We are looking for a motivated junior researcher to contribute to research, education and engagement activities on the theme of just sustainability transitions. You will be part of the Vital Cities and Citizens initiative under the sub-theme Sustainable and Just Cities, a research initiative part of the  Erasmus University Rotterdam. Specifically, you will be working on the Research Network on Just Sustainability Transitions in Cities (JUSTRA-Cities), a research project that aims to deepen, translate, and connect knowledge and practice on just sustainability transitions in and around cities.

Creating a translocal and transdisciplinary network around just sustainability transitions in cities is a method for developing and brokering actionable knowledge across the fields of sustainability transitions, environmental justice and urban planning. This includes experimenting with several methods to co-produce, deepen, translate and share actionable knowledge by:

• Developing a database of translocal networks working on just sustainability transitions.
• Developing and coordinating an open-source Wiki database on sustainable just cities.
• Curating an event series and a publication series on just sustainability transitions.
• Sharing the research output on social media and a mailing list on just sustainability transitions.
• Coordinating a Study Group with researchers, interns, and students.

Your main tasks

As the just sustainability transitions junior researcher, you will mainly work on:

• Translocal networks database: Conducting literature reviews, desk research and interviews; Writing (interim) reports; Creating a collaborative and interactive database of translocal networks.
• Coordinating the Wiki on Sustainable Just Cities: Adding new content and databases as well as improving presentation and interface of the website; Monitoring new edits and users on a weekly basis, supporting new members with the interface and technical questions, and editing new content submitted by members.
• Event series & publication series incl. social media: Coordinating & organising events; Creating content (text, images and videos adapted to different social media platforms), including writing and formatting blogs and reports from research and events; Planning of social media publications (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Mailing list and Newsletter).

You are the ideal candidate if you:

• Have a Master’s degree in social sciences, in the field of social change, sustainability, justice, urban development, innovation, and/or other related fields;
• Have affinity and ideally at least one year of experience with the topics of sustainability, justice, transitions, transformation, social innovation, and/or related themes;
• Have experience in organizing and facilitating online meetings and impactful webinars;
• Are comfortable writing academic and non-academic publications in English (native or C1 level required);
• Have a creative mindset and can create impactful and compelling (visual and written) content (ideally using Adobe Creative Cloud or similar programs);
• Know about communication strategies and are comfortable working with social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn;
• Are an ambitious problem-solver and critical thinker;
• Are proactive, collaborative, and can work independently;
• Are curious and not afraid to dive into a subject or learn a new digital tool (video-editing; knowledge on Wikimedia is a big plus, but not a requirement)

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

The start date of this position is September 1st 2022 and you will be based at the Department of Public Administration and Sociology in Campus Woudestein. The position is for 0,8 FTE. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 2.960,- to a maximum of € 4.670,- gross per month on a fulltime basis, in accordance with scale 10 of the CAO-NU. In addition, we offer an 8% holiday allowance, an end-of-year payment of 8.3%, and a very generous paid leave scheme. Furthermore, EUR is affiliated with ABP for the pension provision, and we offer partially paid parental leave, fully paid extended birth leave for partners, a personal career budget, work-life balance coaches, discounted collective health insurance, and more. As an employee, you can also use EUR facilities such as the University library and receive a discount on subscriptions for the Erasmus sports center.

Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a Dual Career Programme (DCP) to assist the life partners of new academic staff (on payroll) in finding employment in The Netherlands. The programme is offered in close cooperation with the nearby universities of Delft and Leiden.

Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfill their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) is home to a vast diversity of scientific disciplines: public administration, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. In addition, the Erasmus University College, IHS, and two research institutes RISBO and DRIFT are linked to the faculty. This also reflects in the content of the (international) bachelor's and master's programs and in research.  Our activities are always focused on people and society. At the ESSB fundamental, internationally oriented research is of paramount importance. In addition, social research for professionals, policy makers, and the society is part of our research activities. ESSB offers a stimulating research environment where major national and international research grants are received. Appealing guest researchers and ambitious PhD candidates come along to conduct their research. Our education is small-scale and works with innovative forms of education such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Both the Dutch and English programs are highly ranked by students and alumni. ESSB is home to over 4000 students and more than 400 staff-members. The different disciplines are supported by the Faculty Office (for more information, please visit www.eur.nl/essb).

Department of Public Administration and Sociology (DPAS)

DPAS covers the disciplines of Public Administration and Sociology. Two related scientific fields with different profiles. Public Administration studies governance capacity and policy interventions. It focuses on the institutional power to organize and intervene in the relations between different social, political and economic actors. Public Administration in Rotterdam goes well beyond the public realm itself and pays attention to public-private cooperation and networks of organizations. Sociology investigates the social structure of societies and the way it evolves. Sociologists in Rotterdam focus among other things on processes of globalization and individualization and on the effects of these processes on international social relations, the labor market or family relations. Related social problems that are studied are migration, flexibilization and solidarity. The perspectives of Public Administration and Sociology complement each other. Together they guarantee a highly relevant and scientific approach to topical administrative and social issues. The bachelor- and masterprogrammes of DPAS are build on this profile and educate students to become scientifically schooled professionals.