Do you want to help Dutch cities to become more resilient by connecting change methods and local policy and decision-making? We are looking for a 3-year postdoctoral researcher at the chair group Urban Economics (WUR) to identify how, when and for what purpose key enabling methodologies (KEMs) can support local governments in building resilient urban futures.
Dutch urban areas are transforming due to societal, environmental, technological and economic pressures. The majority of people will live in cities, while challenges relating to inequality, health, climate change, food and energy all accumulate within this urban context. Key Enabling Methodologies (KEMs), a collective term for groups of tools, strategies, and design methods used by researchers, policymakers, and professionals, can help to structure change and solve such complex entwined urban challenges (www.kems.nl). However, up to now KEMs often do not adequately support policymakers in addressing the complexities of urban challenges, leaving them feeling unprepared and unsupported. The 6-year NWO-funded project URRRRRBAN: Urban Resilience through Responsive, Relational, Representative and Responsible Policymaking (led by prof. Mascha van der Voort, University of Twente) attempts to fill that void between KEMs and policy, by addressing how KEMs can move beyond incidental use toward structural integration in policymaking.
As a postdoctoral researcher you will be responsible for execution of WP2 of the URRRRBAN project (led by Prof. dr. Emely de Vet, WUR, and Dr. Carissa Champlin, University of Twente). This WP monitors 4 cities (i.e., Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Enschede and Amersfoort) and 5 diverse cases from these cities (i.e., CivicAI, Energielab Zuid Oost, Open Urban Platform Amersfoort, VONK and Buurtbarometer). The WP seeks to generate practice-based evidence on what KEM works for whom, in what context, and under what circumstances. Each of the cases will be coordinated by a case coordinator, and the postdoc will identify and compare KEM utilization with desk research, document analyses, field observations and stakeholder interviews across the cases. This case-based approach will be complemented with an institution-based approach, where the postdoc will explore familiarity with KEMs and their institutional embedding with policy makers. Needs and preferences for KEM utilization and envisioned learning trajectories within municipalities will be identified, forming a basis for how to adapt KEMs for decision-support in local contexts and challenges.
Your duties and responsibilities include:
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coordination, collaboration, and communication of research activities with the 5 cases and 4 cities;
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design and conducting research under the guidance of work package leaders;
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analyses and reporting of practice-based insights on KEM utilization in national and international journals;
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translate insights to other WPs (e.g., evaluation framework, recommendations for KEM iteration and embedding, and learning infrastructure);
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interacting and communicating with the project leaders and researchers to share work in progress and contribute to the overall project goals.
Your team
You will work at the chair group Urban Economics of Wageningen University. Your daily supervisor from Urban Economics will be Emely de Vet, and Carissa Chaplin (Department of Planning, Land and Urban Systems (University of Twente) will be your external co-supervisor. You will work closely with the URRRRRban partners in WP2, most notably the case coordinators and local municipality contact persons. Also, you will align your work with the teams of the other WPs of the program and regularly attend consortium meetings.
You are an academic researcher who gets enthusiastic about collaborative research involving many partners and settings. You are able to keep an overview of all different activities that take place in the context of the 5 cases and 4 cities, and are able to identify and prioritize opportunities for research in practice. You communicate openly, timely and transparent to all WP partners. You operate sensitive to the context of practice-based research, while simultaneously ensuring the academic rigor and quality of the research output.
You also possess:
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a PhD in a relevant field in the social sciences or design research in relation to the subject (e.g., urban studies, public policy or administration, design methodologies, innovation and change management, behavior change interventions, science and technology studies);
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demonstrable experience with a variety of qualitative research methods;
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demonstrable experience in publishing and presenting scientific research output;
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proven affinity and ability to organize cross-sectoral collaborative research involving stakeholders from science, policy and practice;
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excellent communication skills, written and verbally, in Dutch (C1) and English (C1).
In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position, English language level C1 is asked. The ability to speak and write in Dutch at minimum C1 level is a hard requirement due to the cases – applicants that do not demonstrate C1 level Dutch will be rejected.
You will work here
The number of people living in urban environments is increasing rapidly. The mission of the Urban Economics group, led by chairholder Eveline van Leeuwen, is to contribute to more resilient cities in terms of social equality, economic advantages and environmental quality. We have the vision to create just and sustainable societies.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
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sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
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working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
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there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
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a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
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excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3,706.- and € 5,760.- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended with another 2 years based on good performance. Ofcourse, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.
We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment.
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.
Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands 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 coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
Do you want more information?
For more information about the position, please contact Prof.dr. Emely de Vet (WUR) via [email protected] or Dr. Carissa Champlin via email: [email protected].
For more information about the procedure, please contact Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, by email: [email protected].
Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered. You can apply by uploading a letter of motivation, your CV, and a publication representative of your experience.
You can apply until 3 September, 2026. The first interviews are scheduled for September 15, 2026.
Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
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 specialised 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 Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations 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 the video below to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
