Offer Description
Join an ambitious, multidisciplinary project at the crossroads of interaction and urban design, where your research can shape the vision of open and accessible cities! This position is part of the NWO-funded research project BEAT (Building Equitable Accessibility Together) , which started in January 2026.
Within the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, department of Spatial Planning we are looking for a postdoctoral researcher (0.8 - 1.0 FTE) on Inclusive mobility within BEAT NWO funded research project. Operating from the standpoint that mobility is essentially a subjective human experience, BEAT aims to investigate urban mobility barriers as they unfold in the daily activities of people. Rather than examining a specific mode of mobility (e.g., public transport, walking) or a single accessibility barrier, the focus of this project is the holistic experience of urban mobility in the daily lives of individuals with physical and cognitive diversities. The point of departure is "people"—their routines and travel behaviours, their daily frustrations with various mobility obstacles, and the impact of these hindrances on their personal, social, and professional lives. BEAT investigates a wide range of barriers that may be labelled as temporary or even mundane. Examples of such temporary-but-everyday barriers include construction sites and road works planned by municipalities, but also a variety of unplanned situations, such as improperly parked delivery vehicles, poorly placed planters and bikes on the sidewalk, unauthorised market stalls, and so forth. While each of these situations may be perceived as a temporary problem, collectively they form a permanent reality of how we experience our cities. These barriers signify an "informal" layer of inaccessibility superimposed on more structural or "formal" accessibility problems in the city. This informal layer is highly diverse, stems from many underlying causes and factors, and highlights a notable knowledge gap.
What are you going to do?
As a postdoctoral researcher within the BEAT project, you will investigate how urban mobility barriers are experienced in the everyday lives of people with physical and cognitive diversities. You will contribute to developing a holistic understanding of inclusive mobility by examining how formal and informal barriers shape people's daily routines, spatial practices, and participation in urban life. You will:
- Conduct qualitative and mixed-methods research on everyday urban mobility experiences, including observations, interviews, and participatory methods
- Work closely with people with physical and cognitive diversities to co-identify and map mobility barriers encountered in daily life
- Analyze how temporary, informal, and often overlooked obstacles contribute to broader patterns of urban inaccessibility
- Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of researchers in spatial planning, urban design, AI, and human-centred technologies
- Contribute to the co-design and evaluation of inclusive mobility solutions, including spatial interventions, tactical urbanism strategies, accessibility tools, and policy recommendations
- Explore how digital technologies and human-centred AI can support more accessible and responsive urban mobility systems
- Participate in organization of workshops, stakeholder meetings, and co-creation sessions with municipalities, societal partners, and user groups
- Present research findings at international conferences and contribute to the broader academic and societal impact of the BEAT project
- Publish research findings in leading international peer-reviewed journals and contribute to collaborative academic outputs within the project consortium
- Contribute to teaching activities within the Faculty of Spatial Sciences where relevant.
Where to apply
Requirements
Specific Requirements
The successful candidate will have:
- PhD degree in Human Geography, Sociology, Architecture, Urban Sciences, Digital Design, or related interdisciplinary fields
- Knowledge and skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods, and ideally, participatory methods like PPGIS
- Knowledge of or previous research experience in the domains of Interaction Design or Human-Computer Interaction
- Affinity or personal or professional experience of working with people living with disabilities or marginalized communities
- Strong interest in accessibility, co-design research, and developing digital tools/interactive maps
- Ability and willingness to work in a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder environment
- Excellent research skills and publication records
- Fluency in English and experience in academic writing in English
- Good communicative skills, proactive and independent work attitude
- Strong planning skills, ability to organize own work and related activities, ability to meet deadlines
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:
- A detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience, publications.
- A letter of motivation, including a description of your research interests and an explanation for why you are applying for this position (1-2 pages).
- The names, affiliations, and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation.
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?
Farzaneh Bahrami (Assistant Professor): F.Bahrami@rug.nl
Questions about your application process?
Farzaneh Bahrami (Assistant Professor): F.Bahrami@rug.nl
Website for additional job details: https://www.academictransfer.com/363322/
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: University of Groningen
Country: Netherlands
City: Groningen
Postal Code: 9712 CP
Street: Broerstraat 5
Contact
City: Groningen
Website: http://www.rug.nl/
Street: Broerstraat 5
Postal Code: 9712 CP
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