PhD Position: Economics of Offshore Wind Farms Wageningen • Wageningen University & Research

Explore the economic trade-offs of renewable energy as a PhD candidate in the Environmental Economics and Natural Resource Group. Investigate the impact of offshore wind farms on fisheries in the Dutch North Sea and contribute to inclusive marine policy. Enjoy benefits like partially paid parental leave, flexible hours, and campus sports facilities. Join a vibrant international community at a top university, with opportunities for growth and development in an innovative environment. Read on to discover why this challenge awaits you.

Your job

Would you like to help build a more sustainable North Sea by exploring how the rapid growth of offshore wind farms (OWFs) impacts the fisheries sector?

Join the Environmental Economics and Natural Resource (ENR) Group at Wageningen University & Research as a PhD candidate and explore the economic trade-offs involved in the transition to renewable energy. As a PhD candidate, you will assess the economic impacts of offshore wind farms on commercial fisheries in the Dutch North Sea. Your work will identify who wins and who loses in this energy transition and investigate how fishers can adapt to changing spatial regulations. You will also help design economic decision-support tools to inform more inclusive and evidence-based marine policy.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• analyzing geospatial data on fisheries activities near OWFs to evaluate the distributional impacts of OWFs across different fleet segments;
• conducting fieldwork and surveys in collaboration with ‘NO REGRETS’ partners and other stakeholders;
• publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals and presenting them at national and international conferences; 
• participating in teaching and supervision activities within the BSc and MSc programs of the ENR Group; and
• actively contributing to a dynamic, inclusive, and collaborative research culture within the research group.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Environmental Economics and Natural Resources (ENR) Group, part of Wageningen University. You will be supervised by Dr. Andries Richter and Dr. Anna Abatayo, and will work closely with the NO-REGRETS research consortium.

This interdisciplinary research is part of the broader NO-REGRETS project, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). It involves a collaboration between Wageningen University & Research, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), TU Delft, Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Naturalis, and several other academic partners. The project also engages a diverse group of stakeholders in the North Sea area, including NGOs, the Dutch government, and the offshore wind industry.  
Your qualities

You are a curious and driven researcher with strong analytical skills and a commitment to interdisciplinary research. In addition, you possess:

• a completed MSc degree in economics, environmental science, or a related field;
• a solid foundation in applied quantitative methods (e.g., econometrics, spatial analysis, or data science);
• a genuine enthusiasm for the ocean and marine sustainability challenges;
• a strong motivation to advance the field of environmental and natural resource economics;
• strong interpersonal skills and a positive attitude toward teamwork;
• eagerness to engage in teaching and supervision and to inspire students at BSc and MSc levels; and
• excellent written and spoken communication skills in English; proficiency in Dutch, or a willingness to learn it, is considered an asset.

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. 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 the position, please contact Andries Richter, Associate Professor, at +31317484738 or via email via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina..  

For more information about the procedure, please contact Jouke van Oostenbrugge, corporate recruiter by email 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.

You can apply until 15 September 2025.

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.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

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