Your function
The climate and biodiversity crises make it urgent to rethink how we manage land and water. Current land-use systems are often eroding the ecological foundations on which long-term prosperity depends. Existing land-use and socio-economic simulation models to inform land use planning and policy still inadequately capture many of the benefits of nature restoration, especially those that emerge through spatial and temporal feedbacks between biophysical and socio-economic processes. For example, restoration can boost agricultural productivity through pollination, natural pest control, and water regulation, while also improving health, wellbeing, and resilience across landscapes and regions. As a result, restoration of nature is often undervalued, and its wider societal benefits remain insufficiently visible in policy and decision-making.
In this PhD, you will contribute to a new generation of spatially explicit models and assessments that capture these feedbacks across spatial and temporal scales. The research will start from case-study level analyses of how restoration changes ecological and socio-economic dynamics in specific landscapes over time, and use these insights to improve regional- and EU-level modelling of restoration impacts. In doing so, the PhD will help bridge fine-grained spatial processes and behavior at local level with broader assessments of land use, ecosystem services, and socio-economic outcomes across Europe.
This research is part of the Horizon Europe project NatuRISE (NATUre Restoration Impact assessment for Socio-Economic and ecological benefits). NatuRISE develops new EU- and local-scale modelling approaches to capture the full socio-economic and ecological benefits and costs of nature restoration. The project is coordinated at VU Amsterdam and brings together 17 partners from institutes across Europe. The work will be carried out at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), in close collaboration with consortium partners across disciplines.
For this PhD position, you will work on research leading to a PhD thesis on the spatial assessment of nature restoration across case-study, regional, and EU scales. The position focuses on: (i) analyzing spatial and temporal feedbacks between restoration, ecosystem functioning, and human decision-making at case-study level; (ii) capturing restoration feedbacks through biophysical processes, such as the effects of pollination, biodiversity, and water regulation on agricultural and land-use outcomes; (iii) assessing where restoration benefits and costs occur, and how the plural values of these benefits are recognized, experienced, and distributed across places, sectors, and societal groups; and (iv) translating these insights into regional- and EU-level scenario analysis and socio-economic decision-support tools, including multi-criteria assessments.
Your duties
- You conduct innovative research on the spatial and temporal relations and feedbacks of nature restoration on human systems
- You develop modelling approaches that incorporate behavioural analysis into regional and EU scale spatial modelling
- You analyse the spatial diversity in consequences of land-use decisions for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and sustainable food systems
- You will carry out case-studies, mixing quantitative and qualitative methods to understand the impact of restoration on different values for society
Your profile
- You have a master degree in geography, environmental or ecological economics, environmental science, sustainability science or a related field.
- You have demonstrable experience with quantitative spatial research approaches and land use change analysis.
- You have experience with spatial analysis and data processing, preferably ArcGIS or QGIS
- You have affinity with interdisciplinary research and willingness to engage with both natural and social science perspectives.
- You have good communication skills in English (spoken and written).
We recognize that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. We would like to invite everyone who recognizes themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not (fully) meet all the requirements.
What do we offer?
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 € 3.059,00 (PhD salary scale 85.0) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD salary scale 85.3) gross per month, on a full-time basis.
- A position for 1 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year. Afterwards, the possibility of expansion for 3 years exists. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system.
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
- Contribution to commuting expenses
- A wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
- Solid pension scheme (ABP)
Additionally, we also offer a PhD education programme including training for teaching assistants and courses that are part of the SENSE graduate school.
About us
Institute for Environmental Studies
The work will be carried out at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognized 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 research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Policy Analysis; Environmental Geography; and Water and Climate Risk. IVM is part of the Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (www.ivm.vu.nl). This position is based within the Environmental Geography department in collaboration with the Environmental Economics 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.
Interested
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 ensure your application includes: a) a CV listing at the end the names and contact details of two referees (letters are not necessary at this point); b) a 1-2 page cover letter outlining your background and how you envision your contribution to our department in terms of research.
Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.
Selection will take place within two weeks after the deadline.
The intended starting date is September 1, 2026.
Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.
Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.
