"Postdoc reverting soil sealing for improving urban ecosystems"

Job Description

Urban green is commonly accepted as a nature-based solution to increase biodiversity and human wellbeing in urban areas. While the preservation of existing green areas has been the topic of many studies, the option to revert soil sealing within existing urban areas has received much less attention. The UNSEAL project advances a circular urban development model to explore how we can support reverting soil sealing and create new spaces for biodiversity. To do so, we will explore cases where unsealing took place, look at the planning and policy context that enabled these changes, and develop participatory approaches to explore future possibilities for unsealing.

The UNSEAL project is an international and interdisciplinary project with research partners and stakeholders from five European countries. This position will focus on a spatial analysis of unsealing activities at a European scale and a synthesis of case study findings from all countries. In addition, you will collaborate with other project partners on other project activities and act as the liaison between the Dutch case study and the project.

Your Duties

• You synthesize knowledge on soil unsealing processes from cases and literature
• You conduct a spatial analysis of unsealing activities at a European scale
• You contribute to classes and/or supervise BSc and MSc theses
• You support project partners in their work on the Dutch case study
• You present the results to the scientific community as well as to relevant professionals

Requirements

• You have a PhD in Geography, Spatial planning, Urban studies or a related field
• You have experience with synthesis methods (e.g., systematic reviews, QCA, automated content analysis) and/or experience in spatial analysis. Experience in both approaches would be an asset.
• You want to conduct research that scientifically sound but also societally relevant
• You have excellent writing skills, as shown by a strong publication record
• You are fluent in English; fluency in Dutch is an asset for collaboration with the case study partners

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not fully meet all the requirements.

Conditions of Employment

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of minimum € 3.548,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 5.538,00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• a position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective and continuity in the financing of this position the contract will be prolonged with 2 more years.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• child daycare facilities available on campus
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

Employer

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM)

Established in 1971, IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognised for its high quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The mission of the institute is to contribute to sustainable development and care for the environment through scientific research and teaching. IVM aims to do excellent problem-oriented research that is useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally. A unique strength of our research is to understand sustainability problems in their social and economic context. IVM’s research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Geography, Environmental Policy Analysis; and Water and Climate Risk. Since 2001 IVM has been part of the Faculty of Science at VU Amsterdam (legal name Stichting VU). This position is based within the Environmental Geography department. The Environmental Geography department conducts interdisciplinary research on the spatial aspects of environmental and social challenges and the solutions sustainable land use can provide to these.

Faculty of Science

Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity

Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Additional Information

Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? In that case, we encourage you to submit your application. Please submit with your CV a motivation letter before Sunday November 30, 2026. Submitting a diploma and a reference check are possibly part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.