Schools are increasingly investing in nature-based schoolyards to support healthy child development while also enhancing biodiversity and climate resilience. These benefits may extend to surrounding communities. Within the Resilient Roots project we are looking for a Postdoctoral researcher (postdoc) that wants to help us understand how nature-based schoolyards can support community use and wellbeing.

The Resilient Roots project is a European collaboration between universities, municipalities, and NGOs in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain. In this project, we will examine how we can scale the use and implementation of nature-based schoolyards throughout Europe by focusing on their governance and management, educational use, and community use and wellbeing. The postdoc will work exclusively on the Resilient Roots project and will be based in the Netherlands.

The postdoc will help coordinate and manage the project, including overseeing progress monitoring and project reporting. The postdoc will also conduct research on how nature-based schoolyards can support community use and wellbeing. This research involves case studies in four European cities using observations and surveys, stakeholder interviews, and participatory co-design of strategies to improve community use and wellbeing. The postdoc will lead the scientific publications arising from this research and will contribute to project deliverables.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to an interdisciplinary and international project at the intersection of urban nature and wellbeing. It provides opportunities to develop an international network in the field and build an independent research profile. The position is 0.8fte. The appointment will initially be twelve months, with the possibility of extension for up to three years, subject to satisfactory performance.

Requirements

We are looking for a candidate with a (nearly) finished PhD on the topic of nature-based schoolyards, nature and health and wellbeing, public health, human geography, urban studies, or a closely related field. We are looking for somebody who can support project management tasks and design, conduct, and report on scientific research under supervision.

Requirements for the position are:

A (nearly) finished PhD on a topic related to nature-based schoolyards within a relevant field, such as (environmental) psychology, sociology, geography, urban studies, or health sciences
Excellent verbal and writing skills in English and preferably also in Dutch as the research includes interviews and participatory research with Dutch stakeholders
Demonstrable experience in designing, conducting, and reporting on both qualitative and quantitative research
Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to set priorities, define objectives, and effectively manage activities, timelines, and resources
Well-informed about national and international scientific, societal, and policy developments relevant to the field.

Interviews will be scheduled on Friday 27 November 2026.

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Contract terms

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

a salary of minimum € 3.706,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 5.760,00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
a position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year. Afterwards, the possibility of expansion exists.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
group insured for partial disability with employer contribution of 50% of the premium
space for personal development
the possibility to work partly from home

Postdoc Nature-based schoolyards

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