The recruited ESR will be engaged in a series of collaborative research and training activities and will be supported in pursuing a doctoral study project. If you are highly motivated; inspired by learning and undertaking innovative research, thinking and knowledge exchange across disciplines, institutional boundaries and wider society; and wish to be part of an advanced, international, network of creative change agents specialising in resourceful and resilient community environmental practice; then this ESR/PhD vacancy could be the ideal appointment for you.

Co-supervised by academic and non-academic partners, the RECOMS ESR will be encouraged to critically, practically, and creatively explore the contribution and relationships between their individual doctoral study projects across three interconnecting research themes:
- empowering and unlocking the potential of vulnerable communities to become more resourceful
- strengthening the adaptive and transformative capacity of local groups through resourceful environmental practice as critical to building community resilience
- encouraging a more just and inclusive approach to stimulating community resourcefulness by nurturing broader participation in resourceful environmental practices.

A core feature of the RECOMS programme - both with respect to informing the design and delivery of all the training, as well as enabling and maximising opportunities for knowledge exchange through research and associated outputs - will be the incorporation of a broad range of visual and creative research methods and modes of communication.

The following position is now open for application within the Netherlands. Research projects hosted by the University of Groningen, Department of Spatial Planning and Environment in Groningen:

ESR4: Building Coalitions: Socio-Spatial Planning

Full title: Building Coalitions: Socio-Spatial Planning as Transition Management, Mediation and Entrepreneurship for Resourceful Communities

Objectives:
There is a sense of urgency for transitioning to more resilient places and adapting to environmental challenges ahead (e.g. climate change, energy, food, etc.). Throughout Europe, community initiatives play a major role in fostering these transitions by building more resourceful communities from the bottom-up. These initiatives include a diversity of spontaneous actions, coalitions and physical configurations. Acknowledging their transformative capacity, spatial planners and policy makers look for ways to stimulate and facilitate these initiatives, moving closer to a role as transition managers, mediators and socio-spatial entrepreneurs. Exploring how planners can do this, this research project goes beyond the level of the individual initiative and especially analyses the emerging socio-physical patterns community initiatives give rise to. The objective of the project is to analyse - from an international comparative perspective - the drivers behind these emerging patterns, their foreseen and unforeseen consequences, and the enabling and constraining effects of associated institutional arrangements. Building on this analysis, the project will also scrutinize the potential of adaptive planning repertoires in supporting the rise of more resourceful communities in dealing with environmental challenges.

Expected Results:
Transdisciplinary international analysis of spatial planning; Knowledge on the role of planners in building adaptive community strategies; Planning guidelines on how to support new coalitions, arrangements and adaptive planning repertoires.

Candidate specification
Eligibility
- applicants MUST – at the start date of the employment contract [1 September 2018] – be an ‘early stage researcher’: they must be in the first four years of their research career and NOT have a doctoral degree
- at the time of appointment by University of Groningen applicants MUST NOT have resided in or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

- applicants must have an MA/MSc degree in a relevant discipline, e.g. spatial planning, geography, sociology, policy administration, or related social science discipline
- excellent English language proficiency both orally and in writing to derive the full benefit from the network training. An IELTS English language test will be required, achieving an overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component)
- research experience in the field of the specific ESR position
- knowledge of and/or experience in collaborative approaches to sustainable resource management
- knowledge and experience of qualitative research methods.


Additional requirements
- in accordance with the mobility goals of Marie Curie Innovative Training Networks, appointed candidates will be required to visit other network partners for secondments, and attend research and training events for the network. Whilst the individual training events will require one-two weeks travel only, the secondments (which will be hosted by the consortium institutions) will each require a residence of three months. All eligible costs will be fully funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme
- candidates should possess a strong affinity with the RECOMS topic, be motivated to practice multi- and transdisciplinary forms of research inquiry and action-learning, and wish to gain a broad and advanced range of scientific and professional skills
- candidates should understand the aims, rules and procedures of MSCA Innovative Training Networks
- candidates should have an interest in engaging with, applying and receiving training in visual and creative methods and forms of communication. Whilst evidence of direct prior experience is desirable, it is not essential
- the ability to work as part of a team and the ambition to engage in participatory and collaborative forms of research and learning are essential
- candidates will be expected to mainly work under supervision but also taking full delivery responsibility for individual tasks.

