Junior Researcher Energy Transition and Climate Adaption Policies

Gain Experience at the Interface of Science and Policy

Would you like to accumulate experience in working at the interface of science and policy? Would you like to be a knowledge broker, and, at the same time get insights pursuing an academic career?

Job description

In the context of the energy transition and climate adaptation, this position involves two sets of core tasks. The first set of tasks include project management and cultivation of collaborative partnerships with NGOs, community organizations and municipalities for various transdisciplinary research projects focused on understanding how the implementation of policies can be improved. The second set of tasks are research-focused and is about the synthesis and integration of knowledge between these projects. Experience in grant writing will also be provided, if desired. Ongoing projects on which these tasks will be based around include:

• Studying the role of middle-actors and intermediaries for the implementation of the heat transition visions and programmes in the Netherlands, to be developed over the next 2-3 years. (ongoing PhD and master’s thesis research).
• Harnessing and building the capacity of local and regional governments for aligning innovative strategy and implementation for just climate resilience for regional innovation and climate adaptation across various countries in the EU (Horizon Europe project to start in September 2025 and lasting 4 years).
• Development and evaluation of joint problem framing concepts and methods of complex problem solving, in the context of policy implementation.

To integrate the findings between these projects, you will also have an opportunity to publish on these topics alongside the principal investigator leading these projects.

The duration of the job will be 1 year, with the possibility of a 1-year extension. The number of working days can range from 2-4 days/week (40-80%), depending on the arrangement best suited to your goals and personal needs.

Division and prioritization of tasks

The division between tasks envisioned is 50% project management and coordination duties and 50% academic writing and research conceptualization, including the possibility to carry out empirical research. The balance between these two sets of tasks may be adjusted according to the professional interests and goals of the candidate. The PI will work with you to identify the appropriate balance, but it is important to grasp that both types of tasks will be expected of you in some combination.

The academic work will include the study and application of principles of collaborative governance and co-creation approaches to policy implementation research. This includes synthesis of project process and interim outputs. Previous experience with approaches related to thematic analysis, participatory research, action research and/or text analysis is desirable.

The project management work will include regular contact with stakeholders (including, but not limited to, actors in local/regional government and local community organizations), facilitation of problem framing workshops and processing feedback from these stakeholders and citizens. This will lead to experience in maintaining and creating a network for research which seeks to contribute societal challenges, but also experience in translating societal questions into research-relevant questions and vice versa. Experience in facilitating interprofessional knowledge exchange and collaboration is desirable for this role.

Job requirements

• A bachelor’s degree (in any topic).
• A master’s degree is desired, but not essential, if there has been equivalent experience working after a bachelor’s degree (2 years minimum).
• Writing experience using qualitative research approaches desirable. Demonstrated comfort with interdisciplinary research and conceptual thinking.
• A strong interest in research about the energy transition and climate adaptation is essential.
• Experience in conducting or running transdisciplinary research projects is desired and will make you more competitive for the position. However, if this experience is lacking, this position will provide an opportunity to learn on the job.
• You are interested in improving the societal contribution of science.
• You are a “people-person” or enjoying talking to people you know and do not yet know.
• You are a good listener.
• A curiosity for policy research and local governance processes are also necessary.
• Both fluency in Dutch and English is required (C1 level).

TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 1 year with 1-2 years extension Temporarily with a possibility for extension
• A job of 16-32 hours per week.
• A salary based on Schaal 10 of the CAO for Dutch Universities with a salary between €3378 - €5331 gross per month based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact dr. BinBin Pearce (b.j.pearce-1@tudelft.nl). For more information about the application procedure, please send an e-mail to recruitment-tbm@tudelft.nl.