PhD Position: Reconstructing Zeeland’s Holocene Landscape Dynamics
Explore Zeeland’s dynamic past landscapes through peat and sediment analysis to inform coastal resilience strategies.
Best for:Best for geoscientists with expertise in paleogeography, botanical reconstructions, or sediment analysis, eager to contribute to climate resilience research through interdisciplinary fieldwork and data integration.
Overview
This PhD position is part of the Re-Flex Zeeland project, which aims to reconstruct and visualize the natural landscape formation processes in Zeeland over the last 12,000 years. Funded by the Delta Climate Centre (DCC), the project involves a multidisciplinary collaboration between Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), NIOZ, Scalda, and UNESCO GeoPark Schelde Delta. The successful candidate will investigate landscape and ecosystem dynamics using fossil plant remains preserved in peat and lake sediments, focusing on transitions from peatland to intertidal environments. The work combines fieldwork, pollen analysis, and quantitative vegetation reconstruction, contributing to broader efforts in coastal dynamics modeling and historical landscape visualization. The role also includes co-supervising undergraduate and graduate thesis projects, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange.
What you'll do
- Design and execute fieldwork to map peat deposits and sediment locations along an east-west transect in Zeeland, collaborating with the Delta Climate Centre (DCC).
- Conduct pollen analysis and botanical composition studies on peat samples to reconstruct past vegetation and landscape dynamics.
- Integrate existing and new field data to improve understanding of peat-to-intertidal transitions during the Holocene.
- Contribute to computer simulations of coastal dynamics in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
- Co-supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis projects related to the project’s research themes.
- Present findings at academic conferences and publish results in peer-reviewed journals.
- Engage with local communities and stakeholders in Zeeland to contextualize research outcomes.
- Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and workshops with partners from NIOZ, Scalda, and UNESCO GeoPark Schelde Delta.
Requirements
Degree required: Master of Science (MSc) in Physical Geography, Earth Sciences, Landscape Ecology, or a closely related field.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English proficiency at C1 level or higher (or willingness to achieve this level through training).
Instruction: English
- Demonstrated experience in paleogeographic or botanical landscape reconstructions (preferably one of these).
- Proficiency in fieldwork techniques for sediment and peat sampling.
- Familiarity with pollen analysis methods and quantitative vegetation reconstruction.
- Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for geoscientific data.
- Willingness to travel to Zeeland for fieldwork and engage with local landscapes.
- Open to all nationalities.
- No age restrictions, but alignment with Dutch PhD candidate eligibility criteria (e.g., no prior PhD degree).
- Willingness to relocate to Utrecht for the duration of the PhD.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-11-01
Applicants must submit a CV, a motivation letter, and a list of academic references via email to the designated contact. Additionally, a research proposal outlining the candidate’s approach to the project’s objectives is required. Ensure all documents are in English and adhere to the specified format.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Motivation letter
- List of academic references
- Research proposal (2-3 pages)
Contact
First Last· PhD Position Coordinator
[contact phone not provided]
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