Postdoctoral Researcher in Geospatial Science - Brightlands Institute for Smart Society (BISS)

Welcome to Maastricht University!
Are you excited about studying innovative technologies, such as drones? Do you have an interest in virtual reality, spatio-temporal analyses, geoinformatics, and psychology? Are you drawn to interdisciplinary research with a focus on collaborations between academia and industry? Then this postdoctoral position may be the one for you!

Our goal: Harness geospatial science and human-computer interaction to unlock the potential of medical drones for safe, efficient, and socially responsible healthcare logistics across national borders.

Your colleagues: A collaborative, interdisciplinary team at the Brightlands Institute for Smart Society (BISS), where all faculties of Maastricht University join forces to apply Artificial Intelligence and data science to societal and business challenges.

Geospatial Postdoctoral Researcher at BISS

We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow with a strong academic interest in geoinformatics as well as human-computer interaction. The ideal candidate would be employed on the three-year BeNeDrone project. BeNeDrone is a cross-border research and innovation project aimed at unlocking the potential of medical drones for emergency and healthcare logistics. The project addresses the legal, logistical, and societal challenges of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to deliver critical medical goods like AEDs, blood, and organs quickly and efficiently across national borders.

You will be collecting and analyzing geospatial databases and – together with a data science engineer – be involved in developing algorithms to compute flight routes for medical drones. Together with a data science engineer you will be developing a dashboard for route navigation of medical drones and tests the human-computer interaction of such a dashboard with hospitals, legislatures and the general public.

You will be working in an interdisciplinary team at BISS in which all faculties of Maastricht University work together, focused on the use of Artificial Intelligence and data science to address societal and business challenges. All BISS projects pay attention to the ethical, societal, and legal aspects of applying new technologies to solve these challenges.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring
It’s not about ticking boxes – it’s about your expertise, motivation, and potential. Do you recognise yourself in the following?

• PhD expertise – You hold (or are close to completing) a PhD in geospatial science, geography (specialisation in GIScience), cognitive science, computer science, or cognitive/mathematical psychology.
• Human-computer interaction interest – You are curious about or experienced in technologies such as interactive websites and virtual reality simulations.
• Research track record – You have published in peer-reviewed journals in related areas.
• Language skills – You communicate effectively in Dutch and English. Proficiency in Dutch is essential for engaging with regional and national stakeholders.
• Collaborative mindset – You thrive in interdisciplinary teams but can also work independently and take initiative.

What we offer
As Postdoctoral Researcher BISS at Faculty of Science & Engineering, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale 11 according to UFO profile Researcher, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €4728,00 and €6433,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 36 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. 
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. 
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'. 

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Science and Engineering  
At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development.  FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention.  The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).  At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3700 students gather to explore e exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work!  
 

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses  
Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, the home of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to the largest chemical site in the Euregion, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.  

Brightlands Institute for Smart Society (BISS)
At Brightlands Institute for Smart Society (BISS), Maastricht University scientists work on innovative and responsible solutions to data challenges. All disciplines and faculties collaborate in applying data science and technology to solve real life societal and business needs. BISS was set up by Maastricht University, the Province of Limburg and APG.

BISS is located on the Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen, the Netherlands.
BISS’ mission is to empower people and organisations through the socially responsible application of digital technologies. We focus on privacy preserving technologies, on value creation from data, and on human-technology interaction.

BISS is part of Brightlands, an open innovation community in Limburg, The Netherlands with 29,000 innovative entrepreneurs, researchers and students. Every day they work on breakthroughs in the field of sustainability, health and digitization. At Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen they enable knowledge in the field of data science to lead to new smart digital services that improve the quality of life.

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact prof. Max M. Louwerse (max.louwerse@maastrichtuniversity.nl), prof. Gijs van Dijck (gijs.vandijck@maastrichtuniversity.nl) or Aleksandra Draper aleksandra.draper@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new Postdoctoral Researcher? Apply now, no later than 30 September 2025, for this position.
 

The first round of online interviews is preferably scheduled for the beginning of October. Second interviews may be held in person a few weeks later.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.