PhD position Water Circularity in Cities

Many cities around the world struggle with water-related problems such as scarcity, drought, pollution, ageing infrastructure and inequitable access. Cities also face broader social, ecological, economic and technological challenges driven by climate change, urbanization and industrialization. Ensuring the sustainable and equitable management and governance of water resources is crucial to solving the water problems and helping tackle the broader challenges of cities.

Rooted in circular economy principles, water circularity has been recently proposed as an integrated and systematic approach to water management and governance. It emphasizes the reuse, recycling and conservation of water resources, as well as increasing the efficiency of water use and decreasing the need for freshwater. However, the methodological and empirical insights into the implementation of water circularity in cities, as well as its impact on sustainability and equity, remain extremely limited. This PhD project aim to identify, analyze and compare strategies for harnessing the cross-sectoral and system-level potentials of water circularity in cities by applying systems modelling and governance assessment methods.

We are seeking a PhD candidate who is eager to advance the methodological and empirical underpinnings of water circularity in cities from cross-sectoral and systems perspectives. The PhD candidate will join a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the sections of Governance and Technology for Sustainability (CSTM) and Industrial Engineering and Business Information Systems (IEBIS), who have recently started collaborating on water circularity and will supervise the PhD candidate. The research will provide key insights for advancing the theme of water circularity both within the university and broadly by collaborating with local and regional organizations.

The project will combine qualitative and quantitative methods and comprise multiple components, depending on the profile of the candidate:

1. developing and applying an integrated model of the social-ecological-technological system of urban water circularity;
2. analyzing and assessing water circularity measures in cities from sustainability and equity perspectives;
3. identifying the economic potential of water circularity in cities from a cross-sectoral perspective, for instance by applying the industrial-urban symbiosis concept;
4. exploring pathways to enhance the sustainability and equity of water circularity in cities, paying attention to digital solutions.

The PhD candidate will develop a research plan within the first nine months of the study, and can offer additional approaches based on their competencies aligned with the above-mentioned components.

With guidance from supervisors, the PhD candidate will present their results at section meetings and international conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.

We look for a highly motivated, enthusiastic researcher who is driven by curiosity and has/is:

• Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Industrial Management, Water Engineering, Water Management, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Management, Circular Economy, or an interdisciplinary background in a relevant field in engineering or management;
• Experienced in qualitative and quantitative methods, such as expert interviews, focus groups, survey research, data-driven modelling and simulation;
• Experienced in or familiar with comparative case study research;
• Willing to develop writing and publication skills;
• Excellent teammate in an interdisciplinary group of researchers;
• Willing to travel for project meetings and empirical research;
• Possess good communication skills and an excellent command of English;
• Proficiency in Dutch is not required, yet will be an advantage.

We encourage high responsibility and independence, while collaborating with colleagues, other university staff and societal partners. We follow the terms of employment by the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO). Our offer contains a full-time four-year PhD position, mentorship in a stimulating research environment with excellent facilities, and a personal development programme within the Twente Graduate School. It also includes:

• Gross monthly salary of € 2.872 in the first year, increasing each year up to € 3.670 in the fourth year;
• Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme;
• 29 holidays per year in case of full-time employment;
• A training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will determine a plan for a suitable education and supervision;
• A green campus with free access to sports facilities and an international scientific community;
• A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid);
• A full status as an employee at the UT, including pension, health care benefits and good secondary conditions are part of our collective labour agreement CAO-NU for Dutch universities.

CSTM section is one of the four sections in the department of Technology, Policy and Society (TPS), we engage in research and education on the interplay between technology, society and policy, helping stakeholders to manage the opportunities and tensions between (new) technologies and changing societal needs.

The TPS department is dedicated to encouraging a supportive and inclusive working culture. Our aim is that all job applicants are given equal opportunities, When we select candidates for employment, it will be on the basis of their competence and ability. To support the workforce diversity, we are open to offer flexible working conditions on an individual basis to support work-life balance, that may include contract of employment, working hours and location, or child care arrangements.