The Maastricht Sustainability Institute is offering an exciting opportunity for a fulltime PhD position of four years in political economy and sustainability science.

Job Description
The emerging paradigm of degrowth entails unprecedented changes in policy, economic activities, and individual behaviours in order to constrain production-consumption systems within planetary boundaries. The PhD candidate will empirically explore the feasibility and impacts of such changes on food provision systems in the European Union. Urgent research is needed to improve the understanding of systemic interactions between 1. evolutions of food supply chains, markets, individual livelihoods, and dietary habits; 2. their consequences on spatial organisation, social inequality and conflicts; and 3. the political dynamics of populism and nationalism in Europe.

The PhD candidate is expected to conduct novel research on food production-consumption systems in France and the Netherlands. Research tasks can be adjusted to suit specific skills and expertise, but will rely on a systemic perspective and an empirical exploration of degrowth via, e.g.:

• Mapping out and comparing social aspects and material flows of food systems in France and the Netherlands;
• Exploring the consequences of degrowth on food systems, e.g., retraining of the workforce and reorganisation of space;
• Shedding light on interactions between nationalist or populist trends and food systems, such as the entanglement of meat consumption with certain political worldviews;
• Improving understanding of derailment risks and positive tipping points by comparing “business-as-usual” and “degrowth” scenarios;
• Developping a transition toolbox for the benefit of food systems actors (farmers, cooperatives) to act on positive tipping points.

The candidate will be supervised by Prof. Frank Boons, based at Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI), Maastricht University, and be co-supervised by Dr. Clarence Bluntz at MSI. The candidate is expected to contribute to teaching activities in the field of sustainability at the department, taking max. 20% of their time (typically Master-level courses and supervision of Master theses).

Requirements
We are looking for candidates:

• who have successfully completed a Master’s degree in a relevant area, e.g.: political economy, ecological economics, sustainability science, food systems.
• with a record of high academic achievement: Master thesis’ grade, involvement in research papers, in other academic activities; or in research activities outside of academia (e.g., think tanks, NGOs).
• with a strong interest in one or more of the following research topics: degrowth, food, populism, nationalism, social and environmental impacts of dietary habits, rural-urban divide.
• with a very good command of written and spoken English, and with working knowledge of Dutch and/or French.
• enthusiastic about travelling in the Netherlands and France to work with food systems’ actors.

What we offer
As PhD position - degrowth and tipping points of food systems, Maastricht Sustainability Institute at School of Business and Economics, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale PhD according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2770,00 and €3539,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 18 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 2,5 years will follow.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

The School of Business and Economics
The School of Business and Economics (SBE) is one of Maastricht University’s six faculties. Our mission is to contribute to a better world by addressing societal problems, by co-creating knowledge and developing team players and leaders for the future.

By joining SBE, you will be part of the 1% of business schools worldwide to be Triple Crown accredited (EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA). You will join an inspiring and international environment, where learning and development is priority.

Department
The Maastricht Sustainability Institute has strong collaborations with other institutes and departments at Maastricht University and elsewhere. We offer a dynamic and challenging job in an internationally oriented organisation.

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Clarence Bluntz via c.bluntz@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD? Apply now, no later than August 25th, 2024 for this position.

Applicants are expected to include a motivation letter (max. 2 pages), a CV, and contact information for one referee.

Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted by the end of August and given instructions to write a short (3-5 pages) research proposal. This is to get a broad idea of how they would tackle the research topic. They will present this proposal during the interview, which will be conducted in September

The successful candidate is expected to start in the position fully by January 2025 at the latest; earlier if possible.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.