PhD Quality of farm labour and new organizational arrangements

Are you interested in shaping the future of farm labour? Do you want to explore how new organizational structures in regenerative agriculture can make farm work more appealing and sustainable? Are you eager to contribute to the design and implementation of innovative succession plans in farming communities? Then this PhD opportunity may be of interest to you!

In October 2024 a new, large-scale project focused on regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands will commence. Together with regenerative Dutch farmers, ReGeNL is developing a future-proof agricultural sector in which agriculture goes hand in hand with soil improvement and restoration of biodiversity, and a good revenue model for farmers. Between now and 2030, ReGeNL will start the transition to regenerative agriculture with 1000 farmers. The aim is to make regenerative agriculture the new normal by 2040.

This PhD will be one of 19 PhDs being recruited to support the monitoring, modelling and valuing of regenerative farms in the Netherlands. This large-scale transdisciplinary project (ReGeNL) will assess which combinations of practices contribute to regenerative outcomes at 8 different types of regenerative agriculture systems. The project aims to be an accelerator for the transition to a regenerative, remunerative and socially supported agricultural sector.

Regenerative agriculture is leading to a greater variety of farming practices, which is prompting changes in the organization, quality, and compensation of farm labour. This includes the introduction of new pension schemes, farm succession plans, and new multifunctionality and community cooperative arrangements (Zoöps).

However, not much is known about how these new organizational structures impact the continuity, quality, and compensation of farm labour. Do these new organizational arrangements make farm labour more appealing? In what ways? What factors contribute to making farm labour attractive and accessible? And how does this relate to new organizational arrangements and succession plans? Over the next decade, half of the farms in the Netherlands will need to address succession, and more than half have not yet identified a successor. What new collective succession plans are emerging?

This PhD project provides an opportunity to explore this new diversity and actively contribute to the advancement of succession design, planning and implementation.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair Rural Sociology, which is led by Prof. Han Wiskerke. You will be co-supervised by Dr. Margriet Goris and Dr. Jolien Klok.

Requirements:

You have/ You are:

• affinity with societal challenges in the domains of agriculture and food systems;
• motivated to work in a transdisciplinary project with many project partners and farmers;
• a team player.

You also possess:

• a successfully completed MSc degree in: sociology, anthropology, cultural geography, political science or an adjacent field;
• knowledge of and experience with quantitative and qualitative methods;
• excellent writing and presenting skills.

For this position your command of the English and Dutch language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognized 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;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• 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 € 2.872,- per month rising to € 3.670,- 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.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

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