PhD candidate for the project: "Food systems education"

Across the world, food systems are under increasing pressure. From climate change and biodiversity loss to food insecurity and social inequality, the challenges we face are deeply interconnected and systemic in nature. Addressing them requires not only technological innovation and policy reform, but also more fundamental shifts in how people understand, relate to, and engage with food. In this context, education plays a vital role — but what kinds of teaching and learning are truly transformative? And how do current educational approaches enable or constrain change?

This research will be carried out within the System Earth Science group at Maastricht University’s Campus Venlo and will be co-supervised by Dr Madhura Rao and Prof Dr Pim Martens.

Job Description
As a PhD candidate in this project, your research will explore how knowledge about food and food systems is created, circulated, and contested across a range of educational settings. You will investigate the role of both, formal education (e.g. school curricula and university programmes) and informal modes of learning (e.g.  food literacy campaigns, activist-led movements, and social media narratives). Your research will ask critical questions about whose knowledge is legitimised or marginalised, who is positioned as the educator or learner, and how education can foster more inclusive, reflective, and action-oriented approaches to food systems transformation. You will also explore how inter- and transdisciplinary pedagogies can be meaningfully embedded in food systems education. Empirical work may be grounded in regional, cultural, or institutional settings of your choice, in discussion with the supervisory team.

Where are you going to work? 
The successful applicant will be based at the System Earth Science Research Institute located at the Maastricht University Greenport Venlo Campus in the Netherlands.

Requirements
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who has:

• Successfully (or nearly) completed a master’s degree in food systems science, food studies, environmental studies, science communication, pedagogical sciences, education or a related field;
• A strong interest in sustainable food systems, planetary health, and inter- and transdisciplinary education;
• A good understanding of traditional as well as creative qualitative research methods;
• Excellent communication skills in English (C1 level), including scientific writing and presenting;
• The ambition to share their research findings within and outside the academic community via conferences and outreach activities;
• The ability to work independently while collaborating with an interdisciplinary and international research team.

Other job-related requirements are:

• you can be (or have been) in a PhD programme, but you cannot be a PhD holder;
• you must have less than 4 years of research experience, i.e., you should be an early-stage researcher.

What we offer
As a PhD candiate at the 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 according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary from €2901,00 in the first year and €3707,00 gross per month in the fourth year (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 12 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow. 
• 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.  

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Dr. Madhura Rao via m.rao@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information. 

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD candidate? Apply now, no later than 2 July 2025, for this position.

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.