Postdoc on Integrated Value Strategies for Regenerative Food Systems

Are you interested in contributing to the future of regenerative farming, food systems and finance? Do you want to explore how the concept of integrated value (‘brede waarde’) can help transform agriculture from being a major environmental pressure to a driving force for sustainability? Are you eager to combine theory and practice—working with both quantitative and qualitative research methods—to shape a regenerative food system in the Netherlands? Are you interested in being embedded in an interdisciplinary research team? Do you have a PhD degree and skills set that puts you in a good position to do research in this area? Then we are looking for you!

Job description
While the goal of the food system is to provide sufficient and healthy food, it has at the same a significant negative impact on the environment. Agriculture is a considerable contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen deposition and biodiversity loss. Regenerative farming offers a way towards the necessary sustainability transition in the agricultural sector. Such a transition also requires a shift from a financial performance mindset to an integrated value mindset, within agricultural firms, within institutions such as banks providing financing, and in reporting.

In this postdoc position, we are looking for someone with academic curiosity to better understand approaches to ‘value’ regenerative farm performance in food system governance. One approach could be through the application of the concept of integrated value (that combines financial, social and environmental value) to the food system. How can we move investment and lending decision-making at the companies in the food chain (agro-industry, banks and supermarkets) from financial and production driven (intensive farming) to profit and impact driven (regenerative farming improving environmental performance). Other aspects that play an important role in the transition towards more regenerative agriculture, and could be focus of a specific research endeavor, include the role of policy, shareholder primacy, land prices, and risk mitigation.

This position is part of the Dutch National Growth Fund-funded research project ‘Re-Ge-NL: Accelerator for the transition to a regenerative, profitable and socially supported agricultural sector’ in which a large consortium takes up the mission to accelerate to the transition to a regenerative food system. Together with industry partners from farming, banking, agro-industry, and food retail, the interdisciplinary research team will develop strategies and business models that are regenerative, profitable and scalable.

The postdoc will be based at both the Finance Department of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and at the Animal Production Systems group of Wageningen University & Research. Both organizations provide a vibrant academic environment with plenty of opportunities to engage with fellow academics. Moreover, being embedded in the Re-Ge-NL community offers a platform with many activities and meetings which can enrich your research. The postdoc is also expected to spend some time to support in organizing activities related to the project and work package.

Successful applicants are expected:

• To have a completed PhD degree in a field related to the topic of this research, such as economics, business, finance, agricultural/environmental economics, sustainable business/finance/economics.
• To have an academic ambition, and be committed to developing novel academic insights in this field in the form of scientific papers.
• To be well-trained and/or willing and able to further develop their skills in econometrics and quantitative as well as qualitative methods (such as surveys and interviews).
• To have a basic knowledge of Dutch as the data and partners are mainly from Dutch origin.
• To have social skills (including presentation skills) to communicate with people and organization in the Dutch food system.

The project further requires enthusiasm, perseverance, time/project/teamworking skills, and an open, interdisciplinary mindset.

The conditions of employment correspond with the collective labour agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

Your salary is subject to training and experience and may vary up to a maximum of € 6,209 gross per month (scale 11 CAO NU), based on a full-time contract of 38 hours.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) has attractive employment conditions, which include a holiday allowance of 8%, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a considerable number of vacation days.

All employees at EUR receive an annual personal career budget, which can be used to advance your skills and competences. Additionally, EUR offers you lots of training, development and coaching opportunities.

EUR aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfil their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique.

We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

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 3,700 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.

Faculty / Institute / Central service
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is one of Europe’s top-ranked business schools. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. Our first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes encourage them to become critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinkers and doers.
www.rsm.nl

RSM is an equal opportunity employer and explicitly encourages applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities, and nationalities.

The postdoc will be part of a large, interdisciplinary group of researchers working on the Re-Ge-NL project based at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and at Wageningen University & Research. There will be substantial scope and need for interaction among the academic researchers involved as well as the partners from the food and agricultural supply chain networks in the Netherlands.

Department
The department of Finance at RSM offers a high-profile MSc in Finance & Investments, one of Europe’s largest master programmes in finance with 300+ new students every year. The programme delivers in-depth knowledge from theoretical and practical perspectives. www.rsm.nl/fi

With its large, young and highly international faculty educated at renowned institutions in Europe, the USA, and Asia, the RSM department of Finance has a strong teaching tradition and international orientation.