Assistant professor Environmental Geography and Land Use

Do you like working with spatial data? Do you believe that spatial data can assist in achieving good land use planning and a more sustainable future? Then please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Assistant professor Environmental Geography and Land Use

Your function

As part of the team of the Environmental Geography staff your research and teaching will use spatial data and modelling to explore alternative futures of land use at local, European and global scales. You will show policy makers and different stakeholder groups the potential of land use management to contribute to sustainable future development pathways. Your work is focussed on the use of innovative spatial methods and models. Preferably you can apply spatial methods to both rural and urban areas, and address sustainability in agriculture, urban and natural land uses. Together with colleagues you teach students at Bsc and Msc level in spatial research methods and sustainability-related topics. At the PhD level, you supervise researchers working on land use science and spatial modelling. You write project proposals to fund PhD students and Postdocs that use a systems perspective, quantitative modelling tools and spatial research methods. You collaborate in research projects related to sustainability both inside and outside the department.

Your duties:

• you develop innovative research using spatial analysis and modelling across multiple landscape types
• you teach in general and more specialized Environmental Science courses that are part of the institute’s teaching programmes
• you supervise Master's and Bachelor's theses
• you (co-) publish scientific papers and present your work to stakeholders

Your profile

• you have a PhD in geography, geographic information systems, spatial statistics, or a related discipline
• you have demonstrable experience with quantitative spatial research approaches and land use change analysis
• you have affinity with interdisciplinary methods
• you have experience in academic teaching

We prefer candidates with at least 2 years of postdoc experience. However, if you have more recently obtained your PhD and you have a strong fit with our IVM research domains and education programms, we are also happy to consider your application.

We recognise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. We would like to invite everyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not (fully) meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable.

About us

Institute for Environmental Studies

IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognized for its high quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The mission of the institute is to contribute to sustainable development and care for the environment through scientific research and teaching. IVM aims to do excellent problem-oriented research that is useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally. A unique strength of our research is to understand sustainability problems in their social and economic context. 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. The Environmental Geography department conducts interdisciplinary research on the spatial aspects of environmental and social challenges and the solutions sustainable land use can provide to these.

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 within the faculty, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy and just future.

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 concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of 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.