Background

The ongoing worldwide loss of biodiversity is one of the most pressing issues of current times. CurveBend is a transdisciplinary research project that aims to develop science-based knowledge for bending the curve of biodiversity loss and restoring the relationships between humanity and nature. 

The project will study, develop and support different forms of collective action at the landscape scale aimed at restoring biodiversity and promoting a nature-positive society. With a "hands-on" approach, we will compare three livestock-dominated regions on three continents: Dutch meadows, Argentine pampas, and East African savannas.  We study the mismatches in the spatial needs of plants, animals and people for the various parts of landscapes. In co-creation with societal partners, we seek solutions to these mismatches. We develop and test new theories of change, explore the ways in which lessons can be translated to the wider societal environment and instigate change in governance and socio-economic systems. This should lead to innovative, practical solutions for biodiversity restoration at the landscape scale serving as inspiration worldwide.

Job description: This PhD project will focus on the Netherlands and study collectives in the domain of agriculture and nature aiming to bend the curve of biodiversity loss. It will study the organization of these collectives and their interplay with the wider governance systems. It will 1) assess how collectives perceive and influence their social, economic and ecological sustainability, 2) identify key barriers and enablers for collective action towards more sustainable landscapes, and 3) analyse the impact of collective action on societal perspectives, public support and governance. It will furthermore study how different forms of knowledge, i.e. ecological (e.g. biodiversity data), social (e.g. values) and governmental (e.g. trust, collaboration) can be integrated and how the lessons from the research project can be mobilised to transform existing economic and governance systems at different levels. 

Methodology: A transdisciplinary research approach will be used to analyse the interplay between collectives, societal views and governance systems. It will reconstruct the development pathways of different collectives and study their social impact. A reflexive evaluation of the collectives will be carried out with key stakeholders in order to assess the influence of external governance on the functioning and impact of collectives and compare this with non-collective practices. Interviews and online surveys will be used to enrich the insights. 

Responsibilities and Tasks: 1) Engage in supervised scientific research that will ultimately result in a doctoral thesis, 2) Participate in consortium meetings, workshops, conferences, and societal debate, 3) Publish research findings in scientific and professional journals Follow a PhD training programme at (OU Graduate School, the National Research Schools SENSE & PERC), 3) Collect information about the evolution and functioning of different collectives, 4) Identify the most important barriers and enablers for collective action on the landscape level, 5) Analyse the impact of collective action on societal views, governance and policy.

Place of work: Heerlen,  with field work throughout the Netherlands.

Qualifications:  

We are looking for a motivated and skilled student with a MSc degree in environmental governance, political science, sociology, spatial planning or related disciplines. Background or interest in nature conservation or sustainability transformations is appreciated. The successful candidate should have a strong commitment to transdisciplinary research and the skills to work in a multidisciplinary research team. Good verbal and written communication skills in Dutch and English are required (TOEFL iBT 90+ level or equivalent).

Fixed-term contract: for 4 years.

Salary

The salary is determined in accordance with salary scale P of Appendix A of the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities and ranges from € 2.901,-- gross per month upon commencement to € 3.707,-- gross per month in the fourth and final year, in case of full employment.

The PhD candidate will be appointed for a period of 15 months. The appointment will be extended to 4 years when progress and performance are good. A PhD training program is part of the agreement.

Station

Heerlen. You are present in Heerlen (at least) two days a week

Open Universiteit

Flexible studying anywhere in the Netherlands and (Belgium) Flanders
The Open Universiteit is the part-time university in the Netherlands. Students follow personalised and activating academic distance education and disciplinary research is carried out within the various fields of science. Students can complete bachelor and master programmes, but also shorter programmes. The characteristics of education are openness, flexibility and quality (see www.ou.nl/rankings). The Open Universiteit has over 17,000 students and more than 850 employees. The OU has branches in the Netherlands and Belgium (see www.ou.nl/studiecentra). The main office is located in Heerlen.

The latest technologies and educational insights are applied both in the bachelor's and master's programmes and courses and in projects and programmes with partners. Nationally and internationally, the OU plays an important role in the innovation of higher education. Education is interwoven with research, which also ensures that the current state of science is incorporated. The Open Universiteit invests not only in disciplinary research in nine scientific fields, but also in research in a multidisciplinary programme: Innovating for resilience.

Department of Environmental Sciences

The Department of Environmental Sciences is part of the Faculty of Science. The Department embodies the commitment of the Open Universiteit to excellence in the environmental sciences, science for impact, and lifelong learning in the sustainability domain. The Department brings together an ambitious and inspiring group of people working on integrated environmental modelling, sustainability learning, and environmental governance and has about 20 team members. The research of the Department aims to contribute to the understanding of social-ecological systems, the development of solutions for environmental issues, and to the wider body of knowledge that helps societies reach their sustainability goals.

Information

For more information about this vacancy you can contact: Dr. Raoul Beunen (raoul.beunen@ou.nl).

The Open Universiteit provides good secondary benefits such as training, mobility, part-time employment and paid parental leave.

Here you can read more about the CurveBend project.