Contact person Deltares: Brian de Bruin
Educational Level: WO / Master, PhD
Deadline: 05/05/2024
Location: Delft and often you will visit Leeuwarden (Friesland)
Category: Young Professionals, Professionals
Do you have a strong background in climate resilience assessment and Nature-Based Solutions? Do you want to apply your hydrological, scenario modelling and impact analysis skills to make a meaningful contribution to climate resilience and adaptation pathways? If so, keep reading because this opportunity might be tailor-made for you!
What you can expect as Project researcher nature-based solutions
Deltares and The Province of Friesland (Fryslân) are seeking a very motivated and skillful researcher to join the Nature Based Solutions for Atlantic Regional Climate Resilience (NBRACER) project. In the framework of the European Mission on Climate Adaptation, this Horizon Europe project will focus on building climate resilience at regional (and local) scale through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
With the NBRACER project, we aim for a further elaboration, a concretization and quantification of the guiding principles as proposed in Fryslân Klimaatbestendig 2050+and move toward regional scale climate adaptation plans, with long term peatland functioning in between a sandy and clayey landscape as a key focus. At the basis of the Frisian NBRACER case is the following key question: is it worth implementing NBS, if so which, how much and where, and what are the hydrological and socioeconomic consequences? That is what you are going to find out!
Job Description
We are looking for an analytical hydrologist, with affinity and experience in scenario building and modelling (of NBS), with an emphasis on the interaction of landscapes and landuse-functions in the regional water system. Knowledge of the Frisian and Netherlands surface water and groundwater systems is a plus. You are an ‘connector of links’ with knowledge on transition-thinking and adaptation pathways, able to understand the links between the physical, social and economic system. Experience with executing environmental and/or socioeconomic impact analysis, related to water management is a plus.
Main responsibilities
You will be involved in elaborating NBS-rich portfolios of innovative and transformative solutions for building systemic climate resilience in Fryslân. Within the NBRACER project, you support testing, monitoring, demonstration and scaling up the portfolios. With the aim to support regional resilience journeys from the current baseline to the implementation of its strategic plans for regional adaptation and resilience within the European Union.
To sum up, as a project researcher your main duties are:
- Become a task lead in the project in executing hydrological (both groundwater and surface water) scenario modelling of NBS and support socioeconomic impact analysis of NBS.
- Build an integrated balanced portfolio of solutions on Marine and Coastal, Urban, and Rural Landscapes scale.
- Support upscaling toward regional scale and transfer to other regions.
- Application and testing of specific adaptation pathways for the Landscapes, ready for customization in the various European regions (and beyond) and support for building across scale adaptation plans.
- Support Scaling out toward other EU regions, linking to other EU projects.
Main scientific innovations in this position:
- Address spatial hydrological challenges, reduction of climate risks, and sensitivity to ecosystem tipping points within different landscapes in Fryslân.
- Co-development of large NBS-rich portfolios of innovative solutions supporting each region’s climate adaptation pathway development and resilience strategies from the current baseline to the final implementation.
- Evaluate the state of enabling conditions and identify areas for adjustment and optimization of NBS, analyzing interactions across different landscape types to increase resource use and the robustness of the portfolios.
- Move forward from single hazard and single topic toward multi-hazard and multi-topic problems solving within and across landscapes on regional scale.
Requirements:
- A Ph.D. in Hydrology and Environmental Science, Climate Change, Geography, or similar is preferred. Otherwise, a period of 2-4 years of experience in related fields is well accepted.
- Strong background in hydrology, including scenario modelling and knowledge of socioeconomic and/or climate resilience assessment is required. Experience with Nature-Based Solutions, and spatial planning is an advantage.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability and enthusiasm to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary and international research environment, as well as with stakeholders and partners encompassing diverse backgrounds and disciplines.
Furthermore it is a big plus to have:
- Track record of scientific publications in relevant fields.
- A driving license is strongly recommended. Physical attendance in the House of the Province in Leeuwarden (Provinciehuis, one/two days per week) is required.
- Besides English, sufficient conversation skills in Dutch (possibly even Frisian) is an advantage, considering the foreseen interactions with Dutch stakeholders and partners.
The team
The work will be executed in close cooperation with other postdocs and PhD’s at Deltares (Delft, the Netherlands) who will focus on the methodology and tooling sides of developing solutions in the landscapes of pilot regions. You will become part of a group of researchers active within the EU REST-COAST, NBRACER and DesirMED projects.
You will also be part of the Frisian NBRACER team. In this team you work together with experts from the Province of Friesland, Wetterskip Fryslân, Deltares, the Wageningen University, and other affiliated partners. This team will work in an agile-fashion; with a certain flexibility in the research questions- and methods during the research, in order to keep the research up to date and relevant during the 2/4 years. Physical attendance in the House of the Province in Leeuwarden (Provinciehuis, one/two days per week) is required. Starting date is as soon as possible.
Deltares offers:
- Offers a contract for the duration of the project;
- Excellent training opportunity’s for personal and professional growth;
- Deltares offers a market conform salary. Salary will be based on your experience;
- ABP average salary pension, 34 days of vacation, vitality budget and a mobility budget;
- Deltares has an open, inclusive and collaborative culture;
- Here you can find more information about our attractive terms of employment.
About NBRACER project:
NBRACER steps up to the European Mission on Climate adaptation challenge which acknowledges the need to adopt a systemic approach by working across sectors and disciplines, experimenting, and involving local communities. More information can be found at https://nbracer.eu/
Interested?
Are you committed to fulfill the correspondent period and do you fit the qualifications? Apply directly by uploading your CV and motivation letter/video. First round of Interviews will be held on May 14 and 15. For more information you can contact perry.delouw@deltares.nl, mindert.devries@deltares.nl or call/app email Brian de Bruin (recruiter Deltares brian.debruin@deltares.nl; +31615267686).
