to Indian case study cities. The candidate should be proficient in English (both writing and speaking) on a C1 CEFR level (or equivalent), and willing to collaborate and travel internationally. Knowledge of Indian languages is an advantage. 

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. Coming to Delft Service organizes diverse events for new international employees and their accompanying partners, like Partner Career Workshops and Dutch Culture Workshops. Located on campus are the International Children’s Centre and an international primary school which are subject to availability as well as several bilingual schools in the nearby surrounding. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. TU Delft Graduate Schoolprovides an inspiring research environment; an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and amentor; and a Doctoral Education Programme aimed at developing your transferable, disciplinerelatedand research skills. Please visit www.tudelft.nl/phd for more information

Technische Universiteit Delft

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is a multifaceted institution offering education and carrying out research in the technical sciences at an internationally recognised level. Education, research and design are strongly oriented towards applicability. TU Delft develops technologies for future generations, focusing on sustainability, safety and economic vitality. At TU Delft you will work in an environment where technical sciences and society converge. TU Delft comprises eight faculties, unique laboratories, research institutes and schools.

Faculty Architecture & the Built Environment

-Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Department of Urbanism, Delta Urbanism Interdisciplinary Research Group: Since its foundation 110 years ago, the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has built up a solid international reputation for training architects, urban planners and designers, as well as for its research portfolio and coaching of PhD candidates. With around 2600 students and 500 staff members, with around 230 FTEs devoted to academic positions, our faculty is one of the largest of Delft University of Technology and one of the most prestigious architecture and the built environment faculties globally. Traditionally, the faculty has prioritised high-quality training in design and research in the field of the built environment. Over 40 chairs cover a wide range of academic areas in design, process and technology, which together cover the entire field of the built environment. The Department of Urbanism in the Faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology was established in 1948 and since then has contributed to academic knowledge of the urban environment and design and planning interventions.

The Department of Urbanism in the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment encompasses and combines urban design, spatial planning, landscape architecture and environmental modelling. These areas are represented in the four sections of the department. The Department has a global reputation for excellence in research and education, and is particularly well known for the ‘Dutch approach’ to urbanism that brings together the creativity of design with academic research methods. This ‘integral’ urbanism enjoys high international esteem in professional practice, research and education.

The Delta Urbanism Interdisciplinary Research Group at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is hosted by the Section of Urban Design, Chair of Urban Design Theory & Methods within the Department of Urbanism. The group investigates the possibilities to combine flood protection, soil and water management strategies with urban design, landscape design and spatial planning, aiming to improve spatial forms and structures and innovate urban systems in urban and metropolitan delta regions. Founded on an interdisciplinary approach, in which designing and engineering disciplines activate innovation in design, technology and governance, the ambition is to have international impact as a specific interdisciplinairy field of work.

- IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Water Governance Chair group and Flood Resilience Chair group (FRG). IHE Delft is the largest international graduate water education facility in the world and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. The mission of IHE Delft is to work in partnership to strengthen capacity in the water sector, to achieve global sustainable development. IHE Delft has a permanent staff of 220 of which more than 140 are academics from all over the world, while about 250 guest lecturers from academia and industry contribute to our educational programmes. Each year 750 professionals (including about 200 new MSc students per year) from all over the world attend various water-related courses at IHE Delft. The Institute has an international staff & student community with English as the working language. Water Governance Chair conducts research, education and capacity development activities in the domains of  Water Policy, Water Law and Water Politics. All focus through these domains is on the interaction and inter-wovenness of ecological, social and technological systems. The Flood Resilience chair group (FRG) aims at advancing and disseminating scientific knowledge and practical application of resilience for flood and drought risk management. FRG is involved in a number of research and capacity building projects, where  the innovations are developed together with local, regional, and national actors. This is an important feature of FRG, as it aims to actively participate in the design and implementation of flood (and drought) risk management strategies—while conducting research and building capacities.

Since its foundation 110 years ago, the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has built up a solid international reputation for training architects, urban planners and designers, as well as for its research portfolio and coaching of PhD candidates. With around 2600 students and 500 staff members, with around 230 FTEs devoted to academic positions, our faculty is one of the largest of Delft University of Technology and one of the most prestigious architecture and the built environment faculties globally. Traditionally, the faculty has prioritised high-quality training in design and research in the field of the built environment. Over 40 chairs cover a wide range of academic areas in design, process and technology, which together cover the entire field of the built environment. The faculty has a budget of around €38 million, of which approximately €7 million is sourced indirectly and from contracts with third parties.

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/architecture-and-the-built-environment/