(postdoc) researcher position on improving wildfire awareness using games and play in the SparkleFire project (0,8 FTE)

Do you have a genuine interest in landscape fires and creativity? And in using games and play to increase awareness of wildfire risks in The Netherlands and across Europe? Then we are looking for you!

1 (postdoc) researcher position on improving wildfire awareness using games and play in the SparkleFire project, in Wageningen (The Netherlands) (0,8 FTE)

Fires in the usual fire countries are increasingly burning beyond control, while fires are burning in the ‘wrong’ countries amidst high population density, low awareness and preparedness. Within this context, wildfire education is key. In a prepared society, people understand the value of fire, know that wildfires exist and understand preventive measures to mitigate fire causes, are equipped to minimize fire impacts on residential properties, and are familiar with appropriate actions in the event of a wildfire, such as timely evacuation or sheltering in place. (Serious) games and interactive play represent potent tools for engaging diverse audiences, increasing awareness and fostering a culture of prevention and preparedness across various sectors, from individuals to organizations and school children to professional stakeholders. The newly funded EU project SparkleFire (funded by DG ECHO) aims to explore, design and implement games and play aimed at enhancing awareness of wildfire risk, applicable across Europe.

For this project, we seek an experienced researcher that can contribute to this transdisciplinary, multi-actor consortium formed by researchers, civil society, an NGO and a volunteer organization, connecting temperate and Mediterranean Europe. The Knowledge Hub for Integrated Fire Management of Wageningen University leads this project as well as a scoping inventory on the possibility of adjusting existing (serious) games to fire.

Your duties and responsibilities include to:

• Assess the possibility of adjusting existing serious games to fire, focusing on templatic games: easily adjustable serious games which science-based templates can be used to create new games.
• Analyze the framing of fire in pop culture (games, play, films, series, books, comics) by leading a collaborative workshop process
• Contribute to adapting and customizing the "Play with Fire" serious game to temperate Europe, targeting schoolchildren, volunteers and professional stakeholders, and tailoring the game to diverse needs through a participative process.
• Contribute to developing educational support tools to raise wildfire awareness, highlighting good practices in the use of fire and fuel management through Lego-inspired play and a Minecraft modification
• Contribute to communication and dissemination of the project to professional stakeholders (e.g. emergency mangers, land managers, educators, policy makers), the gaming community, and the scientific community.

Your team
You will work with Dr. Cathelijne Stoof (pyrogeographer specialized in integrated fire management) and Antoinet van Kessel (project assistant) on the campus of Wageningen University in Wageningen, The Netherlands. Internationally you will closely collaborate with project partners based in Spain and Portugal, namely the research institute CTFC (Forest Sciences and Technology Centre of Catalonia), the Pau Costa Foundation (an NGO), VOST Europe (a volunteer organization providing digital support in emergency situations), and the Portuguese municipality of Paredes de Coura.

You will work here
At Wageningen University, the candidate will work at the Knowledge Hub for Integrated Fire Management, based in the Soil Physics and Land Management Group. The position includes work-related international travel for short periods (up to 1-2 weeks) for project-related activities.

Requirements:

You have:

• Background in social sciences (e.g. communication science, sociology, social psychology, development studies) and affinity with environmental sciences, or vice versa;
• A genuine interest in landscape fire, and its social, economic, cultural and ecological dimensions. Experience with fire management is appreciated;
• Didactical skills and demonstrated experience with or a genuine interest in using creative ways for communication and education
• Enthusiasm for and experience with working with diverse audiences, such as professional stakeholders and children
• Ability to function as a proactive team member, work independently and reflect on your own functioning;

You also possess:

• PhD degree or comparable experience with qualitative and quantitative research (interviews, surveys, data analysis, reporting);
• Didactical skills/ experience with teaching or giving training;
• Demonstrated experience with scientific and project reporting
• Good communication skills and good proficiency in English (both oral and written). Proficiency in Dutch is appreciated;

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1 .

Salary Benefits:

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

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and 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 year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.378,- and € 5.331,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). This position is for 30,4 hours a week (0,8 FTE). A contract for more hours may be discussed, depending on funding for the project. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

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. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs 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

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