Postdoctoral Position in Computational Modelling of Attitude–Behaviour Diffusion and Social Tipping in Climate-Relevant Transitions

The University of Amsterdam is offering a postdoctoral position within the NWO Vidi project ROOTS, led by Associate Professor Vítor V. Vasconcelos. The research focuses on computational modelling of attitude–behaviour diffusion and social tipping in climate-relevant transitions. The project aims to develop synthetic but realistic networks, building on ongoing work in realistic network creation and the dynamics of these networks under privacy constraints. The postdoc role is intentionally broad, allowing for flexibility based on the candidate's strengths. Potential tasks include mean-field, agent-based, and network-based modelling; studying mechanisms for adoption, reversal, and backlash/polarization; theory-to-model translation; validation and robustness; and the development of software and reproducible pipelines. The position encourages scientific leadership and mentoring as the modelling stack matures. Ideal candidates will have a background in (socio)physics, complex systems, network science, applied mathematics, or computational science, and should be interested in working at the intersection of mechanism, data, and policy relevance. The team values collaboration and scientific initiative. The appointment is for 12 months, with a possible extension to 24 months. The preferred start date is 1 September 2026, and the application deadline is 30 April 2026. The position is fully funded by the NWO Vidi project, though specific salary or stipend details are not provided. For more information or to apply, candidates are encouraged to review the LinkedIn post or contact Vítor V. Vasconcelos via LinkedIn. This opportunity is ideal for researchers interested in computational modelling, climate transitions, and interdisciplinary approaches to complex systems.