Postdoc on Reshaping Food Systems through food-society reconnection

Are you passionate about reconnecting people, food, and nature? Do you want to study how social values and food value chains enable sustainable, resilient food systems? Apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Postdoc on Reshaping Food Systems through Food-Society Reconnection

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the European project RESHAPE at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This position focuses on studying how social values and food value chains can enable sustainable and resilient food systems by reconnecting people, food, and nature.

The postdoc will conduct research within the RESHAPE project, contributing to both research activities and the effective functioning of the consortium, as well as publishing and disseminating project findings. The work is highly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary, combining participatory approaches and social learning dynamics with knowledge synthesis and mixed-methods empirical research. Methods include multi-sited ethnography, life cycle assessment, input-output analysis, qualitative interviews, and quantitative surveys.

Grounded in the characterization of the value chains of five food products in Europe—economically, socio-culturally, and from a governance perspective—the postdoc will collaboratively design and test innovative participatory strategies to bridge food-society disconnection and support transformative change for sustainable and resilient future food systems.

Your duties

• Develop research to advance the understanding of the social-ecological dynamics shaping relationships between society and food systems, using environmental assessments, knowledge synthesis, interviews, and surveys to identify key leverage points for shifting food system values and bridging the gap between operational realities and societal values.
• Engage in empirical research in the Dutch case study, focusing on mapping and assessing Gouda cheese value chains (from large-scale industrial to small-scale traditional), including participatory strategy co-design.
• Collaborate with project partners to ensure comparability of case studies.
• Provide day-to-day assistance for project coordination, facilitate collaboration with other researchers in the international RESHAPE consortium, and support project tasks and dissemination (including meetings, conferences, and deliverables).
• Publish high-impact, peer-reviewed research in international scientific journals.

Your profile

• PhD in geography, environmental sciences, or a related discipline.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications and the ability to initiate and complete original research.
• Knowledge of the literature and demonstrable expertise in applying state-of-the-art socio-ecological systems analysis methods.
• Ability to help coordinate teamwork and conduct transdisciplinary work with local stakeholders.
• Excellent written and oral command of English; proficiency in Dutch is valuable.
• Available to start around May 15th, 2026.

We recognize that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise, and mindset. We encourage anyone who sees themselves in this profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organization. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research, and service for a better world. In return, we offer you:

• A salary of minimum €3,546.00 (Scale 10) and maximum €5,538.00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis, based on UFO profile Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• A position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year, with the possibility of a 2-year extension.

We also offer attractive fringe benefits and regulations, including:

• A full-time 38-hour working week with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you receive 96 extra holiday leave hours annually. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Contribution to commuting expenses.
• Optional model for designing a personalized benefits package.
• Access to a wide range of sports facilities at a modest charge.

About us

Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM)
IVM is a leading environmental research institute internationally recognized for high-quality research output across environmental disciplines and for its interdisciplinary work. The institute’s mission is to contribute to sustainable development and environmental care through scientific research and teaching. IVM conducts problem-oriented research useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally, with a unique strength in understanding sustainability problems in their social and economic context. The IVM research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Policy Analysis; Environmental Geography; and Water and Climate Risk. IVM is part of the Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This position is based within the Environmental Geography department, which conducts interdisciplinary research on the spatial aspects of environmental and social challenges and the solutions sustainable land use can provide.

Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means collaborating with students, lecturers, and researchers who are focused on their field yet have a broad view of the world. We are proud of a positive and inclusive workplace culture, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. Scientists and students at the Faculty of Science work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy, and just future.

Our education and research cover the full breadth of science, from molecules to mankind, including topics such as forest fires, big data, obesity, malnutrition, helium, the universe, genetics, and medicine. Our academic education and research are highly experimental, technical, and interdisciplinary, and we collaborate extensively with leading scientific institutes and industry. The faculty has more than 8,000 students in 39 programs and employs over 1,400 staff across 10 scientific departments, making us one of the largest science faculties in the Netherlands.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely—a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and focusing on diversity, significance, and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces across disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together, we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.

We are located on a single physical campus in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at VU and more than 31,000 students attend academic education.