Junior Researcher Position to Join the Research Project ‘The Economics of Water and Beyond’

Future of humankind needs bold economic thinking and new governance on water

Are you looking for a challenging job in a dynamic setting? Are you interested in a job that searches for the answers to global questions in development and environment? The Governance and Inclusive Development group, Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, is looking for a junior researcher to support the ‘Global Commission on the Economics of Water’. The Commission is an independent body, convened by the Government of the Netherlands and facilitated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and chaired by Professor Mariana Mazzucato, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Professor Johan Rockström, and Singapore Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Part of the commission are three leading experts, including Prof. Dr. Joyeeta Gupta, who you will be working closely with at the University of Amsterdam.

The newly launched Global Commission on the Economics of Water will redefine the way we value and govern water for the common good. The new commission will present evidence and pathways for changes in policy, business approaches and global collaboration to support climate and water justice, sustainability, and food-energy-water security.

Completing the sustainability trilogy that began with the Stern Review on the economics of climate change and the Dasgupta Review on the economics of biodiversity, the Review by the new Global Commission will provide a fundamental reassessment of the way we manage and value water, and its intrinsic role in addressing climate change and other global challenges.

The Global Commission’s first report will be published to coincide with the UN’s 2023 Water Conference and inform the launch of a “Water Action Agenda”. The two-year project will deliver an action agenda to spur change globally, among governments, local authorities, industry, finance, multilateral institutions, and non-state actors.

The programme group on Governance and Inclusive Development within GPIO is looking for one junior researcher to support the work of the Commission.

This programme group works on issues of governance and inclusive development with a focus on social justice, environmental issues and the politics of knowledge. Our staff conduct research on issues such as climate change and water, food governance and land, migration, peace and education with particular attention to issues of justice and equity. We also run the Master’s and Research Master’s on International Development Studies as well as the Masters on Advanced Environmental Geography and teach in a variety of courses within GPIO and across the university.

What are you going to do

You will be working as a junior researcher for 21 months in a large research project that focuses on the economics of water and beyond.

You will be joining the secretariat of a group that is composed of 17 Commissioners who are experts, community leaders and practitioners from a broad range of science, policy and front-line practice expertise from all regions of the globe. The secretariat will provide support for the writing of an independent review of The Economics of Water: An Agenda for the Common Good, by writing background literature reviews and content analysis of policies on a variety of topics to generate the evidence for good policies. For details on the Commission click here .  

You will/tasks:

• writing background reports based on literature reviews, content analysis and possibly modelling to generate science-based evidence about how the economics of water needs to change;
• manage the evolution of the draft report of the Commission and review comments as they come in;
• manage the bibliography that supports the writing work;
• managing a database of relevant laws and policies and an interactive water atlas;
• write policy briefs;
• assist in project management;
• undertake any other duties relevant to the programme of research.
• support in terms of research
  • identification of all the topics on which work needs to be done;
  • preparing reading lists for the different topics;
  • making extensive notes on each of the readings/meetings;
  • maintaining background documents with all the research materials;
  • possibly helping with graphics, maps, tables, figures.
  • support to co-chair in terms of linking the work of others in the Working Group, and
  • identifying and collating the comments of the members of the Commission;
  • clustering the comments;
  • suggesting how the comments can be addressed.
• help with organizing the co-creation and review process
  • identifying potential reviewers;
  • sending out documents for the review process;
  • collecting and collating the reviews;
  • checking that all review comments are done.
• double checking all submitted publications for accuracy.

What do you have to offer

We are looking for a researcher who aims to contribute to redesigning the way water economics and governance is presently organized in collaboration with others. We are looking for a person who can work within a team, can think out of the box, can cope with deadlines and stress; is motivated, dedicated, efficient and hard working. We are looking for a pro-active and independent person with a problem-solving attitude. We need a flexible and adaptive attitude with a positive approach to be able to deal with the different demands of the different commissioners.

Your experience and profile:

Education and experience

Essential:

• a MSc in a relevant discipline (economics, development economics, geography, development studies, water management and governance, law, other relevant discipline);
• affinity with water issues and knowledge about the water challenge;
• some research experience in the relevant subject area of the research project;
• some experience with managing a research projects with consortia of governments, policy makers, implementing organizations, and researchers;
• this includes excellent methodological knowledge and methodology development experience.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential:

• excellent interpersonal, networking, and communication skills;
• proven problem-solving skills;
• skills with databases, excel, GIS, etc.;
• independent worker, manage deadlines, stress resistant;
• excellent ICT skills (in particular qualitative data collection and analysis).

Desirable:

• a good understanding of the research environment in a university and in the countries concerned;
• skills related to producing highest-quality products for communication for other (non-academic) audiences;
• skills related to writing policy documents and related publications.

What can we offer you

The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours for a maximum term of 24 months, following a positive assessment at the end of two months and barring altered circumstances. Our preferred starting date is as soon as possible.

Depending on your experience, the minimum salary is €2960 – €4670 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, in keeping with salary scale 10, as per the Collective  Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities .

We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.

What else do we offer

• a position in which initiative and input are highly valued;
• an enthusiastic and warm team that is open to new colleagues;
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.

A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioral sciences  play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future. Want to know more about our organization? Read more about working at  the University of Amsterdam.

At the department Human Geography, Planning and International Development , research is organized in four research groups including the Governance and Inclusive Development  (GID) research group, Urban Geographies , Urban Planning , Political and Economic Geographies .

The Governance and Inclusive Development group scrutinizes development dynamics at various geographical, jurisdictional and temporal scales, realizing that these are situated in different but interconnected multi-level processes. GID analyses and rethinks dominant development paradigms, and engages with international, national and local development practices, policies and debates to identify viable and socially just alternatives. The team focuses on the strategic issues of multi-level (glocal) governance and inclusive development.

Questions

Do you have any questions, or do you require additional information? Please contact:

Job Application

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application/motivation letter and resume in one .pdf by 31 October 2022.

Applications should include the following information, bundled in a single .pdf*:

• a curriculum vitae (max 2 pages);
• a short letter of motivation (max 1 page);
• samples of written work, for example a thesis or (co-authored) published papers and single-authored writing samples (max 2);
• grade transcripts from prior education (Bachelor’s and Master’s);
• any other required information.

*Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please

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