PhD position in 'The economic evaluation of food loss and waste interventions'

 

Are you interested in contributing to reducing food waste not only by changing your own behavior but also by analyzing how various proposed policies work along the food supply chain? Do you want to advise policymakers on what to do to achieve food waste reduction goals at the lowest cost? Are you a critical thinker who likes to ask deeper questions and is not afraid of pointing out inconsistencies in proposed policy actions? If your answer to the questions above is a yes, then apply!

You will first be working on a conceptual framework for managing food waste that will determine the boundaries of a generic food supply chain. The conceptual model will be developed together with project partner Tilburg University and will include a variety of ways of disposing of food waste, such as landfill/incineration, land/sewage, donations, and options to valorize part of food waste. Then, you will convert the conceptual model into a mathematical partial equilibrium economic model. This model will be used to run a number of simulations to answer questions of policymakers and to understand better the inner workings of the economics of reducing food waste along the supply chain. The model will be continuously improved to incorporate inputs from other project partners and to provide better answers to the partners who depend on them. An integral part of your work will be writing scientific articles for reputable field journals as well as writing shorter pieces to inform policymakers and the general public.

You will be doing your PhD in the  Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy Group that has long-standing expertise in the analysis of agricultural markets and policies.This group is led by Prof. Justus Wesseler. You will be co-supervised by Dr. Dušan Drabik.

We ask

You have

• a successfully completed MSc degree in agricultural economics or economics;
• taken a course in (advanced) microeconomics and econometrics;
• interest in quantitative economic modeling;
• worked with GAMS and/or R as an independent user;
• excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page;
• the ability to think critically and the ambition to publish the results of your work in top field journals.

We offer

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

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and 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 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 € 2.395,- per month rising to € 3.061,- 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 16th 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. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. 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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

More information

For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Dušan Drabik, Associate Professor, by telephone at +31317484365 or by e-mail Dusan.Drabik@wur.nl.

For more information about the procedure, please contact Sandra Willemsen, Corporate recruiter or Bianca Aversteeg, Recruitment support via recruitment.ssg@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including the 1^st of August, 2021. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on the 16^th of August, 2021.

The preferred starting date for this position is the 1^st of October, 2021.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University and Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.800 employees and 12.900 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.
Read the 5 reasons why your future collaegues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

Apply now