Your function
In this postdoc position, you investigate how climate adaptation strategies are translated into organizational practice within critical infrastructure operators. Infrastructure organizations face a fundamental challenge: the long-term, systemic nature of climate adaptation sits uneasily with existing cognitive frames, project-based management cultures, and competing organizational transitions like digitalization and the energy transition. Your research will uncover how adaptation professionals navigate this tension — and what strategies actually work.
You will be embedded in the TASICI project (Transformative Adaptation Strategies for Interdependent Critical Infrastructure), an NWO-funded interdisciplinary consortium that develops analytical models and governance frameworks for climate adaptation across interconnected Dutch transport infrastructure. You will work closely with infrastructure operators including Schiphol Airport, ProRail, Rijkswaterstaat, and Vervoerregio Amsterdam, spending significant time embedded within these organizations.
Your duties
- conduct qualitative, ethnographically-informed fieldwork within infrastructure operators, including observations, interviews, and document analysis
- map how climate adaptation pathways are (or are not) translated into organizational strategy, asset management practices, and resource allocation
- identify issue-selling strategies used by climate adaptation professionals to generate buy-in from senior management
- study how climate adaptation strategies interact with other ongoing organizational transitions (energy, digitalization, circularity)
- publish at least one article per year in an A or B ranked journal in management, organization studies, or a related field
- contribute to co-creation workshops with consortium partners and stakeholders
- contribute to teaching in relevant programmes at the School of Business and Economics
Your profile
- a PhD in Management and Organization, Social Sciences, Innovation Management, or a closely related field
- strong qualitative and ethnographic research skills, including experience with interviews, observations, and case study research
- affinity with or demonstrable interest in climate adaptation, infrastructure governance, or organizational change in complex institutional settings
- experience publishing in or submitting to leading management or organization studies journals
- excellent command of English; proficiency in Dutch is an asset given the fieldwork context
- a collaborative mindset and the ability to work across disciplinary and organizational boundaries
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 € 3.546,00 (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. Afterwards, the appointment may be extended for an additional 18 months based on satisfactory performance
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)
- a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
- contribution to commuting expenses
About us
About the project
This position is part of TASICI (Transformative Adaptation Strategies for Interdependent Critical Infrastructure), funded by NWO through the KIC Next Generation Infrastructures programme. TASICI develops and applies analytical models and governance frameworks to support system-wide climate adaptation across interdependent Dutch transport infrastructure. The project brings together researchers from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Delft University of Technology, and The Hague University of Applied Sciences, alongside cooperation partners including Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail, Schiphol Airport, Havenbedrijf Rotterdam, and Vervoerregio Amsterdam. The postdoc will be based within Work Package 3, which focuses on embedding climate adaptation pathways into organizational change strategies and resource allocation practices within infrastructure operators.
KIN Center for Digital Innovation
The KIN Center for Digital Innovation is an internationally recognized research group at the intersection of organization studies, strategy, and technology. KIN researchers study how organizations and industries transform in response to major societal and technological transitions. The center has a strong track record in qualitative and practice-based research and actively collaborates with industry partners on issues at the frontier of organizational and managerial relevance. You will join a dynamic group of researchers working on governance, strategic change, and cross-sector collaboration.
School of Business and Economics
We at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at VU Amsterdam bring together socially relevant teaching and research in the areas of business administration and economics. We focus on real-life issues that have a huge impact on society, economics and ecology: from robotics to big data, and from job market participation to change management.
Collaboration and cooperation, transparency and social responsibility are four keywords that embody our approach. Students, researchers and staff at SBE share real-world knowledge in order to devise solutions together to global economic and social challenges. In order to make a positive impact on the world, society and the lives of others.
Are you interested in joining SBE? You will work in a stimulating, dynamic and international environment with motivated colleagues dedicated to helping society make informed choices. SBE employs roughly 600 staff, with 7,250 students enrolled in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes and 1,700 executive students.
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, including a CV, a cover letter explaining your fit with the position, and one representative publication or writing sample.
Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.
Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.
Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.
