PhD position Farmer Perceptions & Decision Making towards Functional AgroBiodiversity for Sustainable Pest Management

We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD researcher to conduct cutting-edge research at the interface of behavioral science, cultural geography, biodiversity and agriculture, combining behavioral, perceptual, socioeconomic, and systemic perspectives.

Agriculture is a key economic sector and important for food security. However, decline of biodiversity is a threat to agricultural practices (e.g. lack of pollinators), and at the same time agriculture contributes to this decline (e.g. by dominant monoculture production systems). It is therefore urgent to redesign and diversify agricultural practices in order to enhance biodiversity.

Functional agrobiodiversity (FAB) to support natural control of pests of arable crops may offer an alternative to conventional pest control. Although adoption of FAB practices has the potential to lead to lower use of pesticides in farming and can contribute to improved biodiversity in and around agricultural fields, the adoption of FAB (and with those alternative agricultural practices) is critically dependent on place specific on-farm decision making.

More specific, the adoption of FAB and FAB-based pest management by farmers may be hindered by context specific perceptual factors such as low confidence in its effectiveness, a fear that the suggested practice may carry risks for smooth farm operations, or even a (mental) lock-in. In this PhD project, you will identify the barriers and opportunities for farmers to adopt FAB practices.

This PhD position will be part of a multidisciplinary project (FABforward) on various aspects of functional agrobiodiversity (FAB) in the Netherlands, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
In your position as a PhD researcher, you will:

• map Dutch farmers’ perceived risks and benefits of pest management in situ;
• develop an overarching comprehensive model of FAB adoption;
• identify farm typologies and policy perceptions related to FAB;
• assess farmers’ evaluation of a newly developed FAB tool;
• work with partners from other research institutes that are part of FABforward.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair group Cultural Geography, led by Prof. Edward Huijbens. You will be promoted and co-supervised by Dr. Marijn Poortvliet and Dr. Jasper de Vries.

Requirements:

We are looking for a PhD candidate who:

• has a master’s degree (or is near completion of a master program) in the field of environmental sciences, behavioral sciences, communication sciences, rural development, cultural geography, sociology, anthropology, or another relevant field;
• has keen interest in contributing to the sustainability of agricultural systems;
• preferably has expertise in behavioral modeling, on-farm decision making and/or pests management;
• has strong methodological skills in social science research (or is keen to develop these skills), combining quantitative (i.e. survey research) and qualitative research methods (i.e. interviews and focus groups);
• likes to engage in interdisciplinary research, collaborating with scientists across disciplines and with societal actors, and actively contribute to the FABforward project;
• is able to perform tasks independently and in teams, has excellent project management and writing skills, and is fluent in both Dutch and English.

We realise that each person 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 (fully) meet all the requirements.

Part of this project will entail data collection in the Netherlands, so having a good command of Dutch is important. Therefore, for this position you are expected to have good knowledge of both the Dutch language (C1 level) and the English language (C1 level). Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Salary Benefits:

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.901,- per month rising to € 3.707,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

38 hours per week

Droevendaalsesteeg