Offer Description
Are you interested in the spatial and socio-cultural interactions between the rural and the urban, how these relate to representations and senses of rural and urban places, and how life course and generational differences may influence this? And would you like to conduct research in an interdisciplinary consortium of Dutch universities, universities of applied sciences and societal partners? Then this postdoc position is perfect for you.
What are you going to do?
The Faculty of Spatial Sciences of the University of Groningen is looking to appoint a postdoctoral researcher βSocio-Cultural Aspects of Rural-Urban Interactionsβ. The position is embedded in the NWO KIC research project Fertile Soils for future generations: integrated spatial strategies and effective governance for coherent rural-urban regions. Fertile soils addresses different aspects of rural-urban relations, related to the landscape services they provide. Landscape services are ecosystem services that are offered and consumed within one landscape, such as food production, recreation, biodiversity, flood protection, water retention, space for living, space for economic activities, social cohesion and regional identity. The project consists of 7 work packages. The postdoc Socio-Cultural Aspects of Rural-Urban Interactions is embedded in WP4. WP4 aims to investigate how interactions between rural and urban are experienced in people's daily lives, how they envision these interactions to be in the future, and how this can contribute to a sense of connectedness to the place and/or a regional identity.
At the Faculty of Spatial Sciences (FSS) the research team includes Tialda Haartsen (professor rural geography, WP4 lead), Charlotte Oosterhuis (PhD, WP4), Jesse Lindenhovius (PhD, WP3), Koen Salemink (supervisor, WP4), Martijn van der Heide and Gunnar Mallon (supervisors, WP3). WP4 also consist of Kristin Zlatanova-Panova (PhD), Jasper de Vries and Marlies Meijer (supervisors) from Wageningen University. FSS is also region-coordinator of the Fertile Soils region Hogeland β city of Groningen. As postdoc, you will perform some of the WP4 research tasks, in close collaboration with the other team members and with the consortium partners in the project.
These tasks include:
- Investigate rural-urban interactions and socio-cultural meanings of urban and rural areas.
- Explore current and future needs in rural-urban interactions (e.g. regional identity and sense of place) from an intergenerational and life course perspective through representative survey, interviews, and focus group discussions with young societally active groups.
- Relate and integrate the WP4 findings to the other WPs.
- Write academic and popular publications about these research activities.
- PhD supervision.
- Be the contact person for the region Hogeland-Groningen.
- Perform some occasional teaching duties in one of the participating faculties.
Where to apply
Requirements
Specific Requirements
Our ideal candidate has:
- A PhD degree in a field of study relevant to the topic of the project (e.g. human geography, rural studies or sociology). Completed or to be completed in the near future.
- Strong conceptual thinking skills and a proactive and a proactive and independent work attitude.
- Experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- Publications in international peer-reviewed academic journals that testify of your interest in aspects of rural-urban relations.
- The skills to present academic analyses to varied audiences including scientific professionals and policy makers. Also, you are comfortable building and maintaining a professional network to regional and national policy makers that are affiliated or relevant to the research that you are performing.
- A fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking).
- A fluency in Dutch, as some of the data gathering will take place in this language.
Additional Information
Benefits
What can you expect from us?
- 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
- End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
- Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
Selection process
Interested?
Does this vacancy appeal to you? If so, click on the button below and apply straightaway. Please add the following documents to your application:
- CV.
- Cover letter.
The job interviews will be on Wednesday 7 October 2026.
For information for the Fertile Soils research proposal you can contact the Secretariat, email address: secrcg-eg@rug.nl
Please do not use the e-mail address(es) for applications.
Information about applying
When scheduling meetings, we will take your schedule into account as much as possible. The University of Groningen considers social safety important. We strive to be a university where staff and students feel respected and at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identity. For more information, see also our page about our diversity policy.
Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the NVP application code
Acquisition is not appreciated.
Additional comments
Do you have any questions or need more information?
Questions about the content of the job?
Tialda Haartsen (Full Professor): T.Haartsen@rug.nl
Questions about your application process?
Jeannette Brondsema (Management/Office-assistant): J.T.Brondsema@rug.nl
Website for additional job details: https://www.academictransfer.com/363805/
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