Pathways to Sustainability is a new programme aimed to stimulate innovative research into sustainability issues at Utrecht University. Pathways to Sustainability adopts “rigor meets relevance” as its guiding principle – aiming at promoting interdisciplinary research and transdisciplinary collaboration with stakeholders. Our aim is to reposition the University in its endeavour to facilitate the transition towards a sustainable society.

Sustainability research at Utrecht University is exceptionally strong already, spanning many different disciplinary fields, including Geo-, Natural-, Life-, Social Sciences and Humanities. With this new 8 million euro initiative, funded by the Board of the Utrecht University as well as the three contributing Faculties, we aim to bring together talented scholars to identify and actively support sustainability solution pathways for cities, deltas, food systems and the deep decarbonisation of industry.

As a Postdoc Researcher you will play a critical role in the Pathways to Sustainability initiative by analyzing sustainability problems, exploring sustainable futures and unintended effects and outlining transformational actions for cities, deltas, food systems or industry. Academic work in the field of sustainability will be directly linked to societal stakeholders realizing sustainability transitions in their professional work. If you are excited about generating evidence for impact and have experience in collaborating across disciplines and with societal stakeholders, then we encourage you to apply.

Successful candidates have a track record in sustainability research, are flexible and innovative team players, build relationships easily with societal stakeholders and can adaptively manage their own research within the dynamic Pathways to Sustainability initiative.

Each Postdoc position is part of one of the four Pathways to Sustainability research hubs.

• Transforming Infrastructures for Sustainable Cities (5 postdoc positions). Click here for the vacancies.
• Water, Climate and Future Deltas (5 postdoc positions). Click here for the vacancies.
• Deep Decarbonization: Towards Industry with Negative Emissions (5 postdoc positions). Click here for the vacancies.
• Future Food: Towards healthy planet diets (currently no vacancies).

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 societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.