The research of the post-doc will be focusing at the modeling of human behaviour in selected cases of local social innovation (projects at neighborhood level). The HUMAT framework, developed in an earlier project (SMARTEES, see https://local-social-innovation.eu) will be used as architecture for developing a simulated population for selected cases. Empirical data will have to be collected and implemented to construct a valid and representative population. Simulation runs will produce different scenarios of a project implementation, and reveal how different citizens may experience and respond to such implementations. These runs will serve as input for workshops where citizens will jointly discuss the implementation of a project.

Qualifications

UCG is looking for candidates with the following credentials:

• a (nearly completed) PhD
• experience in using social computational methods, in particular agent-based modeling
• having an interest in social change towards sustainability
• programming skills (preferably Netlogo)
• experience in cross-disciplinary research
• preferably experience in working in interdisciplinary (research) teams
• team player and good communicator
• excellent command of the English language and excellent writing skills.

Competences of a postdoctoral researcher:

• conceptual capacity and creativity
• social-environment orientation
• presenting and writing skills
• result orientation

Organisation

Full title: Post-doc position at the Groningen Center for Social Complexity Studies (GCSCS), University College Groningen (UCG), The Netherlands 1.0 (FTE)

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative Center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Balanced study and career paths in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 36,000 students and researchers to develop their own individual talents. Belonging to the best research universities in Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.

The University College Groningen (UCG) is a faculty of the University of Groningen. The UCG community is internationally oriented, with staff and students from across the globe. UCG is primarily an educational faculty addressing global challenges from a multi disciplinary perspective. The GCSCS is being hosted by the UCG, and is connecting researchers from different faculties at the UG.

About the project and your contribution

The post-doc will work on the INCITE-DEM project. The INCITE-DEM project is a Horizon 2020 project aimed at simulating social dynamics in community-based projects. An existing modelling approach, called HUMAT, that has been developed in a previous EU project (SMARTEES, see https://local-social-innovation.eu) will be used to develop models of empirical cases. In the research project the aim is to study if such simulations of communities can contribute to a dialogue between people having different perspectives and interests in a project. In particular the inclusion of more vulnerable people in local democratic processes is at focus.

The project is envisaged to start in February or March 2023.