PhD in agent-based modelling of urban economic segregation

PhD in agent-based modelling of urban economic segregation
PhD in agent-based modelling of urban economic segregation

Published	Deadline	Location
today	21 Nov	Delft

Building and exploring a modular agent-based model of urban economic segregation in the Netherlands.

Job description

Economic resources (typically wealth and income) are distributed very unevenly among people. In parallel, people with similar economic levels tend to concentrate spatially, in similar cities, in cities of similar sizes, and in similar neighbourhoods, in which case we call it urban segregation. Economic inequality and urban segregation are considered top priority challenges by the United Nations. Tackling them is urgent because economic inequality and urban segregation restrict the ability of the poorest individuals to get by in life, but they also affect life expectancy, social justice and cohesion for everyone.

One way to understand and address urban economic segregation is to model their dynamics, and run policy scenarios on how to reduce it. An abundant literature uses statistical modelling for that purpose, and struggles to assess causality in the processes at play. A complementary approach to statistical modelling is generative modelling and the simulation of causal rules of action on an articial society of computational agents. Agent-based modelling, whilst far from dominant, has long proven its potential to represent diverse societies of individuals and the emergence of unexpected collective behaviours in the field of economic inequality and spatial segregation (cf. Schelling or Sugarscape for basic examples).

This PhD represents an exciting opportunity to develop cutting edge methods of agent-based model building and analysis on a socially relevant topic. You will be expected to translate theoretical mechanisms of economic inequality and segregation into programmable rules of actions for agents within an agent-based model. You will implement these mechanisms and integrate them into a modular agent-based model. This (multi-)model will be initialized, calibrated and validated against unique empirical microdata (i.e. the exhaustive register data from the Dutch register, provided by CBS). The ambition is to create a theoretically sound model which is able to represent and reproduce the evolution of economic segregation in The Netherlands over the past 10 years. Building blocks the model will correspond to the implementation of middle theories of how inequality and segregation are (re)produced through space. The calibrated model will be dedicated to compare policy scenarios of inequality reduction.

Modular model integration and reusable building blocks are a hot (and unresolved) topic of agent-based modelling at the moment. This case will present the challenge of involving multidisciplinary and multi-scale building blocks to integrate, but it will be backed by a strong theoretical support and exceptional individual, longitudinal, exhaustive and spatial data from CBS. The completion of this research program should therefore lead to three areas of innovation. First, you will advance research on economic inequality and urban segregation by providing a simulation tool that integrates multiscale explanations and provides scenarios of inequality reduction. This generative approach will complement the existing literature on economic inequality and urban segregation, which relies for the most part on statistical analysis of empirical data. Second, you will advance the current state of modelling methodology by approaching it from the start with the idea of reusable building blocks and their integration, from initialization to calibration, which is ambitious and new. Thirdly, you will find a way to calibrate the model with quality individual longitudinal and spatial microdata accessible from a secure environment.

You will be supported in this research by the PhD supervisor Dr. Clémentine Cottineau, the PhD promotors (Prof. Tatiana Filatova and Prof. Maarten van Ham) and a post-doctoral researcher to be recruited on the same project.

Specifications

• 36—40 hours per week
• €2541—€3247 per month
• Delft View on Google Maps

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Requirements

The successful candidate for this position has: 

• Completed a Masters degree in computation social science, analytical sociology, complex systems, urban studies, spatial economics, economic geography or other relevant fields linked to agent-based modelling and spatially orientated quantitative social science.
• Ability to handle and combine the abstract concepts and theories of inequality and segregation.
• Knowledge and experience in agent-based modelling (model building, analysis, evaluation).
• Knowledge and experience of programming.
• Interest in multidisciplinarity research.
• Ability to work in a team, take initiative, be creative.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English proven by a minimum score of 100 in TOEFL or IELTS of 7.0 per sub-skill (writing, reading, listening, speaking). Native speakers will be exempt from the English test requirement, as well as, in principle, non-native applicants who have obtained an English-taught Master’s degree.

Nice to have:

• Knowledge of the Dutch language or the willingness to learn as soon as possible.
• Experience of linking agent based models with large empirical data (for instance for the Masters thesis).
• Interest in open source software and scientific reproducibility.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Conditions of employment

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2541 per month in the first year to € 3247 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Employer
Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Department
Faculty Architecture & the Built Environment

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on ‘design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built
Department of Urbanism
The Department of Urbanism in the Faculty of Architecture conducts education and research in the fields of Urbanism, Landscape Architecture, and Geo-information. The department uses the Delft approach, an multidisciplinary and integrated approach that combines urban design, spatial planning, landscape architecture, environment technology, urban studies and geo-information. The department has a very good reputation worldwide in the field of research and education. Urbanism is best known for its ‘unity of urbanism’, which combines the creativity of design with scientific research methods. This combination is highly regarded in professional practice, research and education.

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Clémentine Cottineau,
e-mail: c.cottineau@tudelft.nl .
For more information about the selection procedure, please contact Manon de Gier-de Wolff,
e-mail: hr-bk@tudelft.nl .
The position will remain open until November 21, 2022 (local Dutch time: UTC time + 2 hrs). You must apply via the “Apply now” button. Applications via e-mail will not be processed.  

Working at TU Delft

Join the oldest and largest technical university in the Netherlands. Work on clever solutions for worldwide challenges, to change the world and make an impact. Ready to bring your energy to our research?

Challenge, change, impact!

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Application procedure

We invite you to submit a complete application all compiled into a single PDF file. The application should include:

• A detailed CV (including a list of research achievements and publications).
• A short motivation letter addressing your interests and describing how you fit in the advertised position.
• A transcripts with all university grades.
• A proof of English language skills and an abstract of your MSc thesis (in English).
• The names of two references, with contact information (letters not required at this stage).

Please note:

• That applications will not be processed if all documents required are not compiled into a single PDF document.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.