PhD on Learning Infrastructures for strengthening the transformative power of experiments Wageningen • Wageningen University & Research

The Knowledge, Technology and Innovation chair group seeks a PhD candidate for the EXTRA consortium, focusing on transformative methodologies for sustainable change. As part of an interdisciplinary team, you'll explore 'learning infrastructures' in real-world experiments, fostering capacity building and joint learning. Engage in action research, stakeholder collaboration, and publish in international journals. Enjoy flexible working hours, a supportive environment, and a vibrant campus with excellent facilities. Explore further to see how this role aligns with your aspirations.

Your job

The Knowledge, Technology and Innovation chair group at Wageningen University welcomes applications for a PhD position in the EXTRA consortium ‘From EXperiment to sustainable change. TRAnsformative methodologies for innovation and learning.’ The PhD position is in an interdisciplinary team of 3 PhD researchers, one post doc and two senior researchers.

EXTRA aims to strengthen the transformative power of real-world experiments, living labs and other experimental settings with new insights, instruments and increased capacities. This will enable change-makers – including researchers, government entities, industry partners, NGOs and citizens – to collaboratively make sustainable change. Through transdisciplinary action research, the consortium investigates conditions for collective learning and transformative change, co-designs instruments and trainings, and consolidates knowledge to support innovation and transformation. The consortium seeks to overcome the ‘pilot paradox.’ In this paradox, much experimentation and learning takes place in local places, but making long-term systemic impact remains difficult. Together with change makers, the researchers will examine how to broaden and deepen technical and social innovations and other relevant changes from the experiments.

Your research will focus on ‘learning infrastructures’ of living labs and other learning-oriented experimental initiatives in real-life settings and how they stimulate capacity building, joint learning and fundamental change of practices within these settings. The novel concept of learning infrastructures captures flows of knowledge, social interactions, the application of methodologies and tools, affective and discursive relationships and material conditions for reflection and learning in experiments working on sustainable change. You will investigate how different types of learning infrastructures lead to capacity building and learning among the participants in existing experiments as well as in their direct context. To this end you, will compare learning infrastructures within and across different types of experiments in collaboration with the research team and the partners in EXTRA. Learning in and through experiences and social interaction will be facilitated by drawing on action-oriented, engaged methodologies. The methodology ‘Reflexive Monitoring in Action’ will serve as a starting point for interventions. You will also co-design adapted and new methods to enhance reflection and learning in and adaptive capacity of learning-oriented experiments.

The intended start date of your employment is 1 November 2025 and the full-time contract (100%) lasts four years, with the option to choose a part-time contract (80%) that lasts almost five years.

In your PhD-research, you will:

• review literature, develop research questions and a project design drawing on relevant theoretical and methodological approaches;
• develop conceptual and methodological approaches to both study and enhance learning infrastructures in experiments for sustainability in real-life settings;
• conduct action research and stakeholder engagement;
• work collaboratively in a team across disciplines and with multiple stakeholders;
• participate in conferences, workshops and other scholarly activities;
• write and publish high-quality articles in international academic journals;
• have opportunities to supervise Master and Bachelor students and gain teaching experience in the position of tutor and guest lecturer;
• be an active member of the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation group (participating in seminars, meetings, and PhD activities). 

Your qualities

You are:

• a curious and dedicated researcher with proven interest in action research and stakeholder engagement;
• familiar with topics related to sustainability transitions, systems thinking, social construction of science and technology, critical approaches to innovation and transformation, and studies about learning in the context of transitions;
• motivated to navigate challenges in inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration; 
• highly interested in reading academic literature and writing scholarly articles;
• willing to nurture these qualities over the course of an individual research project and through participation in a tailor-made educational course trajectory for graduate students.

You possess:

• a (Research) Master’s degree in sociology, transition studies, science and technology studies, anthropology, or a related field;
• a high command of Dutch (at least C1 level); or proof of how this level will be achieved within 6 months after the start of the position;
• a high command of English (at least C1 level);
• strong affinity with inter- and transdisciplinary research;
• demonstrated experience in qualitative research methods (e.g., semi-structured interviews, participant observation, workshop facilitation) as well as (a high motivation to gain experience in) quantitative methods and statistical analysis;
• excellent analytical proficiency and conceptual understanding;
• strong communication, presentation, collaboration, networking and writing skills.

You will work here
The research is part of the EXTRA consortium ‘From EXperiment to sustainable change. TRAnsformative methodologies for innovation and learning’ including researchers from five Dutch universities and more than seven initiatives working on sustainable change. Your research will be supervised by Dr. Barbara van Mierlo and Dr. Mareike Smolka, Wageningen University, and Dr. Anne Loeber, VU University. You will be institutionally embedded in the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation (KTI) chair group led by Prof. Anita Hardon at Wageningen University.
We offer you

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

• Partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• 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 year-end 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 € 2.901,- per month rising to € 3.707,-  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.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

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.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands 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. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Barbara van Mierlo, Associate Professor, by e-mail: via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.
Questions about the procedure? Please contact Noorien Abbas, corporate recruiter, via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina..

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

To apply, please upload the following documents:

• Letter of motivation (maximum of 2 pages), describing your interest in the position and your experience relevant to the position; if you do not speak Dutch at C1 level, please include in the motivation letter a plan of how you will achieve the required level within 6-12 months
• Curriculum Vitae (tabular format); please include one or two references
• One piece of writing showing your qualities for academic research
• Research statement (maximum of 800 words), which outlines how you would possibly design a PhD project on the topic outlined above. Please include your argumentation for research question(s), key concepts or theoretical approaches and research design

You can apply until 8 September 2025. The first interviews are scheduled on Friday 19 September 2025. If you apply, please reserve time between 9:00 and 15:00 hour on that day.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

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We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.