Postdoc researcher on economic modelling for circular economy strategies

The Department of Economics, jointly with Tilburg Sustainability Center, has a vacancy for a 48 months Postdoctoral Researcher in Economics.

We are looking for an environmental economist with strong analytical and quantitative skills, programming experience in either R or python, and motivated to combine rigorous research with social impact. The researcher will develop and analyze economic models for the transition towards a circular economy. It integrates concepts such as circular life cycle assessments, material flow analyses, product as a service, into economic macro general equilibrium models, analyzing distributional effects on income, employment, and resource use across global value chains. We expect publications in top field journals, both in economics and interdisciplinary.

The position is rooted in the NWO funded ACT! project (Accelerating the Circular Transition). It aims at overcoming societal and scientific challenges for the transformation towards a circular society to tackle the existing sustainability challenges. The project develops a toolbox to study this systemic change – providing insights on policies that accelerate the transition towards a circular society. 

The new researcher will be supervised by prof. Reyer Gerlagh and is hosted at the Economics department, which offers a large environmental economists group, including Prof. Sjak Smulders, Prof. Daan van Soest, Prof. Herman Vollebergh, and many junior researchers including Dr Julie Metta and Dr Etienne Lorang. The project will also include cooperations with other consortium members, in particular Leiden University, Utrecht University, and the Dutch Environmental Agency, PBL.

The job can include a teaching task and/or thesis supervision, which will be consistent with the role of Postdoc. Preferences for teaching are discussed at the interview and can be part of a balanced job offer.

Requirements:

Tilburg University believes that academic excellence is achieved through the combination of outstanding research and education, in which social impact is made by sharing knowledge. We recognize that excellence is achieved through team effort and individual skills. 

More specifically, we are looking for a candidate who has:

• Completed PhD in Economics, preferably environmental economics
• Experience with macro-economic models
• Shown interest in the topic of circular economy, SDGs. 
• Ambition to make a difference through excellent research
• Ambition to reach out to other university and private sector partners
• Demonstrated quantitative and/or analytical skills (courses and papers)
• Experience with R and/or python
• Ability to independently carry out research, and co-work in a team
• Excellent communication skills in English, orally and in writing

Salary Benefits:

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment: 

• A position based on 0,8 – 1,0 FTE (32 - 40 hours per week). 
• A salary of minimum €4.537 and maximum €6.209 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile Researcher 3 and salary scale 11. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience. 
• This is a vacancy for a temporary position in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 sub b CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of 48 months.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. 
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave. 
• The opportunity to work partly on campus and partly from home with a home office allowance of €2 per day.
• Reimbursement for sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport. 
• A monthly internet allowance of €25.
• An options model in which you exchange benefits for things such as additional leave, more pension, a bicycle or personal training at our Sports Center. 
• A moving allowance (subject to conditions). 
• Employees from abroad may be eligible for a tax-free allowance for extraterritorial expenses equal to 30% of taxable salary. 
• A pension with ABP; the largest Dutch pension fund.
• Training in personal development, career development, leadership, education, and research. Or a language course at our Language Center. 
• A work culture in which we embrace differences, everyone is welcome and given equal opportunities. 
• A vibrant campus in green surroundings that is easily accessible by public transport. 

For more information, see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities. 

32 - 40 hours per week

Warandelaan 2