PhD Positions in Environmental Psychology University of Groningen, Department of Psychology

The University of Groningen, The Netherlands, enjoys an international reputation as one of the leading research universities in Europe. It has a large international network and an excellent reputation for academic teaching in virtually every field. The University of Groningen is socially active and offers its 6,000 staff members and 30,000 students a stimulating environment for their talents and ambitions. Groningen is an ideal, safe student city with many social and cultural activities. The Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences is a center of knowledge focussing on individuals and society. The faculty studies issues relating to human behaviour, the relationships between people, and society as a whole. Within the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, psychological research is integrated in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour that focuses on social behaviour, and integrates basic and applied research. This implies an emphasis on experimental paradigms with considerable ecological validity, and on applied research that has the potential to contribute to theory development. The philosophy is that basic research needs to have relevance for phenomena in society, and that applied research needs to be theoretically relevant. The applied research within the present programme is conducted with respect to a variety of issues, including the environment, health, traffic, integration and immigration, and work, and is guided by common theoretical frameworks. Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen has a national and international reputation for excellence. Research within the Environmental Psychology group focuses on a wide range of topics, including individual and situational factors influencing sustainable behaviour (such as household energy use, car use, food consumption); effective ways to promote sustainable behaviour; the acceptability of energy sources, systems and policies; and the effects of sustainable behaviour on wellbeing. The research has the explicit aim of both contributing to theory development and practice. The research is embedded in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour, as well as in two of the focus areas of the University of Groningen: Energy and Sustainable Society. The group collaborates with scholars from different disciplines within and outside the University of Groningen, as well as with governments, NGOs, and various business organisations (e.g. energy companies). Job description Technological advances as well as environmental ambitions require a structural change in our current energy system. This energy transition will greatly affect the lives of all people, and it is the acceptance and proper adoption of the new system by end users that determines its success. Therefore, psychological research on the key factors that determine acceptance and proper adoption of new energy systems plays an important role in this transition. The Environmental Psychology group at the University of Groningen offers 2 PhD positions on the acceptance and adoption of energy system integration and energy management systems. Both positions are funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and involve collaboration with other disciplines as well as organisations outside the university. PHD POSITION 1 (1.0 fte) - VACANCY NUMBER 216171 The first PhD position is part of the ERSAS project: ‘Incentives and algorithms for efficient, reliable, sustainable and socially acceptable energy system integration'. The project aims to study how to realise efficient, reliable, sustainable and socially acceptable energy system integration from an interdisciplinary perspective. ERSAS will examine how to synergise infrastructure for gas, electricity and heat, and how to promote efficient use of such energy system by end users. You will examine the acceptability and effects of financial and social incentives that aim to encourage end-users to match energy demand to the local fluctuating supply of various renewable energy sources, as to increase the efficient use of the local energy grid. You will study the conditions under which different incentives are effective, as well why different incentives are (not) effective. You will collaborate with researchers from the Engineering and Technology Institute at the University of Groningen, who will examine how to synergise and couple infrastructure for gas, electricity and heat, and develop control algorithms that enhance the efficiency, stability and sustainability of such integrated energy systems. Together with the engineers, you will study how effective incentives can be integrated in the algorithms aimed to control integrated energy systems. Also, you will study which factors affect the willingness of users to accept and use the proposed integrated system functionalities. Besides, you will collaborate with the energy companies Enexis and Alliander, and the research Institute TNO. The company representatives will deliver key data for the project, critically follow research progress, and use research findings as input in their decision-making. PHD POSITION 2 (1.0 fte) - VACANCY NUMBER 216172 The second PhD position is part of the “MERGE” project. MERGE aims to develop an energy managing system and related user interface that can match demand and supply from various energy sources and that is likely to be adopted and properly employed by (potential) users. Future energy systems will integrate energy from various sources. These systems can be tailored to user preferences. To secure efficiency of the system, the system requires almost continuous decisions making. You will study the impact of user autonomy versus system automatization in these decisions, as well as the role of feedback on encouraging energy conservation and reducing user frustration. You will collaborate with researchers from the faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University of Groningen, in designing a user interface based on your findings. The interface and connected system will be installed in buildings of the municipality of Groningen and tested on employees and visitors. This field experiment will be an important part of your project. Other partners in the project are the Province of Groningen and GasTerra, both organisations will use your research findings as input in their decision-making. Job description Both projects will involve questionnaire studies, scenario studies, and experimental (field) studies. You will publish the results of your studies in international scientific journals, which will be part of your PhD thesis. Moreover, you will present your studies at international conferences. You will devote part of your working time to teaching courses within the Department of Psychology, including the master programme Environmental Psychology. You will be a member of the Environmental Psychology Group, and your research will be embedded in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour and in the Dutch Kurt Lewin Institute. Qualifications We are looking for a PhD student who is highly motivated to work on this project, and is particularly interested in conducting theory based research with a high societal relevance. You have a creative, critical and independent research attitude, and are open to different perspectives. You can work independently, but can also collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and with practitioners. You have completed a master in Psychology with a focus on Environmental Psychology, or a scientific education that is closely related to this, or you expect to receive such a master degree soon. You have good communication skills in English and Dutch, both verbally and written (or willingness to learn Dutch). Conditions of employment The University of Groningen offers a salary of € 2,174 gross per month in the first year of the appointment, rising to € 2,779 gross per month in the fourth year for a fulltime position. This temporary position lasts four years. You will first be appointed for a period of 18 months. After a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended for the remaining part of the project. Intended starting date is as soon as possible. The job interviews are scheduled at Thursday 23 June 2016. Candidates can be asked to give a presentation. Application You may apply for this position until 12 June / before 13 June 2016 Dutch local time by means of the application form. Clearly indicate whether you apply for position 1 (vacancy number 216171) or 2 (vacancy number 216172) or for both. To apply, click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website. Your application should include your motivation, curriculum vitae, individual mark sheets, contact information of at least two academic references and a list of course grades. Acquisition is not appreciated. Information For information you can contact: Prof. Linda Steg, +31 50 3636482 / +31 50 3636386, e.m.steg@rug.nl Dr Kees Keizer, +31 50 3636461 / +31 50 3636386, k.e.keizer@rug.nl (please do not use for applications) If you apply for this position please say you saw it on Psychoneuroxy Apply

