Senior Researcher Financing the Sustainability Transition

What will you be doing at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (HU)?

Small and medium-sized business owners aspire to establish a sustainable business model. However, current financing options, such as pre-financing and subsidies, are still predominantly geared towards large enterprises. Your role as a postdoctoral researcher involves investigating alternative options for financing sustainable transitions in the SME sector and identifying effective strategies. You will lead one of the five research lines, working alongside a team of Ph.D. students, junior, and senior researchers.

At HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, our dedicated team of researchers focuses on promoting the new economy—centered around people, planet, and profit. The transition to sustainability is not possible without appropriate financing. In your role as Associate Professor in 'Financing Sustainable Transition,' you will be engaged for at least 60% of your time at the Knowledge Center Digital Business & Media, specifically in the Financial Economic Innovation (FEI) research group. Here, you will conduct practice-oriented research on financing sustainable transitions and translate the findings into educational content. You will also contribute to the Institute for Finance & Accounting.

Your Responsibilities:

• Acquire, conduct, supervise, and publish research on financing sustainable transitions in SMEs.
• Analyze the needs of SMEs in the business services, medium-sized fintech companies, and innovative healthcare entrepreneurs, translating them into contributions for research-focused educational programs.
• Contribute to the vision formation of the FEI research group and act as an expert in the research line of financing sustainable transitions.
• Foster the development, production, dissemination, and circulation of knowledge. Share expertise in your field through media and advisory tasks.
• Maintain (inter)national contacts within research, SMEs, and education at all levels.

To excel in this role, we look for the following qualifications:

• Completed Ph.D. research in the economic domain.
•  Substantive expertise in financing (sustainable transitions) of SMEs.
• Project management experience, preferably in subsidy projects with teams.
• Demonstrated experience in practice-oriented research and connecting professional practice, education, and applied research.
• Proficient in both Dutch and English.
• Academic connections and strong ties to the industry, evident through (inter)national collaborations, research assignments, conferences, and symposia.
• Personal qualities, such as leadership skills, social awareness, entrepreneurial spirit for acquiring new research projects, and strategic insight.

In addition to being part of an ambitious organization, we provide favorable conditions for joining HU:

• Initially, a one-year contract (D3) with a workload of 0.8 to 1.0 FTE, with the intention to establish a permanent contract. Internal applicants retain their current contract type.
• Depending on your expertise, responsibilities, and tasks, you will be classified in scale 13, with a maximum salary of €6,997.66 for a full-time position.
• An allowance of €300.00 gross per year towards your health insurance and an internet reimbursement of €37.50 net for a full-time position.
• In addition, an 8% holiday allowance and a guaranteed year-end bonus of 8.3%. 
• Excellent study and development opportunities through the HU Development Portal, focusing on both research and teaching advancement.
• Up to 428 hours of leave per year and 45 sustainable deployability hours for a full-time position.
• Provided with a laptop and smartphone for flexible working, along with the option to participate in collective health insurance, disability insurance, and various perks such as our bicycle plan, discounts on insurance, software, and fitness.

Development Perspective:

At HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, numerous opportunities exist for your continued development and career progression. We support your growth, whether it involves expanding your knowledge, receiving coaching, or advancing to the next stage in your career. You have the chance to evolve in a challenging and socially oriented environment where enjoyment plays a central role. The possibilities are there; it's up to you to seize them.

HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht strongly invests in the combination of education and research. Our knowledge institutes foster a rich research culture, where interdisciplinary collaboration between education and the professional field is a daily occurrence. Within this framework, we pay focused attention to expertise development in the themes of Together Digital, Together Healthy, Together Learning, and Together Sustainable.

Your role is part of the HU team New Economic Research and Education (HU team NEOO), a unique collaboration in the Netherlands. The team works multidisciplinarily and cross-functionally to realize the New Economy—research and education contributing to a model that considers people, planet, and environment: multiple value creation. You collaborate closely with the entire HU team NEOO, where expertise from different research disciplines and programs converge.

The HU team NEOO members operate from various research groups within the Knowledge Center Digital Business & Media. Your appointment is primarily within the Financial Economic Innovation research group, which began in January 2010. It focuses on SMEs in business services, medium-sized fintech companies, and innovations in healthcare entrepreneurship. The group regularly undertakes significant projects with industry organizations or is involved in projects initiated by government or EU institutions. Additionally, you will dedicate approximately 0.4 FTE to the education programs at the Institute for Finance & Accounting.

HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht draws inspiration and development from a diversity of genders, colors, and cultures. Anyone who identifies with the profile and is eager to fill this role is welcome to apply. Applications can be submitted online until Sunday, February 25.

The application procedure details can be found in the application code on our website https://www.hu.nl/en/working-at-hu/employment-conditions. Here, you will also find a link to the collective labor agreement for higher professional education (cao hbo).

A reference, digital verification of qualifications and identity, and a request for a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) are part of the application process.