Postdoc: Co-creating Shared Narratives for Sustainable Sediment Management

Utrecht University; Utrecht; Hybrid; EUR 41,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary scales CAO NU

Pension scheme

8% holiday pay

8.3% year-end bonus

Flexible terms of employment

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Utrecht University in the Netherlands seeks a postdoctoral researcher to co-create narratives and conceptual models for sustainable sediment management in two estuary case studies.

You will organize participatory workshops, facilitate knowledge exchange between researchers, policymakers and stakeholders, and contribute to policy-relevant science.

The position is 0.8–1.0 FTE for 24 months with a competitive salary and excellent terms of employment under Dutch universities CAO NU.

Qualifications

• Fluency in Dutch and English and PhD in social and environmental policy sciences or related disciplines.
• Experience in facilitating deliberative and participatory processes in social-ecological systems.
• Affinity with water management and strong communication/writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, facilitate and monitor the co-creation of shared narratives and conceptual models for sustainable sediment management.
• Organize and facilitate participatory workshops in Western Scheldt and Wadden Sea.
• Foster knowledge exchange among researchers, experts, stakeholders and policymakers.

Skills

Dutch fluency

English fluency

PhD in social/environmental policy

facilitation of deliberative processes

affinity with water management

qualitative research

scientific writing

learning design

mediated participation knowledge

cross-cultural sensitivity

team player

driving license

Education

PhD in social and environmental policy sciences or related

Job description

Postdoc: Co-creating Shared Narratives for Sustainable Sediment Management

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.

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

external link 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.

This will be achieved through:

• 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.

Your qualities

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.

Our offer

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 collectivelabouragreement, we offer attractiveadditionalbenefits, including opportunities for personal and professional growth , flexibleleavearrangements,and extravacationdays. 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 .

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University , the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes . Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow .

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

More information

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

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.