The University of Groningen, The Netherlands, enjoys an international reputation as one of the leading research universities in Europe. It has a large international network and an excellent reputation for academic teaching in virtually every field. The University of Groningen is socially active and offers its 6,000 staff members and 30,000 students a stimulating environment for their talents and ambitions. Groningen is an ideal, safe student city with many social and cultural activities.

The Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences is a center of knowledge focussing on individuals and society. The faculty studies issues relating to human behaviour, the relationships between people, and society as a whole. Within the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, psychological research is integrated in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour that focuses on social behaviour, and integrates basic and applied research. This implies an emphasis on experimental paradigms with considerable ecological validity, and on applied research that has the potential to contribute to theory development. The philosophy is that basic research needs to have relevance for phenomena in society, and that applied research needs to be theoretically relevant. The applied research within the present programme is conducted with respect to a variety of issues, including the environment, health, traffic, integration and immigration, and work, and is guided by common theoretical frameworks.

Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen has a national and international reputation for excellence. Research within the Environmental Psychology group focuses on a wide range of topics, including individual and situational factors influencing sustainable behaviour (such as household energy use, car use, food consumption); effective ways to promote sustainable behaviour; the acceptability of energy sources, systems and policies; and the effects of sustainable behaviour on wellbeing. The research has the explicit aim of both contributing to theory development and practice. The research is embedded in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour, as well as in two of the focus areas of the University of Groningen: Energy and Sustainable Society. The group collaborates with scholars from different disciplines within and outside the University of Groningen, as well as with governments, NGOs, and various business organisations (e.g. energy companies).

Job description

Technological advances as well as environmental ambitions require a structural change in our current energy system. This energy transition will greatly affect the lives of all people, and it is the acceptance and proper adoption of the new system by end users that determines its success. Therefore, psychological research on the key factors that determine acceptance and proper adoption of new energy systems plays an important role in this transition. The Environmental Psychology group at the University of Groningen offers 2 PhD positions on the acceptance and adoption of energy system integration and energy management systems. Both positions are funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and involve collaboration with other disciplines as well as organisations outside the university.