Fixed-term contract: 36 months.

The University of Groningen offers, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, a salary of € 2,222 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 2,709 gross per month in the third and final year, based on a full-time position (1.0 FTE), excluding a holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income and a 8.3% end-of-the-year bonus.
In addition to individual scientific projects, the ESR will benefit from research collaboration within the RECOMS network, extensive joint training opportunities, and collaboration with non-academic organizations.

How to apply
You may apply for this position until 1 March 23:59 / before 2 March 2018 (Dutch local time) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the University website).

Please submit your application in English.

Applicants are permitted to apply for a maximum of three positions from across the total 15 RECOMS ESR vacancies. For information on all the ESR positions hosted inside and outside The Netherlands see:
www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-directories/current-projects/2017/recoms/

Applicants are required to submit:
- a full CV
- a motivation letter (maximum 2 pages)
- the names of two referees (to be called upon should you be short-listed)
- proof of eligibility as an annex where relevant, including a) proof that you have no more experience than 4 years as a researcher, b) proof that you did not spend more than 12 months in the last 3 years in the Netherlands, and c) proof of English language proficiency.

Please make a separate application for each position to which you are applying*. Multiple applications will not influence the selection chance in any particular project. Please mention on every application all ESR projects to which an application is being submitted.

By submitting an application, the candidate is consenting to their application being shared with the Selection Committee and the RECOMS coordinator. If you are short-listed for interview, please note the interview panel will consist of the host and non-host institution RECOMS partners. Your application will be available to all panel members from submission for the purpose of assessing your suitability for the post.

[*Please take care to ensure that applications for individual ESR/PhD positions are submitted directly to the respective host institutions – only applications for the positions hosted by RUG/RWS should be submitted via the RUG recruitment portal]

Additional information
Note: short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview during April/May 2018. Where candidates are short-listed for an interview they will be required to prepare a short doctoral study project research plan. Further information will be provided at the point of announcement of short-listing.

Starting date: 1 September 2018
Duration: 36 months (fixed term)

Frequently asked Questions: www.coventry.ac.uk/Global/05%20Research%20section%20assets/Research/CAWR/recoms/Recruitment/FAQ.pdf
General information about the Marie Sklodowska Curie (MSCA) Innovative Training Network programme: ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about/innovative-training-networks_en


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Faculty of Spatial Sciences

Research project hosted by the University of Groningen, Department of Spatial Planning and Environment in Groningen.

Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 30,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. Ranked among the European top in the field of academic research, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.

The Faculty of Spatial Sciences consists of 95 members of staff and focuses on high quality teaching and research in the fields of spatial planning, economic and cultural geography and demography.
The Department of Spatial Planning & Environment has a research agenda which centres on the relationships between spatial transformation and institutional innovation. The Department is responsible for 1 bachelor and two master programmes. The Department is looking for researchers with an interest in innovative, transdisciplinary and transformative approaches to promoting and facilitating resourceful and resilient community environmental practice.

About RECOMS

Funded by the European Commission (2018-2022), RECOMS is comprised of a transdisciplinary consortium of scientists, practitioners and change agents from eleven public (universities and government research centres), private and non-profit organisations, located in six European Union countries: Austria, Belgium, England, Finland, Germany and The Netherlands. The purpose of RECOMS is to train 15 ESRs/ doctoral candidates in innovative, transdisciplinary and transformative approaches to promoting and facilitating resourceful and resilient community environmental practice. By delivering an advanced programme of training in both scientific and professional skills, RECOMS will enable ESRs to pursue an academic career or high-professional career in either the public, private or third sector (e.g. government, university, NGO, consultancy, business or charitable body). For further information on RECOMS, inclusive of the full network of 15 ESR doctoral positions currently open for recruitment see:
www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-directories/current-projects/2017/recoms/