Junior Researcher Energy Transition and Climate Adaption Policies

Would you like to accumulate experience in working at the interface of science and policy? Would you like to 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.