Postdoctoral Researcher

Introduction to the project
Tilburg University is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the research project TRACE3: Tracking, Reporting, and Action for Scope 3 Carbon Emissions. TRACE3 is a multi-year research collaboration between Tilburg University and leading Dutch manufacturing firms, funded by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands under the TKI Dinalog program. The project is led by Xichen Sun and Kasper van der Vliet at Tilburg University.

The project addresses one of the most pressing challenges in supply chain sustainability: how firms can reliably measure, set targets for, and reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions across complex global supply chains, in the context of EU regulation such as the CSRD.

Your position
As a postdoctoral researcher, you will play a leading role in developing and empirically validating data-driven approaches for Scope 3 emissions measurement and science-based target setting and achievement. You will work closely with faculty members in the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management and industry partners. There are opportunities to collaborate with our academic partners, such as researchers from the MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab, KU Leuven, and Professor Rogelio Oliva from the Mays Business School. You will contribute to both academic publications and practice-oriented tools and assist the project leaders with overall coordination, project reporting, and event organization. There are no teaching obligations associated with this position, but we provide teaching opportunities in various topics in operations and supply chain management and sustainability.

We are looking for a candidate who:

• Holds a PhD in Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Data Analytics, Sustainability, or a related field.
• Has strong expertise in quantitative data analysis, such as econometrics, data analytics, or machine learning.
• Has excellent English-language academic writing skills, as well as good verbal communication skills.
• Has experience with working with large-scale firm-level or supply chain datasets (e.g., public databases), preferably related to environmental sustainability.
• Demonstrates a strong interest in environmental sustainability, specifically in relation to climate change, decarbonization, and environmental policy.
• Is able to work independently as well as collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams.
• Has strong project management skills, and ideally has experience in research projects involving one or multiple industry partners during their PhD.

Our offer
Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment:

• Employment of 1 FTE.
• Salary between €3,546 and €5,538 gross per month for full-time employment (UFO-profile Researcher 4, salary scale 10). Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience.
• This is a vacancy for a temporary position in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 sub b CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of 24 months.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave.
• Hybrid working with home working allowance (€2 p/day) and internet allowance (€25 p/month).
• Reimbursement for sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle, or personal training.
• Moving allowance (subject to conditions).
• 30% rule for international employees (if applicable).
• Pension through ABP.
• Ample training offer: personal development, leadership, education, research, or language courses.
• Inclusive work culture: everyone welcome, equal opportunities.
• A green, inviting campus that’s easily accessible by public transport.

For more information, please see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities.

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainability, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge to meet the needs of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we place particular emphasis on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization.

About Tilburg School of Economics and Management

Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) is one of Europe’s leading centers for research in business and economics, ranking regularly among Europe's top five by research productivity (#4 in Europe, #42 worldwide for publications in UT Dallas Rankings 2022-2025). With respect to specific disciplines, it is ranked #44 worldwide in Business and Economics (Times Higher Education Ranking 2025), #48 in Economics & Business worldwide (US News ranking 2024), #52 worldwide in the area of Economics & Econometrics (QS World University subject rankings 2025) and top 75 in the world in the field of Business Administration (Shanghai ARWU 2024).

About the Department of Information Systems & Operations Management

The ISOM Department is a young and vibrant academic unit dedicated to advancing innovative applications of technology, data-driven decision-making, resilience, and operational efficiency across a wide range of industries. In addition to its bachelor’s programs, the department offers three master’s programs (MSc Supply Chain Management, MSc Information Management, and the International Master’s in Management of IT) and two PhD programs (PhD in Operations Management and PhD in Information Systems).

The department’s faculty are internationally recognized scholars in information systems and operations management. The research group has a strong publication and editorial presence in leading international journals—including FT50 and UTD24 outlets such as Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Operations Research, Production and Operations Management, and Journal of Operations Management—and maintains active collaborations with interdisciplinary research centers and industry partners. Together, the department is committed to delivering high-quality education and research that equip students to thrive in an increasingly data-driven and interconnected world.

Want to know more?

Would you like to know more before applying? Feel free to contact Dr. Xichen Sun (xichen.sun@tilburguniversity.edu) and/or Dr. Kasper van der Vliet (K.vanderVliet@tilburguniversity.edu).