Postdoc Transformative Policy and Law to Accelerate Sustainability Transitions

Are you keen to contribute to accelerating sustainability transitions through regulatory innovations and policy experimentation and learning? Enjoying transdisciplinary action research?

Job description

The project ‘From EXperiment to sustainable change: TRAnsformative methodologies for Innovation and learning’ (EXTRA) seeks to overcome a persistent “pilot paradox”. In this paradox, much experimentation takes place but long-term systemic impact remains difficult. Researchers together with all sorts of change makers will synthesise existing knowledge on how to mainstream, upscale, spread, broaden and deepen developed innovations. In this postdoc position you will be employed at the Multi Actor Systems Department and co-supervised by the Rotterdam School of Law.

You will work together with a transdisciplinary action research team of 3 PhD researchers (VU Organizational Sciences/VU Athena Institute/WUR), one post doc (TU Delft TBM) and three senior researchers (HvA/HR).

Your role will be to synthesize existing research on regulatory innovations and policy experiments that contribute to sustainability transitions in the area of renewable energy, circularity and biodiversity.

You will also conduct transdisciplinary action research together with societal partners that are working in temporary experimental environments, such as AMS Institute, Bouwlab, Dreamhûs, Nationaal Programma Samen Nieuw-West, PRICE Almere and The Green Village Delft, and actors working on experiments on the level of the regime, including Ministerie van VRO, Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving and Provincie Noord-Holland. Together with the action researchers they have developed a Dynamic Learning Agenda of learning questions that they want to address during the trajectory of the project.

Together with Afdeling Buitengewone Zaken and the postdoc/action researchers, you will work on action research that may help them in answering their questions and develop designs for interfaces between experiments and policymakers that partners can implement in their practices and institutions.

On the basis of your experiences, you will get the opportunity to experiment with (co)producing different outputs, including but not limited to academic articles, articles for a lay audience and a podcast.

Job requirements

• A PhD degree (or almost) in public administration, political science, law or related fields
• Proven experience in conducting transdisciplinary research and/or action research
• Innovative thinker with a problem-solving mindset
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities
• Reliable, independent, and organized, with a commitment to meeting deadlines
• Fluency in Dutch and English (both C1 level)

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Faculty Technology, Policy & 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 2,5 years
• Temporary external finance
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities
• 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
• If you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job, TU Delft offers information and support to help you prepare your relocation and settle in Delft, including a Dual Career Programme for an accompanying partner