Research assistant co-lab mapping project

Contribute to 'just sustainability transitions' by improving aggregated data on collaborative housing across Europe to visualise the potential impact of extending decarbonisation.

Job description
You will work on the project "Co-JuST: Mapping Just Sustainability Transitions in Collaborative Housing" under the supervision of Dr Darinka Czischke. Co-JuST focuses on understanding the potential impact of collaborative living forms in the decarbonisation of the housing stock. Collaborative housing is becoming increasingly attractive for citizens, industry and policy-makers due to its alleged potential to contribute to 'just sustainability transitions', understood as inclusive, affordable and environmentally sustainable housing. From an environmental perspective, the principles of sharing and collectivity underpinning collective self-organised housing forms can have important benefits in terms of decarbonization. However, to understand the potential aggregate impact of these approaches it is necessary to quantify the actual and prospective share of collaborative housing out of the total housing stock. Currently, this data is scattered across national and regional levels, which prevents a comparative understanding of the potential impact of the sector. To overcome this limitation, Co-JuST will build on the existing online data platform CO-LAB MAPPING to visualise the potential aggregate impact of extending decarbonisation approaches in collaborative housing. This will include an in-depth analysis of a subset of collaborative projects to understand their Whole Life Carbon (WLC) emissions.
Within this framework, the researcher assistant will support the realization of the following project objectives:
1. Improve quality and coverage of aggregated data on collaborative housing projects in Europe.
2. Identify and characterise a set of collaborative projects focusing on inclusive environmental sustainability, operationalised in terms of 'Whole Life Carbon' footprint.
3. Explore the drivers, obstacles and enablers for reducing WLC in a sub-set of Dutch cases.

Key tasks to be performed by you as a research assistant will include:
- Liaising with organisations that collect data on collaborative housing across Europe (including the Netherlands);
- Refining and expanding datasets;
- Examining the collected data through quantitative, qualitative, and data visualisation methodologies;
- Producing research and analysis; updating and improvement of the online platform;
- Help organise workshops with different stakeholders in the Netherlands;
- Co-author research articles;
- Communicate project outcomes through a range of media and tools for policy, practice and academic audiences.

Requirements

• You have recently completed a MSc degree or a PhD in Architecture or a related discipline.
• Strong social science methodological skills (quantitative and qualitative), including:
  - Experience collecting and organising databases.
  - Experience designing and applying survey questionnaires and analysing findings.
  - Excellent command of Excel, SPSS and other data analysis software.
  - Experience conducting qualitative interviews.
• Graphic design skills (Websites, InDesign, etc.)
• Full proficiency in English and Dutch.
• Knowledge or affinity with the housing research field, and more specifically, collaborative housing.
• Knowledge or affinity with Whole Life Carbon approaches to assess decarbonisation.
• Experience preparing presentations and communicating complex findings to policy and practice audiences.
• Availability to carry out field work in the Netherlands.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.
At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Architecture & the Built Environment
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty's success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research', which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

The position will remain open until 24 November 2024 (local Dutch time + 2 hrs).

Application procedure
24 November 2024

• CV
• Motivational letter

Please note:

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• A knowledge security check will be part of the selection procedure.
• Applying for an exemption for specific research and educational areas is an obligatory part of the selection procedure for this vacancy. This exemption must be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) before an employment contract is agreed upon.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.