PhD Student in Environmental Intervention and Air Quality
Investigate how local environmental interventions and societal transitions impact air pollution and public health.
Best for:Best for quantitative researchers with a master's degree in environmental science, data science, or public health who have strong programming skills in R or Python and fluent Dutch proficiency.
Overview
This PhD position at Utrecht University's Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS) investigates the impacts of local environmental interventions and societal transitions on air quality. Working within the NWA-ORC ExpACT project, the successful candidate will use practical Living Labs and data-driven methods to evaluate measures such as airport closures, railway noise barriers, and agricultural adjustments. The role involves close collaboration with citizens, professionals, and academic partners to co-create research questions and integrate advanced monitoring technologies. Candidates are expected to combine quantitative data analysis with stakeholder engagement to assess health-related air pollution dynamics across the Netherlands.
What you'll do
- Investigate how local interventions and societal transitions influence air pollution levels within designated ExpACT Living Labs.
- Collaborate with citizens and professional stakeholders through co-creation to shape research questions and evaluate practical utility of monitoring tools.
- Integrate newly developed sensor technologies and modeling techniques into practical field settings.
- Analyze spatial and quantitative datasets related to agricultural emissions, railway pollutants, and ultrafijnstof near aviation sites.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of measurement and modeling methods in capturing the real-world impact of environmental measures.
Requirements
Degree required: Master's degree in environmental sciences, exposure science, public health, data science, statistics, computational science, or a related field
Degree offered: PhD
Language: Dutch (good command is a requirement for stakeholder co-creation) and English (excellent spoken and written proficiency)
Instruction: English / Dutch
- Programming experience in R and/or Python
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills
- Interest in measuring and modeling air pollution and environmental exposure
- Ability to work independently and contribute to an international multidisciplinary team
- Good command of spoken and written English
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-11-30
Submit your application through the official university portal by the specified deadline using the provided online link.
- CV
- Cover letter
- Master's degree certificate or transcript
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