PhD The urban densification of railway station districts in Région Hauts-de-France - Observing,[...]

European Commission; France; Sur place; EUR 60 000 - 80 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Une institution académique en France propose un poste de doctorant axé sur l'urbanisme et le développement autour des transports publics. Ce projet de thèse explore la densité urbaine à proximité des stations et ses impacts sur le développement urbain durable. Les candidats retenus participeront à une recherche innovante pour mesurer la densification urbaine, avec un séjour prévu à l'Université de Žilina.

Prestations

Formation doctorale de haute qualité

25 jours de congés annuels

Label docteur européen possible

Qualifications

• Le candidat doit avoir un niveau écrit et oral en anglais et en français.
• Compétences requises dans l'urbanisme et l'analyse de la mobilité.
• Maîtrise des GISCience souhaitée.

Responsabilités

• Implémenter un outil pour mesurer la densité urbaine autour des stations.
• Comparer les quartiers de stations pour aider les décideurs publics.
• Investigation des perceptions des résidents sur la densité.

Connaissances

Urbanisme

Analyse de la mobilité

GISCience

Formation

Master ou équivalent

Description du poste

Organisation/Company université gustave eiffel Department lvmt Research Field Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country France Application Deadline 5 Sep 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Context

The rail network of the Hauts-de-France region carries strong ambitions for urban transformations. The development of rail transport services aims to improve access conditions and generate sustainable urban development at the regional scale, particularly in peripheral areas with opportunities for urban growth, through urban regeneration. Referring to Transit Oriented Development as an academic corpus and operational concept, the thesis project intends to focus on density around transport stops as a key factor in characterizing and discussing urban dynamics related to the development of public transport systems.

Urban density is expected (by transport planners), planned (by metropolitan authorities), sometimes overwhelming (resulting from land value pressure, as a sum of private actors' decisions), but it can also be resisted (by local actors) and even feared (especially in the post-pandemic context).

The theme of urban density around public transport involves a series of related concepts—well described in the literature on TODs and captured in node-place approaches—of functional diversity, urban design, accessibility, which should be included in the study of the subject. This involves the themes of density acceptance, support for urban diversity, adaptation to land price pressure due to speculation, housing accessibility planning, design of acceptable density, and the quality of urban planning.

The core of the thesis consists of implementing a tool for measuring urban density around stations, based on buffer perimeters and isochrones, and utilizing existing databases (e.g. UrbanSimul and GéoFer from CEREMA). The measurement should, as much as possible, include a historical dimension to understand urban dynamics and also aim to evaluate future densification potential. Comparison with control areas outside the influence of stations will quantify TOD-type dynamics. Comparing station neighborhoods with each other will allow for the inference of typologies to aid public decision-makers.

The project should also include an investigation of the residents perception of density, in order to identify desirable levels and forms of urban density suitable to guide railway stations urban development.

Mobility in University of Žilina

During the first year a 6 month mobility will be conducted at University of Žilina in order to refine the methodology for understanding residents perception of density by facilitated interaction with Dr Yannick Cornet in connection to the idea of happy proximity.

Benefits for the Hauts de France Region

The densification of station areas is a key issue for the Hauts de France region, which has made its rail network a strategic asset for its territorial development, as shown by the guidelines of the 2020 SRADDET, which include targets for increasing the modal share of public transport. Urban densification near stations is a powerful lever for the use of rail transport. More specifically, the Metropolitan Regional Express rail Service project (SERM) calls for an urban structure centred on the network's stations, implying densification, and a significant part of its success in terms of ridership can be expected from urban intensification, which the thesis proposes to observe. Measuring the potential for densification could also help to support the choices to be made in the SERM project.

Contributions at national and international level

Beyond the Region, measuring densification could inform choices at national level, as the DGITM of the Ministry of Ecological Transition does not currently have such a tool and has expressed this need. Finally, the production of knowledge on the densification and intensification of station districts in France could contribute to future international research projects around the 15-minute-city pillar of the Driving Urban Transitions - Partnership, which encompasses mobility hubs, as well as with the USA around the modernisation and internationalisation of the TOD database tool under the leadership of John Renne of Atlantic University.

The candidate should have a written and oral level in English and French languages, in order to be able to read documents and conduct actors interviews.

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Other Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Urbanism / Urban and regional planning

Competencies on the analysis of mobility

Competencies on GIScience

Languages FRENCH Level Good

Research Field Other

Additional Information

High-quality doctoral training rewarded by a PhD degree, delivered by Université Gustave Eiffel
Under the co-supervision of Dr Alain L'Hostis from Université Gustave Eiffel and Dr Yannick Cornet from University of Zilina
Appointment for a period of 36 months
Job contract under the French labour legislation in force, respecting health and safety, and social security: 35 hours per week contract, 25 days of annual leave per year.
The European label ‘European Doctorate’ may also be awarded at the end of the doctoral thesis under certain conditions.

Eligibility criteria

At the time of recruitment, applicants must be in possession of their Master’s degree or equivalent/postgraduate degree which would formally entitle to embark on a doctorate.

Selection process

The thesis will take place under the PIONEER+ project, a European Universities Alliance, coordinated by Université Gustave Eiffel. Under the PIONEER project, Université Gustave Eiffel secured a national funding for three PhD thesis linked to the SDG 11.
Candidates pre-selected by the thesis supervisor will be invited to an interview in English before a panel composed of members of the PIONEER alliance between September 22nd and October 15th 2025.

Additional comments

A 6 month mobility is planned at University of Zilina