PostDoc position on biodiversity recovery as a function of collective action

The Ecology and Evolution section at the Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is accepting applications for a PostDoc position with the aim to develop science-based knowledge for bending the curve of biodiversity loss and restoring the relationships between humanity and nature. The section Ecology and Evolution answers fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions regarding the relationship between organisms and their environment at the full array of hierarchical levels: from molecular ecology to ecosystem research.

This position is part of the CurveBend-project. Curvebend is a 7-year transdisciplinary research program starting on 1 May 2025. The program is funded as part of the National Science Agenda (NWA) by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The ongoing worldwide loss of biodiversity is one of the most pressing issues of current times. CurveBend is a transdisciplinary research project that aims to develop science-based knowledge for bending the curve of biodiversity loss and restoring the relationships between humanity and nature. The project will study, develop and support different forms of collective action at the landscape scale aimed at restoring biodiversity and promoting a nature-positive society. With a "hands-on" approach, we will compare three livestock-dominated regions on three continents: Dutch meadows, Argentine pampas, and East African savannas. We study the mismatches in the spatial needs of plants, animals and people for the various parts of landscapes. In co-creation with societal partners, we seek solutions to these mismatches. We develop and test new theories of change, explore the ways in which lessons can be translated to the wider societal environment and instigate change in governance and socio-economic systems. This should lead to innovative, practical solutions for biodiversity restoration at the landscape scale serving as inspiration worldwide.

In the Netherlands, livestock farming areas face a range of challenges including ecosystem degradation, climate change, and biodiversity decline, and novel ways to collaborate and to develop and implement solutions are explored. These collective actions play a key role in the transition of rural areas. In this project, you will 1) Develop a (spatially explicit) indicator framework that allows monitoring changes in biodiversity, livelihood and governance as a function of landscape composition and land use interventions with the aim to restore biodiversity, 2) Develop scenarios to most effectively enhance ecological integration and collective action to stimulate synergies and enlarge impact aimed at restoring biodiversity and promoting a nature-positive society, and 3) Develop the best strategies to most effectively share best practices to enlarge the potential to form lifescapes via collective action.

Your work will consist of coordination and integration of the collection and integration of landscape and biodiversity data from NL-PHD1 with the collective action characteristics (location, motivation, organisation, focus, ownership, type of membership, autonomy, etc.) from NL-PHD2 and NL-PHD3. Link biodiversity data to remote sensing (S2Rep) and public GIS data (as BRP-Gewaspercelen) on land use (calibrated to soil water tables, vegetation characteristics, species richness, management practices) within regions of collective action. Assess impacts of intrinsic motivations of collectives (i.e. aim, values and approach) and ownership (farmer-oriented (bottom-up), or governance-oriented (top-down)) and level of citizen involvement, on biodiversity. Survey cognitive, normative and relational learning among stakeholders. Developing pathways for change towards forms of collectives that include more stakeholders and focus on the scale of socio-economic-ecological lifescapes in close cooperation with stakeholders.

Your duties
As PostDoc you will work to support research in the CurveBend-project and teaching activities within the A-LIFE section Ecology and Evolution. The role will encompass a variety of tasks including:

• combine the multiple datasets on life scape features with remote sensing as an indicator framework
• co-design strategies to share best practices in ecological integration and collective actions that meet stakeholders needs
• co-create alternative transition pathways together with the collectives and key stakeholders
• publish research findings in scientific and professional journals
• participate in consortium meetings, workshops, conferences, and societal debate
• a small teaching assignment belongs to the task package

Requirements:

• a completed PhD degree in landscape ecology or related environmental science discipline, and a proven affinity with open ecosystems as temperate grasslands
• proven affinity with biodiversity research
• proven excellent technical skills in data science methods as database management, statistics, R, GIS and software version control systems as Github
• affinity with rural communities in the Netherlands
• a team player with a collaborative attitude, strong social skills and ability to work within an interdisciplinary team composed of research from different backgrounds such as ecology, anthropology and public administration, as well as ability to collaborate with stakeholders
• English language proficiency
• Dutch proficiency (or willingness to learn)

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

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 meet all the requirements.

Salary Benefits:

A challenging and fully funded postdoctoral fellowship with ample room for personal development 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 € 3.378,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 3.897,00 (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 possibility of expansion exists. Subject to a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended with 3 more years for a total project duration of 4 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)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

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