Postdoctoral Researcher Planetary Health for Health Policy and Management

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM) invites applications for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join our Planetary Health theme. You will be joining a growing team at the forefront of Planetary Health, a solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth (Planetary Health Alliance, 2021).

Our theme (Planetary Health | Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management | Erasmus University Rotterdam) is addressing environmental changes, like climate change, and their health impacts, such as impacts on mental health, as well as how healthcare and health systems can cope with the triple planetary crisis —climate change, biodiversity loss, and global pollution— and find solutions to decrease healthcare-related impacts on climate and environment.

Job description
As a postdoctoral researcher, you will play a pivotal role in advancing our ambitious research agenda. You will have the opportunity to engage in high-profile international and national projects, such as Caring Nature (CARING NATURE) and ESCH-R (Home - ESCH-R Consortium), while also having the intellectual freedom to develop your own research lines. Working in a multidisciplinary environment, you will collaborate with leading organizations like the Planetary Health Alliance (co-hosting the 2025 Planetary Health Annual Meeting in Rotterdam, PHAM Urgency and agency for system change), Convergence (Convergence), and Medical Delta (Home | Medical Delta).

Key responsibilities include:

• Conducting cutting-edge research on mitigation and adaptation strategies to address the health impacts of environmental changes.
• Leading policy analysis to inform national and international health and environmental strategies.
• Collaborating with healthcare providers, policymakers, industry leaders, and community stakeholders to translate research into actionable, equitable solutions.
• Publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at global conferences to shape the planetary health discourse.
• Proactively pursuing funding opportunities to support innovative research initiatives.
• Mentoring junior researchers and contributing to the vibrant academic community at ESHPM.

Why Join Us?

This position offers a unique platform to make a lasting impact at the intersection of health policy, environmental sustainability, and societal well-being. You will:

• Work in a supportive, interdisciplinary team with access to global networks and resources.
• Contribute to transformative projects that address pressing global challenges.
• Have the autonomy to develop your own research portfolio while building a strong track record for future leadership roles.
• Be part of a forward-thinking institution in Rotterdam, a vibrant hub for innovation and sustainability.
• Contribute signficantly to hosting the 2025 Planetary Health Annual Meeting in Rotterdam a premier global gathering of planetary health leaders, offering unique opportunities to build and expand your international research network.

We seek a highly driven and talented individual with a passion for planetary health and a commitment to driving change. You should bring:

• A PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g., public health, environmental science, environmental economics, social sciences, or related fields).
• Demonstrated expertise in planetary health or related areas, with a track record of high-quality research outputs.
• Proven experience in policy analysis and stakeholder engagement, ideally in health or environmental contexts.
• Strong analytical and methodological skills, with the ability to design and lead innovative research projects.
• A proactive approach to securing research funding, experience in grant writing or funding applications is a bonus.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively in diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
• A commitment to mentoring and fostering a collaborative research culture.
• Fluency in English.

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position is 01-SEP-2025 and you will be based at [class.26087] in Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM). This position is for 0.8 fte - 1 fte. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 4.537 to a maximum of € 6.209 gross per month Scale 11 on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The contract is offered for a period of 2 years.

Everything else we offer you, you can find below!

• Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre!
• Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.
• Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.
• Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.
• Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare (daycare not paid for by EUR).
• Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM)
ESHPM at Erasmus University is leading within the Netherlands with its teaching, and research activities focused on policy and management topics in healthcare. ESHPM provides a bachelor's program, five master's programs, a transition program for lateral entrants, and postgraduate education. Since its founding in 1982, ESHPM has closely linked research and education. Knowledge and experience from different scientific disciplines, such as economics, law, socio-medical sciences, organizational science, and public administration, are brought together and applied in healthcare. This multidisciplinary approach to education and research is unique. ESHPM is housed in the Bayle (J) Building on EUR’s Woudestein campus. Currently, ESHPM has over 1,600 students and 200 employees.