Your job
The Environmental Policy group (ENP) at Wageningen University and Research is seeking an emerging scholar in the field of environmental politics and governance. Your research will contribute to political science debates that link global and local processes of governance towards socially inclusive environmental transitions. More specifically, you have a demonstrated record of contributing to debates on global environmental food governance and/or governing global energy transitions and/or the governance of sustainability finance. You also have ambition to contribute to theorization of global environmental transformations that directly contributes to teaching and supervision from BSc to PhD level.
You will develop, supervise and carry out high-quality research in collaboration with your own international network, as well as with colleagues at the Environmental Policy Group and Wageningen University and Research. You will also be pro-active in acquiring funding from a mix of government, EU and private sources and publish regularly in leading international academic journals. Over the medium term, you will be supported to develop an individual research grant application to either the Dutch Innovational Research Incentives Scheme or the European Research Council.
You will contribute to a strongly internationally oriented teaching programme at Wageningen University. In the short term, you will be expected to adapt existing courses taught by the Environmental Policy Group in (for example) the Master of Governance of Sustainability Transformations or Master of Environmental Sciences programmes. Over the long term, opportunities will emerge to develop your own courses and contribute to the design and policy of Masters and Bachelors level programmes at the University.
The successful candidate will proceed through the tenure track system at Wageningen University. Tenure Track is a career path for scientists who pursue to excel in education and research. We seek to attract scientific talent and to stimulate and support their development.
We encourage collaboration, and you’ll have the opportunity to work with colleagues and students across the ENP group’s five thematic research areas – Governing Climate Futures, Sustainable Urban Infrastructures, Environmental Mobilities, Marine Governance and Sustainable Food Transformations. Above all, you are a personable, social colleague willing to balance your personal interests with those of the group.
Your qualities
- a PhD degree in political sciences, international relations, geography, sociology or another discipline related to the social science of environment;
- a clear vision on studying how the politics and governance (of food, energy and/or finance) affects societal attempts to transition to more sustainable environmental outcomes;
- a strong background in qualitative research design and methods and methodologies;
- a demonstrated interest in building bridges with other disciplines relevant to the environmental governance of food, energy and or finance;
- excellent communication and social skills, a coaching leadership style and experience in acquiring and leading internationally oriented research projects;
- a demonstrated publication record;
- demonstrated ability to inspire and supervise MSc students and PhD scholars;
- demonstrated experience and affinity with delivering high quality education at both BSc and MSc levels; A Dutch university teaching qualification (BKO) or equivalent will eventually be required;
- proven capacity to develop an international network in your specific field;
- a strong team player willing to contribute to the wider interests of the group;
- good command of the English language (CEFR C2 level).
We offer you
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
- sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
- working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
- the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
- there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
- a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
- excellent pension scheme.
- excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will be offered a fixed-term, 7-year contract which, upon positive evaluation based on criteria elaborated in the University’s Tenure Track policy, can lead to a permanent employment contract as professor. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 4.332,- and € 5.929,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11 ).
Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.
You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 18th consecutive time.
Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research’s International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling. For instance under the “30% rule”, certain categories of international staff can receive tax exemption on approximately 30% of their gross salary.
Do you want more information?
If you have any questions on the position please direct them to Prof. Simon Bush, by email: simon.bush@wur.nl.
For more information about the procedure, please contact Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, by email:recruitment.ssg@wur.nl
Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.
Address your application, including a covering letter with your motivation, your CV and a one-page research statement to the chair of the search committee Prof. Simon Bush (simon.bush@wur.nl).
This vacancy will be listed up to and including Monday 15 January2024. We hope to schedule the first job interviews from 30 January 2024.
Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.
We are
Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialized research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Lifelong Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organizations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!
About ENP
The Environmental Policy Group in Department of Social Sciences at Wageningen University has an internationally recognised reputation in the area of environmental social science and policy research and education. Our 18 tenured staff, 5 teaching staff, 7 Postdocs and over 35 PhD students focus on the social and political science of environmental transformations. The research of the group has a strong international orientation, being conducted at both the global level as well as in number of countries across Europe, Africa and Asia. The staff profile of the group is also international, with more than 12 nationalities employed.
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