PHD POSITION 1 (1.0 fte) - VACANCY NUMBER 216171
The first PhD position is part of the ERSAS project: ‘Incentives and algorithms for efficient, reliable, sustainable and socially acceptable energy system integration'. The project aims to study how to realise efficient, reliable, sustainable and socially acceptable energy system integration from an interdisciplinary perspective. ERSAS will examine how to synergise infrastructure for gas, electricity and heat, and how to promote efficient use of such energy system by end users.

You will examine the acceptability and effects of financial and social incentives that aim to encourage end-users to match energy demand to the local fluctuating supply of various renewable energy sources, as to increase the efficient use of the local energy grid. You will study the conditions under which different incentives are effective, as well why different incentives are (not) effective. You will collaborate with researchers from the Engineering and Technology Institute at the University of Groningen, who will examine how to synergise and couple infrastructure for gas, electricity and heat, and develop control algorithms that enhance the efficiency, stability and sustainability of such integrated energy systems. Together with the engineers, you will study how effective incentives can be integrated in the algorithms aimed to control integrated energy systems. Also, you will study which factors affect the willingness of users to accept and use the proposed integrated system functionalities.

Besides, you will collaborate with the energy companies Enexis and Alliander, and the research Institute TNO. The company representatives will deliver key data for the project, critically follow research progress, and use research findings as input in their decision-making.

PHD POSITION 2 (1.0 fte) - VACANCY NUMBER 216172
The second PhD position is part of the “MERGE” project. MERGE aims to develop an energy managing system and related user interface that can match demand and supply from various energy sources and that is likely to be adopted and properly employed by (potential) users.

Future energy systems will integrate energy from various sources. These systems can be tailored to user preferences. To secure efficiency of the system, the system requires almost continuous decisions making. You will study the impact of user autonomy versus system automatization in these decisions, as well as the role of feedback on encouraging energy conservation and reducing user frustration. You will collaborate with researchers from the faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University of Groningen, in designing a user interface based on your findings. The interface and connected system will be installed in buildings of the municipality of Groningen and tested on employees and visitors. This field experiment will be an important part of your project.
Other partners in the project are the Province of Groningen and GasTerra, both organisations will use your research findings as input in their decision-making.

Job description
Both projects will involve questionnaire studies, scenario studies, and experimental (field) studies. You will publish the results of your studies in international scientific journals, which will be part of your PhD thesis. Moreover, you will present your studies at international conferences. You will devote part of your working time to teaching courses within the Department of Psychology, including the master programme Environmental Psychology. You will be a member of the Environmental Psychology Group, and your research will be embedded in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour and in the Dutch Kurt Lewin Institute.

Qualifications

We are looking for a PhD student who is highly motivated to work on this project, and is particularly interested in conducting theory based research with a high societal relevance. You have a creative, critical and independent research attitude, and are open to different perspectives. You can work independently, but can also collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and with practitioners. You have completed a master in Psychology with a focus on Environmental Psychology, or a scientific education that is closely related to this, or you expect to receive such a master degree soon. You have good communication skills in English and Dutch, both verbally and written (or willingness to learn Dutch).

Conditions of employment

The University of Groningen offers a salary of € 2,174 gross per month in the first year of the appointment, rising to € 2,779 gross per month in the fourth year for a fulltime position. This temporary position lasts four years. You will first be appointed for a period of 18 months. After a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended for the remaining part of the project.

Intended starting date is as soon as possible.

The job interviews are scheduled at Thursday 23 June 2016. Candidates can be asked to give a presentation.

Application
You may apply for this position until 12 June / before 13 June 2016 Dutch local time by means of the application form. Clearly indicate whether you apply for position 1 (vacancy number 216171) or 2 (vacancy number 216172) or for both. To apply, click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website.

Your application should include your motivation, curriculum vitae, individual mark sheets, contact information of at least two academic references and a list of course grades.

Acquisition is not appreciated.