Key Skills

Job Description

Introduction Are you a highly motivated, self-driven person interested in working with a strong team of researchers passionate about climate change, equity, and justice at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)? With relevant expertise and experience, this position might be for you! We are seeking someone with the knowledge and experience to co-produce narratives and storylines to support modeling climate policy readiness with justice and equity dimensions. Skills in multidisciplinary methods and statistical modelling, as well as experience working with Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) for climate analysis, are highly relevant. ISS offers a collaborative and collegial working environment in The Hague. Job Description You will develop a systematic methodology for co-designing and validating Just Climate Policy Pathways (JCPPs). This will involve creating storylines, metrics, and matrices to assess the enablers and challenges associated with climate policy responses. A key responsibility will be to lead a systematic review of JCPPs and their potential to extend the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), as well as examine their application across six urban case studies: Lisbon, Trondheim, Zagreb, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Lusaka. In addition, you will synthesize context-specific data and develop climate policy scenarios to support engagement with policymakers on feasible response actions at local, regional, and international levels. The role also includes evaluating how co-developed JCPPs can enhance the SSP framework by incorporating dimensions of equity and justice, drawing on evidence from the urban case studies and global datasets. The most important elements of the role include the following: Lead in developing a systematic methodological approach to analyzing Justice and Equity associated with adaptation and mitigation of climate change within the “Re-assessing Climate Policies for Equity and Justice Through Societal Readiness” (ReCAPS) project Collate data at the urban, national, regional, and international levels to synthesize evidence on societal readiness for climate action Co-design storylines for Just Climate Policy Pathways (JCPPs), including metrics to validate climate policy implementation Co-develop equity and justice matrices from urban context cases to identify enablers and barriers Validate the extension of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and the feasibility of the developed Just Climate Policy Pathways (JCPPs) Assess the performance of JCPPs 1–5 in each urban context case study under the project. Job Requirements A PhD in any of the fields including: international development, development studies, climate policy analysis, statistical modelling, urban climate analysis, or a related field Transdisciplinary methodological skills and at least one year of postdoctoral research experience, including experience working with large datasets and engaging with diverse stakeholders (e.g., academics, policymakers, and city managers) when conducting research Experience in conceptualizing and developing methodological approaches, analyzing data, and writing systematic reviews Additional desirable skills include experience working with IPCC Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) data, climate-resilient development pathways, and integrated assessment models used in IPCC scenarios. Experience in organizing and facilitating workshops and meetings with diverse stakeholders is also considered an asset. Employment Conditions And Benefits We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). The preferred start date of this position is 01-FEB-2027 and you will be based at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in Den Haag. This position is for 0.5 fte. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 3.706,- to a maximum of € 5.760,- gross per month on a fulltime basis, in accordance with scale 10.0 of the CAO-NU. The advertised position is with an initial offer for one year and the possibility for renewal for further two years. Everything else we offer you; you can find below! Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre (https://erasmussport.nl/en/)! Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR (https://www.linkedin.com/company/young-eur/?originalSubdomain=nl), FAME (https://www.eur.nl/en/about-eur/vision/inclusion-diversity-equity-access/networks/female-academics-moving-toward-equity-fame), EUR Disability Staff Network or QuEUR. Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget (https://www.eur.nl/en/media/2025-02-brochure-working-eur-january-2025), international exchange opportunities, with most expenses covered by us. and free access to our university library (https://www.eur.nl/en/library). Good pension with ABP (https://www.eur.nl/en/media/2023-06-brochure-working-eurengjanuari-2023) that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances (https://www.eur.nl/en/media/2025-02-brochure-working-eur-january-2025) with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use. Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners (https://www.eur.nl/en/media/2021-08-brochure-family-friendliness-en-06052021-5), and our campus features a daycare (https://www.eur.nl/en/services/partou-childcare-centre) (daycare not paid for by EUR). Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the Expat-ruling (https://www.eur.nl/en/media/2025-02-brochure-working-eur-january-2025)if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme (https://www.eur.nl/en/working-at-eur/international-staff/dual-career-programme) we will also help your partner find the right job for them. Employer Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl (http://www.eur.nl). Faculty / Institute / Central service The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) is a leading academic center for international development studies. While based in The Hague, the ISS is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. ISS was established in 1952 and is a post-graduate institute of policy-oriented critical social science and development-oriented research. ISS brings together a diverse international community of scholars and students from both the global South and the global North, on average originating from over 50 different countries in a multi-disciplinary setting which nurtures, fosters and promotes critical thinking and innovative research on fundamental social problems. The strong partnerships with organizations and individuals in developing countries make up a vibrant network where we co-create knowledge so that teaching and research remain socially relevant. Key to the ISS philosophy and practices is the wish to contribute to achieving social justice and equity on a global level www.iss.nl (www.iss.nl). Department The Climate Change and Environmental Justice Academic Team examines how different social groups experience and respond to climate impacts, highlighting differentiated vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities shaped by, among others, class, race, gender and location. The team investigates the ways in which environmental conflicts influence the design and implementation of climate adaptation and resilience strategies and policies across both rural and urban settings. Researchers analyse how power dynamics and social struggles determine whose voices are prioritized in adaptation planning and resource allocation. A key focus lies in understanding how marginalized communities, such as those in coastal cities facing sea-level rise or those living in tropical rainforests, navigate everyday risks and long-term uncertainties. The academic team’s work explores the intersection of local conflicts over land, water and resources with broader processes of climate adaptation, and mitigation. It critically assesses what systemic changes – economic, political, and social – are required globally to prevent dangerous climate change while advancing just and sustainable socio-economic development. Additional Information Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained by contacting Prof. Shuaib Lwasa ([email protected] or 0634458339). Applying Please submit your application, consisting of a motivation letter and cv, before the vacancy closing date. The selection procedure consists of an initial screening of applications, after which, shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. Shortlisted candidates will be informed between 18-20 November 2026. Interviews are expected to take place online between 1 and 3 December 2026. Please provide the contact details of two referees, whom we may contact for references should you be shortlisted for the position. We look forward to receiving your application. Erasmus University Rotterdam continuously strives to be an equitable and inclusive employer and invites all applicants, regardless of background gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, or any other aspect that makes someone unique, to apply. Recruitment and selection agencies or headhunters: thank you for thinking along with us, but we prefer to recruit our candidates ourselves.

Core Responsibilities

Develop and validate a methodology for Just Climate Policy Pathways, including co-designed storylines, metrics, and equity and justice matrices, and lead a systematic review of their relationship to the IPCC Shared Socioeconomic Pathways. Synthesize data and assess climate policy scenarios across six urban case studies to evaluate societal readiness and support engagement with policymakers.

Requirements

A PhD in international development, development studies, climate policy analysis, statistical modelling, urban climate analysis, or a related field is required, along with transdisciplinary methods experience and at least one year of postdoctoral research experience. Candidates should have experience with large datasets, diverse stakeholders, methodological development, data analysis, and systematic reviews; experience with SSP data, integrated assessment models, climate-resilient pathways, and stakeholder workshops is desirable.

Benefits

• Paid Leave
• Holiday Pay
• End-of-Year Bonus
• Sports Centre Subscription Discount
• Bicycle Budget
• Professional Development Days
• Personal Career Budget
• International Exchange Opportunities
• University Library Access
• Pension Plan
• Collective Insurance Discounts
• Travel Compensation
• Work-from-Home Compensation
• Home Internet Compensation
• Paid Parental Leave
• Additional Paid Birth Leave
• Daycare Facility
• Dual Career Programme