PhD Position on Resilient Landscapes and the Values of Restoration

Onderzoeksgebouw VU

Amsterdam

1 / 1

Faculty of Science

PhD

MSc

Closes on

07-08-2026

Publishing date

16-07-2026

Apply

Are you passionate about researching how nature restoration can strengthen resilience, and human wellbeing across landscapes and time? Apply now for this PhD position at the Institute for Environmental Studies (VU).

Your function

Existing land-use and socio-economic simulation models to inform land use planning and policy still inadequately capture many of the benefits of nature restoration, especially those that emerge through spatial and temporal feedbacks between biophysical and socio-economic processes.. As a result, restoration of nature is often undervalued, and its wider societal benefits remain insufficiently visible in policy and decision-making.

In this PhD, you will contribute to a new generation of spatially explicit models and assessments that capture these feedbacks across spatial and temporal scales. The research will take a multi-scale approach from case-study level to the European scale to assess how restoration changes ecological and socio-economic dynamics in specific landscapes over time, and use these insights to improve regional- and EU-level modelling of restoration impacts. A central focus of the PhD is understanding the societal demand for ecosystem services and the assessment of restoration benefits through human wellbeing, health, livelihoods, and plural valuation perspectives. In doing so, the PhD will help bridge fine-grained spatial processes and behaviour at local level with broader assessments of land use, ecosystem services, and socio-economic outcomes across Europe.

This research is part of the Horizon Europe project NatuRISE. NatuRISE develops new EU- and local-scale modelling approaches to capture the full socio-economic and ecological benefits and costs of nature restoration. The project is coordinated at VU Amsterdam and brings together 17 partners from institutes across Europe. The work will be carried out at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), in close collaboration with consortium partners across disciplines.

The PhD position focuses on: (i) developing and testing approaches to assess ecosystem services and their plural values across spatial and temporal scales; (ii) quantifying how the proximity, accessibility, and characteristics of restored nature affect human wellbeing and physical and mental health, and translating these relationships into spatially explicit indicators; (iii) integrating plural valuation, wellbeing, health, ecosystem-service, and land-system indicators into dynamic spatial assessments of freshwater restoration, including ecological–societal feedbacks over time; (iv) assessing the distribution of restoration benefits, costs, and trade-offs across places, stakeholder groups, and translating these insights into regional- and EU-level scenario analysis.

Your duties

you develop and apply approaches to assess ecosystem services and their plural values across spatial and temporal scales, from case-study to European level
you assess how restoration benefits and costs are experienced, valued, and distributed across places, sectors, and societal groups
you contribute to the development of spatially explicit indicators and models of wellbeing, health, and plural values that can be integrated into socio-economic and land-system assessments

Your profile

you have a master degree in geography, environmental or ecological economics, environmental science, sustainability science or a related field
You have demonstrable experience with quantitative spatial research approaches and land use change
You have experience with spatial analysis and data processing, preferably ArcGIS or QGIS
You have affinity with interdisciplinary research and willingness to engage with both natural and social science perspectives on topics related to ecosystem service values, human well-being and socio-ecological systems
you have good communication skills in English (spoken and written). Dutch-language is desirable

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not (fully) meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

a salary of minimum € 3.059,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
an employment contract of initially 1 year. There is the possibility of an extension to a total of 4 years. The dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of the employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
solid pension scheme (ABP)
discount on (and occasionally exclusive access to) theater performances and courses at the Griffioen Cultural Center
contribution to commuting expenses

About us

Institute for Environmental Studies
The work will be carried out at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognized for its high quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The mission of the institute is to contribute to sustainable development and care for the environment through scientific research and teaching. IVM aims to do excellent problem-oriented research that is useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally. A unique strength of our research is to understand sustainability problems in their social and economic context. IVM research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Policy Analysis; Environmental Geography; and Water and Climate Risk. IVM is part of the Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (www.ivm.vu.nl). This position is based within the Environmental Geography department in collaboration with the Environmental Economics department. The Environmental Geography department conducts interdisciplinary research on the spatial aspects of environmental and social challenges and the solutions sustainable land use can provide to these.

Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means collaborating with students, lecturers and researchers who are focused on their field, yet have a broad view of the world. We are proud of a positive and inclusive workplace culture within the faculty, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy and just future.

From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from helium to the universe and from genetics to medicine: our education and research cover the full breadth of science, from molecules to mankind. Our academic education and research are highly experimental, technical and interdisciplinary in nature. That is why we collaborate extensively with leading scientific institutes and industry. The faculty has more than 8,000 students studying in one of the 39 programms and employs more than 1,400 staff across 10 scientific departments, making us one of the largest science faculties in the Netherlands.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Interested

Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? In that case, we encourage you to submit your application. Please ensure your application includes: a) a CV listing at the end the names and contact details of two referees (letters are not necessary at this point); b) a 1-2 page cover letter outlining your background and how you envision your contribution to our department in terms of research; c) pdf copy of your MsC thesis

Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.

Selection will take place within three weeks after the deadline.

The intended starting date is September 15th, 2026.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.

Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.