Do you want to study consumer response to new technologies aimed at creating plants that give higher yields? Are you a person who collaborates easily with researchers from different universities and companies to make sure that relevant information about the technologies is used and that insights from consumer science are taken into account for the development of the (new) technologies?

The EU-funded project "CAPITALISE" is a research and innovation project that aims to develop next generations of plants that have highly increased levels of photosynthesis. Breakthrough in creating such plants allow the growing of larger quantities of foods on the same fields; which in turn takes away pressure from natural reserves and the environment in general. To create such plants, advanced plant breeding techniques are required. Experiences with previous techniques such as genetic modification have learned that neglect of consumer and societal demands and concerns can hinder the implementation of the technology. The project is interdisciplinary and involves researchers from universities and companies throughout Europe and Israel and Ethiopia.

We are looking for a PhD candidate on consumer response to new technologies within the project "CAPITALISE" who will:

• investigate public response to the proposed technologies in the context of existing other technologies and ongoing debate (e.g. conventional breeding, genetic modification, Crisp-R case);
• identify possible objections of the public to the developed technologies based on associations of consumers and trust in stakeholders;
• conduct a representative survey in several European countries to confirm consumer opinions to the technology;
• develop and test ways to communicate about the proposed technologies in regards to economic, and environmental impact.

You will work closely with scientists from across Europe to ensure that the relevant information about the technologies is used, and that insights from consumer science are taken into account in prioritising the development of the technologies. The PhD position is for 4 years, funded by the EU and in collaboration with various universities and industries. This offers major advantages for the PhD candidate in terms of opportunities to collect high-quality data, opportunities for travelling, and close interactions and discussions enhancing the quality and relevancy of the research project. Within the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour (MCB) group, this project will be part of the sub-programme on consumer response to new technologies in food and food production which currently has several PhD and postdoc positions and is led by Arnout Fischer.

We are looking for a colleague who:

• has a successfully completed MSc degree in consumer behaviour, (social) psychology, communication science or similar;
• has the willingness to engage in multiple research types, including statistical analyses qualitative approaches;
• is a teammate, open to collaboration across scientific fields;
• has the ambition to contribute to scientific progress as well as to performing societally relevant research;
• has excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

You will also have to meet the entry requirements of the WUR PhD programme.

You will receive a fully funded PhD (AIO) position according to the Collective Labour Agreement (scale P) of the Dutch Universities. You will be employed by Wageningen University, where you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs.
The gross salary for the first year is €2.325,- per month rising to €2.972,- in the fourth year. This is based on a full working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended to 48 months if you perform well.
In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural end-of year bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours that we determine together in good consultation;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes, e.g. the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra for extra leave;
• a flexible 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;
• make use of the sports facilities on campus for a small fee.

Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with our internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for personal initiative in a learning environment. With us you get a versatile job in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of our University 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, 6.500 employees, and 12.000 students, it 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. We have been named Best Employer in Education category 2019-2020.

Click here for more information about working at Wageningen University & Research.

Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group
The Marketing and Consumer Behaviour (MCB) Group is part of the department of Social Sciences of Wageningen University. MCB currently consists of 12 staff members and 20 postdocs/PhD's ensuring a lively collaborative working environment. The domain of the MCB group's research program is food and agribusiness. This domain provides excellent opportunities to contribute to knowledge in the field of marketing and consumer behaviour. It is MCB's mission to contribute to effective food and agribusiness marketing systems to satisfy both the short term needs of customers, primary producers, and stakeholders, and the long-term (societal) viability of the system as a whole. The MCB group is a leading research group in marketing and consumer behaviour in the domain of food and agribusiness. The group has strong links with other European and US universities that also focus their marketing and consumer behaviour research in this domain.

More information about Wageningen Campus you can find here.

We do the recruiting for this vacancy ourselves. Please do not contact us for sales purposes.