Job description

The PhD candidate supports the group’s work on Climate Change, with an emphasis on differential impacts of climate change in urban areas and potential adaptation options.

This position will be funded by the University of Twente and is connected to the the UTWIST ³ TENURE TRACK position at the faculty ITC.

The aim is to assess sector-specific impacts of climate change in urban areas and to develop sector-specific and socially sensible adaptation options and their interlinked benefits for improved urban planning and management in selected urban areas. Most impact and adaptation analyses focus on isolated, mono-consequential assessments without accounting for multi-level effects across sectors, systems and social groups. The latter is possible with the application of Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, an interview and analysis method that can integrate the impact assessment of people and groups of people as well as their perception across multiple sectors. A strong emphasis is placed on method development and testing, particularly on the employment of Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping and related network techniques. This involves learning and applying analytical methods (such as multivariate, spatial and network statistics), assessment techniques (such as Vulnerability and Climate Change Impact Assessments), as well as certain interview techniques, some of them in combination with GIS. Database development and programming exercises go along with these methods and will also be part of the job.

The candidate is expected to finish the project with a PhD thesis and disseminate results through publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as through presentations at international conferences.

Requirements

The candidate must hold an MSc degree in geography, urban planning, environmental engineering, or related disciplines.

You are interested in social issues of climate change and in modelling and programming of social issues. You are eager to learn interdisciplinary assessment and analysis techniques and have experiences with some of the assessment methods mentioned above. You can prove good skills in statistics and affinity to modelling and programming. Knowledge of database software and programming languages, such as VBA would be an advantage.

We are looking for a highly motivated, very enthusiastic and excellent researcher with a good team spirit, open and critical thinkers, and dynamic and self-driven workers, who like to work in an international environment. Proven excellence in reading, writing, and communicating in English is a serious pre-requisite. An interview will be part of the selection procedure.

Applications should include an application/motivation letter—emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications and motivation to apply for this position, a detailed CV (resume), a publication list, contact details of at least 2 referees, and an academic transcript of B.Sc. and M.Sc. education. A TOEFL or IELTS score is requested to verify sufficient mastering of the English language. You can electronically apply for this position, which must be submitted before 31st November 2014.

Additional nformation can be obtained from Dr. Diana Reckien (d.reckien<στο>utwente.nl) Information about the procedure can be obtained from Human Resources, Ms. M.F.G. Assink (m.f.g.assink-emmerink<στο>utwente.nl)

You are invited to visit our homepage: http://www.itc.nl

Please submit your application through the form on http://www.utwente.nl/vacatures/en/ before 1 December 2014.

Working conditions

We offer a very interesting, timely and policy-relevant research position in a multidisciplinary environment, with benefits of learning scientific assessment and analysis techniques in a very international environment. The University of Twente provides excellent campus facilities, and actively supports professional and personal development.

The succesfull candidate will be employed as a University staffmember for a period of four years, working 38 hours per week.  Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the Collective labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities. A go/no-go assessment after the first year is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for the additional education and supervising that you specifically need. This plan also defines which teaching activities you will be responsible for (expected to take 10%-20% of your time).

Specifically, we offer:

• A full-time PhD position for 4 years (38 hrs/week).
• Full status as an employee at the University of Twente, including pension and health care benefits.
• Gross salary PhD student: ranging from EUR 2083 (1st year) to EUR 2664 (4th year) per month, plus holiday allowance (8%) and end-of-year bonus (8.3%).
• Good secondary conditions, in accordance with the collective labour agreement CAO-NU for Dutch universities.
• offers excellent working conditions, an exciting scientific environment, and supporting facilities for professional and personal development at the University of Twente,
• a green and lively campus with lots of sports facilities.