Vacancy
PhD on 'Learning Infrastructures for strengthening the transformative power of experiments'
Your job
In Nederland wordt veel geëxperimenteerd met het oog op transformatieve verandering, maar het maken van systemische impact op de lange termijn blijft moeilijk. In je promotieonderzoek werk je samen met allerlei soorten change-makers en synthetiseer je bestaande kennis over hoe je ontwikkelde innovaties voor transformatieve verandering kunt mainstreamen, opschalen, verspreiden, verbreden en verdiepen. Onderstaande vacature richt zich daarbinnen specifiek op de wijze waarop leren binnen en tussen diverse experimenten is vormgegeven.
Your Job
The Knowledge, Technology and Innovation chair group at Wageningen University welcomes applications for a PhD position in the EXTRA consortium ‘From EXperiment to sustainable change. TRAnsformative methodologies for innovation and learning.’ The PhD position is in an interdisciplinary team of 3 PhD researchers, one post doc and two senior researchers.
EXTRA aims to strengthen the transformative power of physical experimentation and learning with new insights, instruments and increased human capacities, which will enable change-makers – including researchers, government entities, industry partners, NGOs and citizens – to collaboratively make sustainable change. Through transdisciplinary action research, the consortium assesses knowledge and conditions for learning and transformative change, co-designs instruments and trainings for experimentation and learning, and consolidates knowledge to support innovation and transformation.
The consortium seeks to overcome a persistent ‘pilot paradox.’ In this paradox, much experimentation takes place but making long-term systemic impact remains difficult. Researchers together with change makers will synthesize existing knowledge on how to mainstream, upscale, spread, broaden and deepen developed innovations.
Your research will focus on ‘learning infrastructures’ of living labs, field labs and other learning-oriented experimental initiatives in real-life settings. The novel concept of learning infrastructures captures flows of knowledge, the application of methodologies and tools, affective and discursive relationships and material conditions for reflection and learning in experiments working on sustainable change. You will investigate how different learning infrastructures lead to learning within and around existing experiments and contribute to mainstreaming, and how reflection, learning in and adaptivity of experiments can be enhanced.
In collaboration with the team and diverse stakeholders, you will compare learning infrastructures within and across different types of experiments and facilitate learning by drawing on action-oriented, engaged methodologies. The methodology ‘Reflexive Monitoring in Action’ will serve as a starting point. You will co-design new tools for stimulating learning.
In your PhD-research, you will:
- review literature, develop research questions and a project design drawing on relevant theoretical and methodological approaches;
- develop conceptual and methodological approaches to both study and enhance learning infrastructures in experiments for sustainability in real-life settings;
- conduct action research and stakeholder engagement;
- work collaboratively in a team across disciplines and with multiple stakeholders;
- participate in conferences, workshops and other scholarly activities;
- write and publish high-quality articles in international academic journals;
- have opportunities to supervise Master and Bachelor students and gain teaching experience in the position of tutor and guest lecturer;
- be an active member of the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation group (participating in seminars, meetings, and PhD activities).
Your qualities
You are:
- a curious and dedicated researcher with proven interest in action research and stakeholder engagement;
- familiar with topics related to sustainability transitions, systems thinking, social construction of science and technology, critical approaches to innovation and transformation, and studies about learning in the context of transitions;
- motivated to navigate challenges in inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration;
- highly interested in reading academic literature and writing scholarly articles;
- willing to nurture these qualities over the course of an individual research project and through participation in a tailor-made educational course trajectory for graduate students.
- a (Research) Master’s degree in sociology, transition studies, science and technology studies, anthropology, or a related field;
- a high command of Dutch (at least C1 level); or proof of how this level will be achieved within 6 months after the start of the position;
- a high command of English (at least C1 level);
- strong affinity with inter- and transdisciplinary research;
- demonstrated experience in qualitative research methods (e.g., semi-structured interviews, participant observation, workshop facilitation) as well as (a high motivation to gain experience in) quantitative methods and statistical analysis;
- excellent analytical proficiency and conceptual understanding;
- strong communication, presentation, collaboration, networking and writing skills.
You will work here
The research is part of the EXTRA consortium ‘From Experiment to sustainable change. TRAnsformative methodologies for innovation and learning’ including researchers from five Dutch Universities and more than seven initiatives working on sustainable change. Your research will be supervised by Dr. Barbara van Mierlo and Dr. Mareike Smolka, Wageningen University, and Dr. Anne Loeber, VU University. You will be institutionally embedded in the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation (KTI) chair group led by Prof. Anita Hardon at Wageningen University.
We offer you
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
- Partially paid parental leave;
- working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
- there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
- a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
- excellent pension scheme.
The gross salary for the first year is € 2.901,- per month rising to € 3.707,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.The intended start date of your employment is 1 September 2025 and the full-time contract (100%) lasts four years, with the option to choose a part-time contract (80%) that lasts five years.
Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.
Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
Do you want more information?
For more information about this position, please contact Barbara van Mierlo, Associate Professor, by e-mail: barbara.vanmierlo@wur.nl
Questions about the procedure? Please contact Noorien Abbas, corporate recruiter, recruitment.ssg@wur.nl.
Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
To apply, please upload the following documents:
- Letter of motivation (maximum of 2 pages), describing your interest in the position and your experience relevant to the position;
- Curriculum Vitae (tabular format);
- Research statement (maximum of 800 words), which outlines how you would design a PhD project on the topic. Please include research questions, concepts or theoretical approaches and a methodology and/or methods.
Additional information form
For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form using the link below:
https://forms.office.com/e/cV33kNr4qW
Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process.
Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
We are
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.