Are you an enthusiastic and research-dedicated researcher and do you want to contribute to health and welfare technology services? Join our team as a postdoc!

Your job
You will be engaged in the THCS project titled: UPSCALE - Unfolding the processes between user needs and health and welfare technology in socio-technical transition of health and care services. The Utrecht University team includes Professor Ajay Bailey, Professor Niki Frantzeskaki, and Dr S. Labib. You will collaborate with other European partners in the project.

UPSCALE examines the socio-technical transition processes to understand the role of HWT (Health and Welfare Technology) use in the health and care transformation and provide transition pathways on how to achieve user empowerment via HWT use. The socio-technical transition perspective must be distinguished from initiatives focusing on individual technologies, for its truly “transformative” nature – the ability of being capable of determining a radical change in the socio-technical system (to deep-scale) – that differs from “incremental” changes offering innovative solutions but not preparing for real change in the health and care systems.

UPSCALE uses a novel combination of scientific methods and integrated frameworks to advance state-of-the-art knowledge of determinants that influence the emergence, development and future of HWT use in health and care. These determinants show in the interplay between human actors and social, institutional and technological structures. UPSCALE applies this knowledge to provide policy recommendations to enhance a smooth socio-technical transition and HWT’s contribution towards building the health and care of the future, addressing challenges and advancing dimensions such as equity, effectiveness and accessibility of services.

The tasks include the following:

• committing to research excellence and research with impact that is a mission of Utrecht University;
• engaging in the wider research and scholarly activities of the UPSCALE research project and Utrecht University UPSCALE team;
• engaging in the dissemination of results of the UPSCALE project by producing high-quality academic papers as a lead author;
• leading and co-authoring high-quality papers with the PIs, colleagues of UPSCALE and multiple research groups (e.g., spatial planning, international development, urban geography) at the department to produce academic outputs of European and Global Interest;
• conducting individual and collaborative research complying with and following research ethical standards;
• carrying out administrative and management work associated with the research.

You have a positive, co-operative and responsive attitude that fosters positive and safe working relationships. In the course of your work, you show integrity and professionalism. Except for that, you bring to the team:

• excellent and proven research skills, especially gathering and analysing diverse (e.g., qualitative) data following ethical research practices;
• a PhD (to be awarded by 1st of August 2024 latest) in the area of: public health, geography, demography, science and technology studies, innovations studies, and sustainability transitions;
• knowledge and experience in health systems, user experience in of health technology, and qualitative methods. Knowledge, skills and experience;
• experience in publishing as a lead author in high-quality international peer-reviewed journals, with a minimum of three published papers at the time of the application;
• experience in conducting and analysing structured and semi-structured interviews, large and small workshops with citizens and local stakeholders, focus groups and/or other kinds of transdisciplinary research activities;
• excellent communication skills in Dutch and English;
• excellent organisational and time-management skills;
• ability to work across different, interdisciplinary research projects and research initiatives simultaneously;
• ability to think independently and overcome difficulties in research process;
• willingness to acquire new skills and learn about new methodologies and theories.

We offer:

• a position for 32-36 months - an assessment within the first 8 months will provide the green light for the extension of the contract;
• a working week of 28-32 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,226 and €5,090 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning investigates sustainability challenges in the context of an ongoing worldwide trend of increasing urbanisation. The department’s ‘Urban Futures’ research programme focuses on urban inequalities, geographies of digital transitions, and urban environmental change. It develops novel theoretical and empirical approaches that are not solely at the forefront of academic debates but that also create new perspectives on successful policies and interventions to address urban challenges. Our research programme is the basis for our Research Masters Human Geography, and Geographical Information Management and Applications and for the Professional Masters in Spatial Planning, Human Geography, and International Development Studies. The department also runs a large and highly appreciated Bachelor's programme and is part of the Netherlands Graduate School of Urban and Regional Research for PhD candidates. Unique characteristics of the department are a special team focusing on innovations within teaching methods, its strong involvement in the transdisciplinary sustainability research theme and professional consultancy for public partners.

For more information about this position, please contact Professor Ajay Bailey at a.bailey@uu.nl.

Before contacting via email, note that:

• interested candidates that contact Professor Bailey about general inquiries and not specific questions will not receive a reply;
• applications will neither be pre-assessed nor pre-evaluated via email or phone calls;
• only applications from candidates with the ability to speak Dutch will be considered;
• only applications submitted through the link provided in this vacancy will be considered. Applications submitted over email will not be considered;
• only applicants who have research experience during their PhD or post-PhD in the area of: public health, geography, demography, science and technology studies, innovations studies, and sustainability transitions;
• only applicants with a PhD realised will be considered. If you have submitted your PhD and awaiting approval or the PhD defense to take place, you are encouraged to apply.