Postdoc Candidate in Urbanism

Updated: almost 2 years ago
Deadline: 26 Jun 2022

Position

(Post-doctoral) Researcher


Department(s)

Built Environment


Reference number

V38.5698


Job description

Are you interested in co-creation in urban development? Do you want to work for and with youth in developing green public spaces ? Do you want to develop new methods in placemaking by focusing on building trust through design approaches? Are you keen to work in an international research project? The TU/e Department of the Built Environment is currently seeking one postdoc researcher to join the research project ‘Trustmaking.

About the project
The Trustmaking project will explore how to enhance established Placemaking practices by focusing on an essential and often overlooked aspect of co-creation processes: the building of trust amongst stakeholders, especially between stakeholders and public parties. The project will focus on the building of trust amongst youth by developing capabilities for youth and involved parties.

Establishing a trustful basis is key for well-informed, intergenerational, and cross-sector collaboration with city governments, entrepreneurs, and civil society organizations in the course of urban transformation processes.  Strategies for trust-building encourage and empower the most needed level of competence, therefore, the project explores the relationship between trust-creating principles and urban spaces to reveal the best framework for liveable and inclusive neighbourhoods. The goals of the project are (1) to initiate Urban Living Labs at four different urban sites in Austria, Lithuania, Norway, and The Netherlands, with a focus on youth co-creation, where (2) existing and new tools  for youth co-creation of green infrastructure are identified and developed, and (3) cross-section collaboration  mechanisms through  summer/winter  schools  are  designed,  in  order  to  (4) develop  guidelines  of  youth  co-design  and  access of  green  infrastructures  to increase  capacities  in public service  for integrating youth perspectives and their abilities to bridge short-term concerns and long-term objectives in urban transformation processes.

The overall project coordination will be the responsibility of the Viennese partners. TU/e Urban Labs is responsible for coordinating the work package on the research on trust making and the establishment of the Urban Living Lab in Valkenswaard.

The Urban Living Lab in Valkenswaard will be established in collaboration with the local partners, the Natuurgrenspark De Groote Heide and the Designlab for a Healthy and Sustainable Living Environment. In this case we will focus on the development of an inclusive nature experience garden which appeals to all, including youth with disabilities, a relatively invisible group in society. The  aim of  this  case  is  to  engage  youth  with disabilities  in all stages of the development process and develop and test an approach that: (1) ensures a design of the  garden  that  matches  the  abilities  and  wishes  of  a  diverse  group  of  youth,  (2) builds  trust  with youth groups to facilitate future collaborative projects, and (3) stimulates an enduring relationship of youth with the garden (and follow-up projects) enhancing its meaning and experience and creating a feeling  of  shared  responsibility. The Urban Living Lab in Valkenswaard will focus on the development of trust building capabilities and the role design can play in this.

Function description
Your main task as a Post doc will consist of coordinating and executing two work packages: Co-research on trust-making and the development and implementation of the Urban Living Lab in Valkenswaard. The activities of the research work package include: (1) coordinate with the international partners the co-research  activities with local youth, (2) analyze  local contexts, (3) create a procedure for monitoring Urban Living Labs and (4) monitoring of Urban Living Lab’s activities and innovation outcomes. This will result in reports through various channels: from accessible blogposts to peer-reviewed papers.

The activities of  the Dutch Urban Living Lab work package include (1) Establishing and maintaining the local team, (2) Co-design, co-develop and implement the local Urban Living Lab (3) Evaluate, improve and upscale methodology for replication. This will result in case specific guidelines and general lessons for future Urban Living Labs.

You will become part of the Dutch Trustmaking team that consists of a project leader, a part-time designer, two collaborators of the partner organizations and a (student-)assistant, and the international consortium consisting of four Urban Living Labs.


Job requirements

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following requirements:

  • Holds a doctor's degree in urban planning and design, landscape design, urban studies, urban geography, urban sociology or urban anthropology;
  • Has excellent oral and written communication skills in both Dutch and English;
  • Has familiarity with placemaking, participatory urbanism, action research and research by design methods, both in terms of academic research as well as professional practice;
  • Is independent and has critical analytical skills;
  • Has good collaboration skills and ability to join transdisciplinary communities;
  • Has the capability of developing and implementing independently an Urban Living Lab;
  • Has the empathic skills to work with vulnerable youth

Furthermore, we consider it a plus if the candidate has prior experience working in urban projects in the Netherlands and has experience working with youth with disabilities or other vulnerable groups.


Conditions of employment
  • A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university;
  • The ability to combine research and implementation on a local scale as part of a European project;
  • A part-time employment of 0,7 for two years and 7 months;
  • You will have free access to high-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
  • A gross monthly salary and benefits in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities;
  • Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary;
  • al holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
  • A broad package of fringe benefits (including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes).
  • Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children day care and sports facilities.

Information and application

More information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact
ir. Marcel Musch,  +(31)65266.3551, e-mail: m.w.musch[at]tue.nl.
Click here  for more information about our department.

For information about terms of employment, click here or contact HRServices.be[at]tue.nl.

Please visit www.tue.nl/jobs to find out more about working at TU/e!

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application by using the 'apply now'-button on this page.
The application should include a:

  • Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
  • Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of
    three references.
  • List of five self-selected ‘best publications’.

We look forward to your application and will screen your application as soon as possible.
The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

We do not respond to applications that are sent to us in a different way.

Please keep in mind you can upload only 5 documents up to 2 MB each. If necessary, please combine files.



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