Key Skills

Job Description

Your job Are you interested in how law and policy can make agri-food systems fairer and more socially sustainable? Do you enjoy combining legal analysis with empirical research and engaging with farmers and other food-system actors? Join the Law Group at Wageningen University & Research as a PhD candidate in the Horizon Europe project SOCIAL AGRI. Social issues such as working conditions, farmer wellbeing, migrant worker integration and gender equality remain insufficiently captured in EU agricultural data and policy frameworks. This makes social costs and inequalities difficult to assess and address. SOCIAL AGRI aims to close this gap by collecting evidence on social conditions in agriculture, assessing their economic implications, and translating the findings into practical legal and policy instruments to make social sustainability a measurable and actionable dimension of European agricultural policy. You will contribute to this objective through an in-depth socio-legal study of short food supply chains (SFSCs) in the Netherlands. You will investigate how different SFSC models operate, how EU and Dutch law and policy shape their development, and how their organisation affects social sustainability, including working conditions, inclusion, community relationships and the distribution of value. Combining legal analysis with empirical research, you will use methods such as semi-structured interviews and stakeholder engagement activities, depending on the research design. You will identify legal and regulatory barriers to socially sustainable practices and explore how law and policy could better support their development. Working with other project partners, you will also contribute to developing and assessing SOCIAL AGRI’s social-sustainability indicators. Your findings will inform the project’s comparative analysis and help translate evidence on social performance into feasible policy recommendations and legal instruments, including potential regulatory approaches and contractual provisions. Your Duties And Responsibilities Include Develop and carry out a PhD research plan aligned with SOCIAL AGRI, with a clear focus on the Dutch short food supply chain case study and its contribution to the project’s evidence-to-policy pathway. Analyse relevant EU and Dutch legal and policy frameworks affecting short food supply chains and social sustainability in agriculture. Collect and analyse empirical evidence on the social conditions and relationships within Dutch short food supply chains, using appropriate qualitative methods. Contribute to the development actionable legal and policy instruments, including policy recommendations and model regulatory or contractual provisions, in collaboration with the wider consortium and relevant stakeholders, and of social-sustainability indicators. Contribute to comparative research, collaboration and dissemination within SOCIAL AGRI, interdisciplinary teamwork, project meetings, workshops and academic publications, while actively participating in the academic life of the Law Group. You will work here The research is embedded within the chair Law Group (https://www.wur.nl/en/chair-groups/wageningen-sustainability-governance-hub/law).The Law Group is a vibrant, dynamic, intercultural research community that is closely integrated into the Department of Social Sciences. It has a critical, socio-legal orientation, and excels in interdisciplinary research. It collaborates closely with a range of global partners. The focus of the group’s work is detailed in its most recent Chair Plan. (https://backend.wur.nl/sites/default/files/2025-11/StrategicChairPlan2025-2030Final.pdf) You will work under the supervision of Dr Mirta Alessandrini, who is responsible for the SOCIAL AGRI Dutch case study, Dr Edwin Albals, and Dr Inga Winkler. You will also collaborate with colleagues and researchers from the wider SOCIAL AGRI consortium. Your qualities You are curious, analytically minded and motivated to conduct independent research on the legal and social dimensions of agri-food systems. You are comfortable working across disciplines, engaging with people outside academia, and managing your research independently. You have excellent organisational and time-management skills and can balance different tasks and priorities effectively. To Meet The Requirements Of The Role, You Have A completed Master level degree in law, agricultural economics, food studies, rural sociology, social sciences or a closely related discipline. Candidates from various disciplinary backgrounds are welcome to apply, provided they demonstrate affinity with the legal and policy dimensions of agri-food systems. A good understanding of the EU legal and policy context. Experience with qualitative research methods, such as semi-structured interviews or focus groups and with multi-stakeholder processes or clear evidence of the ability to develop these skills. Strong analytical, academic writing and communication skills, with fluency in both Dutch and English. The ability to work independently and collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment. For this position your command of the English and Dutch language is expected to be at C1 level (https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale). Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here (https://www.wur.nl/en/education/phd-programme/admission-requirements). We offer Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment (https://www.wur.nl/en/jobs/conditions-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 € 3.204,- per month rising to € 4.051,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (https://www.universiteitenvannederland.nl/en/collective-labour-agreement-of-dutch-universities) (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. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. 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. Wageningen University & Research's International Community (https://www.wur.nl/en/jobs/expats-new-international-staff) page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center (https://wcfv.nl/en/home/global/our-services/happy-landing-and-living/) can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs 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. Important information For more information about the position, please contact Dr Mirta Alessandrini, Assistant Professor of Agri-Food Law, via [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) . Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, via [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) . Ready 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. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered. To Apply, Please Send The Following Documents Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages); Motivation letter (max. 1 page). A writing sample, such as a master’s thesis chapter or academic paper (max 3 pages). The maximum length of the documents must not exceed 6 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered. Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered. You can apply up to and including 17 November 2026. The first interviews will be scheduled soon after the closing date. Additional Information Form For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form using the link below: PhD Assessing Social Sustainability in Short Food Supply Chains – Fill out form (https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/SzDQQiGmP0) Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process. 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”. 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, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines. Read the 5 reasons (https://www.wur.nl/en/Jobs/Why-choose-WUR.htm) why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus! We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

Core Responsibilities

Conduct a socio-legal study of Dutch short food supply chains, examining relevant EU and Dutch frameworks and gathering qualitative evidence about social conditions, inclusion, working conditions, community relationships, and value distribution. Collaborate with project partners and stakeholders to develop social-sustainability indicators and practical legal and policy instruments, and contribute to comparative research and dissemination.

Requirements

Applicants must have a completed master's degree in law, agricultural economics, food studies, rural sociology, social sciences, or a related discipline, along with a good understanding of the EU legal and policy context. They should have qualitative research experience or the ability to develop it, strong analytical, writing, and communication skills, C1-level Dutch and English, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Benefits

• Partially Paid Parental Leave
• Flexible Working Hours
• Campus Sports Facilities
• Year-End Bonus
• Pension Scheme
• Fully Funded PhD Position
• Tailored Training Program
• Immigration Procedure Support
• International Staff Support
• Potential Tax Exemption