"Junior Researcher & PhD Candidate – Urban Housing & Livelihoods"

Job Description

As a junior researcher based at Khulna University, Bangladesh, you will conduct extensive field-based research on housing and infrastructure policies and practices in the urban informal settlements of its climate-vulnerable South-Western delta region. Using a Living Lab approach, you will engage closely with local communities and collaborate with planning and service/infrastructure providing bodies, as well as policymakers, to co-create innovative solutions that improve the former’s living conditions and strengthen climate-resilient livelihoods.

This PhD position is part of the NWO-funded project FLASH – Facilitating Livelihoods through Advancing Smart Habitats in peri-urban Bangladesh. FLASH envisions fostering inclusive growth and planned development in peri-urban areas of Bangladesh by promoting climate-resilient livelihoods. FLASH comprises seven work packages (WPs), coordinated by different consortium partners, with a total of six PhD positions and one postdoc.

While your primary base will be in Bangladesh, you will spend three 5-month periods (15 months in total) at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam, as part of the PhD program, and engage with the core/international research team.

As part of your employment, you are expected to: Lead the development of your own PhD research, aligning it with the work package (WP3) objectives and overarching project themes. Collaborate closely with your supervisors at Khulna University and IHS, and liaise with researchers across the FLASH consortium. As a member of the core research team, contribute to the design and operation of a Living Lab and stimulate the co-creation of alternative housing solutions together with local stakeholders. Map and analyse settlement typologies in selected peri-urban areas, using field data, spatial analysis, and architectural documentation. Investigate the role of policy, governance, and spatial factors in shaping the (in)adequacies and vulnerabilities of informal settlements. Explore resident-led initiatives to improve housing and infrastructure adequacy, focusing on availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and adaptability (the 5As framework by IHS). Translate your research into tangible/applicable outputs, including design options and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing physical resilience and supporting sustainable livelihoods. Publish your research outcomes in scholarly journals as suggested by the supervisors and the consortia. Graduate with a PhD from Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

You will be responsible for designing and carrying out research activities over a four-year period. Your work will follow a phased structure, each year building upon the previous, with strong engagement in the field and close collaboration with stakeholders and academic partners.

Requirements

We are looking for an enthusiastic, broad-minded, and dedicated researcher with a strong interest in housing, livelihoods, and climate resilience. You must have a relevant academic background and be eager to contribute to meaningful research that bridges academic knowledge and practical application. You must demonstrate a combination of scientific curiosity, a reflective mindset, and a strong sense of teamwork. You need to be comfortable working in interdisciplinary and international settings, and highly motivated and enthusiastic in conducting fieldwork in informal settlements under challenging conditions. You should also value ethical engagement, inclusiveness, and co-creation with local communities.

Your qualifications and experience: MSc degree in housing, architecture, urban studies, anthropology, human geography, or related discipline from a recognized university. Interest in participatory and/or community-based research methods. Experience with or interest in working in informal settlements, ideally in Bangladesh. Fluency in Bangla (spoken and written). Excellent command of English (spoken and written); TOEFL/IELTS may be required if your MSc was not taught in English. Strong presentation and communication skills, for both academic and non-academic audiences. Enjoys working in a collaborative team environment across disciplines and cultures. Experience with software for data analytics is strongly preferred. Comfortable using digital platforms (e.g. Teams, Zoom, shared folders).

Conditions of Employment

As a junior researcher at Khulna University, you will spend three 11-month periods there. Next to this, you will visit IHS in Rotterdam three times, each for 5 months, to further develop the PhD while collaborating with the international team members. Please note that you will be employed by Khulna University (Bangladesh) for a period of 48 months. The position is full-time (40 hours per week, 5 days). FLASH activities commence on 01 October 2025, and the official NWO launch in Bangladesh is planned for 10-11 November. We strongly prefer a full-time candidate who is available to start as soon as possible, but not after 01 January 2026.

You will also get: A salary of approximately €800 gross per month (Bangladesh contract, subject to local tax rules). During the 5-month stays in Rotterdam, you will remain on the Bangladesh contract and receive an allowance of €2,500 gross per month. 15 days of annual paid leave plus approximately 50 public/festival holidays per year. Group accident and life insurance. Free access to emergency and primary medical care at the KU Medical Centre in Khulna. Domestic fieldwork allowances (per diem, accommodation, travel) covered by Khulna University. International travel (flights, visa, insurance, per diem) for Rotterdam stays covered from project/bench fees. During the research visits to Rotterdam, IHS can provide support with travel and share information to help the candidate arrange temporary accommodation.