The ongoing problem with poor air quality and the alarming levels of climate change put about half the human population at increased risk for developing chronic diseases. It is therefore highly important to understand how our environment affects our behavior and health on individual levels.

Key to effective medical interventions at a personal level is our capacity to monitor the environment and its health effects for many individuals in real-time.

This research will focus on personal exposure to air pollution by environmental monitoring and atmospheric simulations to identify localized pollution patterns and to generate personalized air pollution data. Insights and algorithms obtained from this research will be shared with other project partners to improve behavior and develop cost-effective, timely, personalized prevention and treatment strategies.

In collaboration with our partner organizations, air pollution observations will be integrated and assimilated into state-of-the-art coupled chemical transport models to determine localized and personalized air pollution concentrations. Additionally, real-time observation obtained from fixed and mobile sensor networks, including other types of environmental observations, are going to be combined with atmospheric chemistry model data to create near real-time localized air pollution concentration exposure maps as well as air quality forecasts.

The selected junior researcher will perform Ph.D. research with a group of specialists at EUR, TU Delft and TNO. The interdisciplinary character of the project allows and requires sharing and discussing data and results on a regular basis among all project partners. Scientific publications and participation at conferences during the contract period will furthermore allow to exchange and discuss results with other specialists beyond the institutions of the project partners.

Your activities

• Investigate capabilities of deterministic and statistical air pollution models to generate near real-time high-resolution air pollution data using fixed and mobile sensor measurements
• Assess public air pollution and emission data; select representative observation areas; conceptualize and design mobile sensor observation strategies
• Utilize deterministic and statistical air pollution models and combine model data with air pollution measurements to create localized air pollution information
• Develop analytical and statistical methods to create personalized exposure maps and forecasts

Qualifications and competencies

The candidate we are looking for is an enthusiastic and dedicated environmental scientist with a background in disciplines, such as atmospheric chemistry, climate change or environmental physics.

Scientific curiosity, broadminded, reflective and teamwork capacity in an interdisciplinary working environment should also belong to the strengths of the candidate.

Our candidate should meet most of the following criteria:

• A MSc degree in either atmospheric or environmental science, physics or similar
• Experience in numerical modelling with affinity in machine learning and/or AI
• Geoinformation processing and programming skills: proficient in Python, Matlab, R, or similar
• Excellent command of spoken and written English; a TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency test result can be required in case of a non-Dutch MSc diploma for all applicants except those whose MSc program was taught in English.
• Good presentation skills

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Terms and conditions of employment

The candidate must be in possession of a Dutch residence permit or be an EU citizen.

The position is available in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for a fixed duration of 4 years, and is based on a 40 working hour contract.

Remuneration will be in line with the responsibilities of the role and related to the work experience of the candidate. For full-time employment the minimum gross monthly salary is equivalent to € 2.541,00 and the maximum is equivalent to € 3.247,00 based on 40 working hours per week and on the P-salary scale of the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO NU).

The employment conditions include a holiday allowance of 8.0% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

We prefer a candidate who is available to start as soon as possible (March 2023).

The Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) - Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)

About IHS

The Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) - Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) focuses on educational, research and advisory activities related to urban development and management world-wide. Within IHS, the Urban Sustainability and Climate Change Resilience department looks at how urban areas can transition towards more sustainable and resilient development pathways within the context of environmental challenges and climate change dynamics. Of particular interest are the relationship between the natural and built environment, the role of green infrastructure and nature based solutions, innovations related to the management of land, water, air, energy and transport systems and their contribution to improving environmental performance, land use, air quality, and urban spatial form, and their influence on urban sustainability, the analysis of climate change adaptation and mitigation actions, and the determinants of urban resilience.