Governance, Social shaping of technology, Sociology of enterprise Tilburg University in Netherlands

12 Sep 2025
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Tilburg University

Research Field

Political sciences » Governance
Sociology » Social shaping of technology
Sociology » Sociology of enterprise

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

3 Oct 2025 - 21:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Hours Per Week

40.0

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Are you interested in exploring how firms can collectively contribute to decentralized, sustainable energy systems? Are you curious about how digital platforms connect businesses with distributed energy resources to enable energy sharing, reduce grid congestion, and enhance sustainability? Are you motivated to investigate the types of governance arrangements that make these platforms work in practice? Are you eager to advance academic knowledge and make practical contributions to the energy transition? If so, this postdoctoral position offers you the opportunity to investigate these questions as part of the SYNERGY project, a collaborative research project funded by NWO.

The SYNERGY project brings together a large consortium of researchers from multiple Dutch universities and knowledge institutes (Tilburg University, Eindhoven University of Technology, Utrecht University, University of Twente, Delft University of Technology, Avans University of Applied Sciences, TNO) and several societal partners (e.g., Province of Noord-Brabant, Tilburg Municipality, RVO, Enexis). Together, the consortium investigates the role of social dynamics in the energy transition.

Job description
Within the SYNERGY project, the postdoc will contribute to work package 2, “Decentralized energy systems and SMEs: governing energy hub platforms”. The transition to a decentralized, sustainable energy system depends on collective energy solutions involving groups of business end-users. One such solution is the energy hub, a smartly controlled, decentralized energy system established in a business park, where multiple companies coordinate the generation, storage, and consumption of renewable energy. To make this coordination possible, digital platforms play a crucial role. They connect the businesses within the hub to distributed energy resources, enabling energy sharing, reducing grid congestion, and enhancing sustainability.

Your research will investigate the governance models adopted for energy hub platforms. These include, for example, decision-making processes, coordination mechanisms, and the allocation of roles and risks among participating actors. These governance decisions will impact the implementation of energy hubs. The project’s partners will facilitate connections with energy hubs in Noord-Brabant and other regions in the Netherlands, allowing you to combine theoretical and empirical insights.

In this role, you will contribute to both academic knowledge and practical impact. Tasks for this postdoctoral position include:

writing at least one high-quality research paper fit for an international scientific journal;

co-developing a decision-making tool based on your research to support stakeholders involved in energy hubs;

co-organizing one or more workshops that bring together academics and practitioners to discuss your findings and develop practical tools;

actively participating in academic conferences, consortium meetings, joint research activities and workshops;

leading co-creation processes and knowledge exchange activities with both academic and non-academic partners.

contributing to the activities of the university-wide Academic Collaborative Center for Climate and Energy at Tilburg University.

You will be supervised by Dr. Francesca Ciulli (Tilburg University), with co-supervision from Prof. Anna Wieczorek (Eindhoven University of Technology) and Dr. Christina Bidmon (Utrecht University).

As postdoctoral researcher, you will be embedded in the Department of Organization Studies at Tilburg University, where researchers examine the adaptiveness of organizations from a relational perspective, with sustainability and digitalization as key themes. In addition, you will be affiliated with the University-wide Academic Collaborative Center on Climate and Energy, which brings together researchers and societal partners to address challenges related to climate change and the energy transition. You will also regularly visit the co-supervisors’ institutions, i.e., Eindhoven University of Technology and Utrecht University.

You will have access to a wide network of academics, policymakers, and practitioners, and work in a supportive, inspiring, and collaborative research environment.

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/jobs/354764/postdoctoral-researcher-for-the…

Requirements
Specific Requirements

Below, we outline our expectations of the candidate. We are aware that no candidate may fully meet all requirements. We therefore invite candidates to indicate in their motivation letter not only which requirements they meet, but also which ones they would like to develop further.

For this position, we are looking for a researcher who:

• has completed or is about to complete a PhD thesis in Organization Studies, Management, Business Administration, Public Governance, Data Science, Transition Studies, or a related discipline;
• has excellent verbal and written communication skills, both in Dutch and in English. For this position, proficiency in both Dutch and English at CEFR language level C2 is required (Europese taalniveaus CEFR. (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 );
• has demonstrable knowledge of or expertise in scientific research related to digital technologies, digitalization and/or digital transformation;
• has demonstrable knowledge of or expertise in scientific research related to sustainability, preferably in relation to climate change and/or the energy transition;
• has excellent qualitative research skills and data analytical abilities;
• is a strong collaborator and connector who enjoys working in interdisciplinary teams and can easily engage with researchers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds;
• is proactive, can work independently, and brings creativity and vision to their work;
• has excellent project management and organization skills.

Research experience on topics related to governance and/or inter-organizational collaboration is an asset, but not required.

Additional Information
Benefits

For this position we offer you:

• A position based on 1 FTE (40 hours per week);
• A salary of minimum €3,546 and maximum €4,728 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile Researcher 4 and salary scale 10. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience. For this position, we are specifically looking for a candidate who has some years of experience but is not at a senior level as a postdoc.
• This is a vacancy for a temporary position in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 sub b CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of 24 months.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave.
• Hybrid working with home working allowance (€2 p/day) and internet allowance (€25 p/month).
• Reimbursement for sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle or personal training.
• Budget for participation to academic conferences and trainings.
• Moving allowance (subject to conditions).
• Employees from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a tax-free allowance of 30% of their taxable wages, we apply for this compensation for you;
• A pension with ABP; the largest Dutch pension fund.
• Training in personal development, career development, leadership, education, and research, or a language course at our Language Center.
• A work culture in which we embrace differences, everyone is welcome and given equal opportunities.
• A vibrant campus in green surroundings that is easily accessible by public transport.

Please visit working at Tilburg University  for more information about our terms of employment.

Selection process

Letter selection is scheduled on 8 October, 2025; you will receive notification from us shortly thereafter. The selection procedure consists of two rounds of interviews. The first interviews will be scheduled in the week of 20-24 October, 2025, per video call. The successful candidate would ideally be able to start working for Tilburg University on January 1, 2026.

The selection committee consists of:

Francesca Ciulli, Associate Professor, Department of Organization Studies, Tilburg University

Anna Wieczorek, Full Professor, Eindhoven University of Technology

Christina Bidmon, Assistant Professor, Utrecht University

Jörg Raab, Full Professor and Head of the Department of Organization Studies, Tilburg University

Remco Mannak, Assistant Professor, Department of Organization Studies, Tilburg University

This vacancy has been published simultaneously internally and externally. In case of equal suitability, our preference is for an internal candidate.

Additional comments

Would you like to know more before applying? Please feel free to contact dr. Francesca Ciulli ( [email protected] ).

We kindly invite you to apply before October 3 ; this can only be done online . Your application should include the following documents:

• A letter of motivation explaining your motivation for doing a postdoc, your interest in the position and in the research topic, as well as your competence in the research field (e.g., emphasize any publication or paper under development on a topic related to the focus of the postdoc).
• Your CV including academic qualifications, relevant knowledge, relevant research experience, list of publications and contact details of two referees (we only approach referees for candidates invited to the second round of interviews).
• A writing sample, for example a forthcoming paper or a chapter from your PhD thesis, in English.

All documents should be in English.

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/354764/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Tilburg University

Country

Netherlands

City

Tilburg

Postal Code

5037 AB

Street

Warandelaan 2

Geofield

Contact

City

Tilburg

Website

http://www.uvt.nl/

Street

Warandelaan 2

Postal Code

5037 AB

STATUS: EXPIRED

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