Postdoc Public perceptions and acceptability of Hydrogen Developments

RUG; Groningen; On-site; EUR 41,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation hours

End-of-year bonus

Holiday allowance

Development opportunities

0.9 FTE temporary contract

Job summary

The University of Groningen invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to study public perceptions and acceptance of hydrogen developments. You will design and run longitudinal surveys and experimental studies to identify factors shaping opinion and policy acceptability.

Working within Environmental Psychology, you will collaborate with other disciplines and stakeholders, disseminate findings to science and practice, and contribute to evidence-based policy recommendations.

Qualifications

• PhD in Environmental Psychology or a related discipline.
• Experience with longitudinal surveys and experimental methodologies.
• Experience with large-scale datasets and multi-stakeholder projects.
• Excellent command of English and strong communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Strong conceptual, environmental orientation, and result orientation.

Responsibilities

• Conduct large-scale longitudinal surveys to study factors influencing public perceptions and acceptability of hydrogen.
• Conduct experimental studies to infer causal relationships in public acceptability of hydrogen.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations to incorporate public perceptions in policy making.
• Disseminate findings to diverse audiences including scientists, practitioners, and the general public.

Skills

Quantitative methods

Large-scale datasets

English proficiency

Independent work

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Conceptual thinking

Education

PhD in Environmental Psychology or related field

Job description

Postdoc Public perceptions and acceptability of Hydrogen Developments

Join us in this exciting and multidisciplinary endeavour to shape the future of hydrogen as a sustainable and socially accepted energy solution.

Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences

Postdoc Public perceptions and acceptability of Hydrogen Developments

Hydrogen is a rapidly evolving development aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen is not an energy source in itself, but serves as an energy carrier. Energy produced from gas and/or renewable energy sources can be saved and stored in a form of hydrogen and used when needed. The development and implementation of hydrogen is a technological and, more importantly, a societal challenge. It is critical to gain understanding of how people form their perceptions and acceptability judgements of hydrogen projects, which key factors play a role in public perceptions and acceptability, and how to incorporate this knowledge in socially responsible policy‑making. These questions are at the heart of this project. In this postdoc position, you will i) conduct large‑scale longitudinal surveys to study the relationships between the identified factors and public perceptions and acceptability of hydrogen; ii) conduct experimental studies to infer the causal relationships between the identified factors and public acceptability of hydrogen; iii) give evidence‑based recommendations for how to better incorporate public perceptions and acceptability in policy‑making, and iv) carry out dissemination activities to communicate the findings to other professionals from science and practice, and the general population. Besides, the project implies collaboration with multiple other partners from science (different disciplines), industry, organisations, and government bodies.

Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences

Who are you?

We are looking for candidates who meet the following requirements

• The successful candidate should hold (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in Environmental Psychology or a related discipline and be familiar with Environmental psychology theories and research in energy and social science. Furthermore, the successful candidate should be comfortable working with quantitative empirical methods, including longitudinal survey and experimental methodologies, ideally with substantial prior experience. Finally, the successful candidate should have:
• experience working with large‑scale datasets and projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• excellent command of the English language;
• ability to work independently and manage joint research activities;
• a team player with strong communication skills;
• demonstrable competences as conceptual capacity, environment orientation, presenting and result orientation.

What can you expect from us?

• In accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities, we offer a salary of at least € 3.706up to a maximum of € 5.760 (salary scale 10)gross per month for a full‑time employment contract.
• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38‑hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40‑hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36‑hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End‑of‑year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
• A temporary contract of 0.9 FTE for a period of 28 months.

Where will you be working?

At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organisations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.

Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen has a national and international reputation for excellence. Research within the Environmental Psychology group focuses on a wide range of topics, including understanding which factors influence sustainable behaviours (such as energy use, car use, food consumption); understanding how people cope with environmental and climate risks; understanding the effectiveness of strategies to promote sustainable behaviour; understanding the acceptability of environmental policies; and the effects of sustainable behaviour on wellbeing. The research contributes to theory development and to practice. The Environmental Psychology group collaborates with scholars from different disciplines within and outside the University of Groningen, as well as with governments, NGOs, businesses, and organisations.

Do you have any questions or need more information?

Questions about your application process?

When scheduling meetings, we will take your schedule into account as much as possible.

The University of Groningen considers social safety important. We strive to be a university where staff and students feel respected and at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identity. For more information, see also our page about our diversity policy .

Acquisition is not appreciated.

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the NVP Application Code.