Postdoc: Co-creating Shared Narratives for Sustainable Sediment Management

Utrecht University; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 41,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

8% holiday pay

8.3% year-end bonus

pension scheme

flexible terms of employment

personal and professional growth

extra vacation days

Job summary

Utrecht University seeks a postdoctoral researcher for the WadSED project to develop shared narratives and models for sustainable sediment management. You will coordinate participatory processes, organize workshops on location (Western Scheldt and Wadden Sea), and collaborate with UU and HVHL team members to foster science-society interactions.

You will facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers, experts, stakeholders and policymakers, contributing to two case studies and ensuring active

Qualifications

• Fluency in Dutch and English.
• PhD in social and environmental policy sciences or related disciplines.
• Experience facilitating deliberative and participatory processes in social–ecological systems.
• Affinity with the water management sector.

Responsibilities

• Engage with project team members and stakeholders to coordinate and monitor co-creation.
• Design and organize deliberative, participatory approaches with the WadSED team.
• Facilitate co-creation with experts and stakeholders in Western Scheldt and Wadden Sea.
• Apply a research-for-policy cycle to co-create conceptual models.
• Organize stakeholder workshops and disseminate best practices.

Skills

Dutch and English fluency

Education

PhD in social and environmental policy sciences

Job description

Environmental science » Natural resources management

Environmental science » Water science

Organisation/Company Utrecht University Research Field Environmental science » Natural resources management Environmental science » Water science Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 25 Oct 2026 - 22:59 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 40.0 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

The Wadden Sea and the Ems-Dollard and Western Scheldt estuaries have nationally important navigation channels and globally important ecosystems on tidal flats and coastal wetlands, that also protect the coast against storms. However, dredging costs are escalating, biodiversity is declining, and the sea level is rising. These three threats are magnified by a surplus or deficit of sand and mud, which requires sediment management. The knowledge and tools needed for this pose profound scientific challenges.

Your job

The aim of the WadSED project is to develop the urgently needed system understanding, data analysis tools, and forecasting models for science and expert users, and co-create common ground among stakeholders for future-proof coastal management.

One the project outcomes is to explore and co-develop narratives and conceptual models that show development of the basins and estuaries under SLR and human interference with specific attention for the sediment budget and habitat development.

As a postdoctoral researcher you will organize and facilitate the participatory process to co-develop these shared narratives and conceptual models for sustainable sediment management. This will be done for two case studies, namely Western Scheldt and Wadden Sea. To facilitate knowledge exchange and the learning process, interactive workshops will be organized on location (Western Scheldt and Wadden Sea) to enhance science-society interactions.

Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the postdoctoral researcher are to engage with the project team members and the participating experts and stakeholders for both case studies to coordinate, facilitate and monitor the co-creation process to develop shared narratives and conceptual model for sustainable sediment management.

• Designing and organizing a deliberative and participatory approach together with the WadSED team members (specifically UU and HVHL).
• Facilitating and monitoring the co-creation process with experts and stakeholders in Western Scheldt and Wadden Sea.
• Applying a research for policy cycle strategy to co-create new conceptual models with academic scholars, experts, stakeholders and policy makers.
• Facilitating knowledge exchange between researchers, experts, stakeholders and policymakers through stakeholder workshops.
• Disseminating best practices via communication strategies that target experts, policy makers, and the public.

The selected candidate is expected to contribute to the above-mentioned tasks in collaboration with the rest of the WadSED team members.

We are searching for a candidate with the following qualifications:

• Fluency in Dutch and English;
• A PhD degree in social and environmental policy sciences or related disciplines;
• Expertise and experience working in facilitating deliberative and participatory processes in social- ecological systems;
• Affinity with the water management sector;
• Demonstrable skills in qualitative research and scientific writing;
• Strong communication skills and preferably expertise with learning design (for example visual media production project);
• Knowledge of mediated participation in a context of natural resource management transitions is an advantage;
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and a team player attitude, willing to be part of a large national;
• A driving license might come in handy.

Additional Information

We offer:

• a job (0.8 - 1.0 FTE) for 24 months;
• a working week of 32 - 40 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3.706 and €5.760 (salary scale 10 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)). The salary is based on a 38-hour working week;
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment set out in our collective labour agreement, we offer attractive additional benefits, including opportunities for personal and professional growth , flexible leave arrangements, and extra vacation days. Through the UU Terms of Employment Options Model, you can tailor your employment package to your needs. In this way, we encourage you to grow in what you do, both in your work and in your development. Read more about our terms of employment .

Selection process

At Utrecht University, we strive to be a place where everyone feels at home. We value colleagues with different backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including differences in culture, religion or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, disability and age. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and contribute. Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion. If you have any questions about accessibility, for example regarding your workplace Vening Meineszgebouw A , the application process or your work, please contact us via our HR contact page.

For more information, please contact Dr Jan Fliervoet via [e-mail]

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.