We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate who wishes to conduct a PhD research in the context of a new Horizon Europe project called REINCARNATE. The REINCARNATE consortium combines 16 partners from different EU member countries with strong expertise in digital twins, lifecycle prediction, material assessment, social sciences, construction management, architecture, and real estate management. Erasmus University Rotterdam serves as a consortium partner in the project.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious PhD candidate who will join our REINCARNATE project and will conduct research that will contribute to the reduction of waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

A Master’s degree in Communication, Business, Management, or the Social Sciences is required, as well as Quantitative research methods and data analysis skills. The candidate must possess skills to do research in cooperation with others and a keen interest in multidisciplinary research approaches is preferred. Proficiency in spoken and written English is a must.

As a PhD Candidate at the Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC), you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with renowned academics with an international and interdisciplinary approach.

Project description

REINCARNATE is a project on promoting the adoption of circular innovations and practices within the construction industry and aims at enabling the European construction industry to significantly reduce construction and demolition waste (CDW) by providing a circular potential assessment information model platform (CP-IM) and a set of innovations to make use of the CP-IM.

The PhD candidate will work on Work Package 4, which focuses on social economic and market innovations. Promising circular solutions are available that show better economic and environmental performance than business-as-usual (BAU) options. Despite these benefits, BAU options tend to be preferred by many organizations. The PhD candidate will examine what the advantages and disadvantages are for choosing a circular solution compared to BAU. The aim is to map these choices, the involved stakeholders, and required business ecosystems, and to gain insights in decision-making processes with regard to the adoption of circular innovations. This will help us to understand how organizational changes to adopt circular innovations can be promoted. Hence, the PhD candidate will help to develop detailed social science insights about the social adoption behavior existing in the wider construction industry that will allow for understanding how a wide realization within the industry can be established that building products and materials can be reincarnated and re-used in high product quality. The position also involves a 20% teaching commitment in the Media and Communication Department.

Research and management duties (80%)

•        Identifying circular waste reduction practices and collaborative stakeholder interactions across Europe;

•        Identifying barriers for the adoption of circular innovations and developing a theoretical framework;

•        Collecting data using qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (survey, experiment) methods and data analysis;

•        Developing concrete recommendations for circular supply chain stakeholders; 

•        Performing organizational tasks related to the project;

•        Contributing to the writing of a report on adoption pathways for circular innovations in the construction industry as part of the deliverables of the project;

•        Engaging in and presenting during bi-annual consortium meetings (note that regular travelling is thus required);

•        Publishing and presenting research results in the form of academic chapters/papers as well as policy reports and presentations;

•        Writing a dissertation within the appointment duration of four years;

•        Taking part in seminars, workshops, etc. that are organised by the Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC) as well as the research schools and scholarly associations of which ERMeCC is part.

Teaching duties (20%)

•        Preparing and giving Education within the context of the various degree programmes provided by the Media and Communication department;

•        Monitoring the literature and integrating new insights into the lessons;

•        Supervising and coaching students;

•        Contributing to the evaluation of the lessons, both in terms of structure and execution.

•        A Master’s degree in Communication, Business, Management, or the Social Sciences, preferably a research master;

•        Training in quantitative research methods and data analysis skills;

•        A keen interest in multidisciplinary research approaches;

•        Experience with circular economy topics or broader sustainability issues is an advantage;

•        Pre-existing knowledge on the construction industry may be helpful, but is not required;

•        Outstanding interpersonal skills to work with multiple stakeholders;

•        Experience in communicating research to a wider audience and stakeholders;

•        Ability to work independently and as part of a team;

•        Organisational experience and skills;

•        Didactic potential. Teaching experience is considered an advantage;

•        A willingness to develop knowledge and skills in various disciplines;

•        Proficiency in spoken and written English. Non-English speakers have to meet the C1-standards of the Common European Framework (CEF).

Employment would commence in February 2023. The candidate will be located in Rotterdam.

The initial contract will be running for a term of 1,5 years, which - depending on performance – will be extended with a second term of 2,5 years.

The conditions of employment correspond with the “CAO Nederlandse Universiteiten” (CAO NU). For the job of PhD Candidate (Promovendus) the salary amounts to a maximum of € 3.247,- (grade P) gross per month on a 38 hour per week contract.

The EUR has attractive employment conditions, which include a holiday allowance of 8.0%, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 41 annual vacation days in case of a full workweek. 

The candidate will have access to invaluable academic and professional development experiences (e.g., mentoring, collaborative research opportunities). At the end of the appointment they will have acquired the skills to pursue a career in academia or organizations that tackle issues of sustainability, technology adoption, and organizational communication.

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.

The Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication

The Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) offers education and research in the fields of Media and Communication, History, and Arts and Culture Studies. The faculty has approximately 2400 students and 220 employees.

Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC)

The Erasmus Research Centre for Media, Communication and Culture (ERMeCC) is a vibrant, internationally oriented research centre within the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication which serves as the main base for researchers in Media, Communication and Culture at Erasmus.