Postdoc in Energy Justice and Participatory Governance

Want to drive just energy transitions? Joins us in engaging vulnerable communities and empower citizens in shaping inclusive energy renovation and governance.

Job description

TU Delft is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to contribute to two major LIFE_CET EU-funded projects: HANDS-ON and IRENE. These projects focus on fostering energy justice, participatory governance, and inclusive energy renovations through multi-stakeholder institutions and policy innovation. The postdoc will support the design, implementation, and evaluation of participatory methods, governance structures and justice frameworks that promote social equity, energy democracy, and just clean energy transitions. The position is embedded within TU Delft’s interdisciplinary research on systemic design, sustainability transitions, design anthropology, and governance for social and environmental justice. The selected candidate will work closely with researchers, policy and change-makers, municipalities, and citizen groups across Europe.

The postdoc will support TU Delft’s leadership in multiple work packages and tasks across HANDS-ON and IRENE, including: the co-development of an energy and climate justice framework and co-design of just local governance institutions to empower citizens in local and regional climate-related decision-making (e.g. energy renovations); the co-development of a collective and reflexive monitoring platform and participatory tools to enable learning and transformative process while collectively assessing the emergence and effectiveness of institutional learning by doing practices; the co-organisation of multi-stakeholder assembly sessions and capacity-building workshops to support municipalities in integrating just and clean energy transition principles.

Job requirements

• A PhD in Design Research, Sustainable Urban Living Labs, Social Innovation, Sustainability Transitions, or a related field.
• Strong background in transdisciplinary research, participatory design, capacity building for local and regional governance, citizen engagement and social justice frameworks.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods, particularly for the development of reflexive monitoring and impact assessment, design ethnography, policy analysis, and co-design methodologies.
• Proven ability to work in interdisciplinary teams and engage with local and regional authorities, civil society organizations, vulnerable and underrepresented citizens, and energy experts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; knowledge of Dutch or other European languages is a plus.
• Strong project management and coordination skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and work packages.
• Familiarity with energy justice, housing renovation policies, and citizen engagement in energy transitions.
• Experience in developing digital tools for participatory governance, monitoring and impact assessment.
• Previous involvement in EU-funded projects and/ or collaborative research with municipalities, policy and change makers.
• Ability to translate research findings into systemic interventions

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Industrial Design Engineering

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Delft designers act as a bridge between advances in technology and the needs of people, organisations and society to create products, services and systems with purpose.

IDE is a leader in design research across the application areas of mobility, sustainability and health, as well as its development of design tools and methods. A 350-strong research team and over 2,000 students work together in our inspiring hall, labs and studios.

In close cooperation with industry, the public sector and NGOs we rehearse possible futures in research and education to design for a complex future.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 3 years.

• A job of 30-32 hours per week. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. 

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.  . 

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Natalia Romero-Herrera: N.A.Romero@tudelft.nl 

For more information about this vacancy procedure, please contact Amanda Nieuwpoort, hr-hcd@tudelft.nl 

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 1 May 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV

• Motivational letter

You can address your application to Nathalia Romero Herrera.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.

• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.

• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.