PhD Position on Transforming Streetscapes for Healthier Cities

Faculty: 

Faculty of Geosciences

Department: 

Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning

Hours per week: 

36 to 40

Application deadline: 

15 May 2025

Do you want to do research to help create healthier urban environments? Do you want to leverage cutting-edge technology and innovative research to find out how our cities promote health? Join us as a PhD candidate!

While high-quality environments support good health, environmental stressors still contribute to an estimated 630,000 deaths annually in Europe. Traditional city-scale interventions such as air pollution and noise regulations fail to address the micro-scale variations in urban exposure that shape people’s daily health behaviors. Some local interventions, like creating parks, have shown benefits, yet large-scale implementation is often hindered by spatial constraints. What if we could harness the untapped potential of streetscapes to (re)design impactful, feasible, and widely accepted interventions that directly enhance public health?

In this PhD project, you will explore how street-level built and natural environmental changes influence people’s health and health behaviour. Using a novel combination of deep learning, street view imagery, and epidemiological methods, we aim to identify the most effective urban exposure modifications. This research will generate actionable insights to guide policymakers in designing healthier urban spaces.

You will be teaching in courses of Human Geography and Spatial Planning
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 for about 10% of your time.

Has this sparked your interest? We invite you to apply for our fully funded, full-time, four-year PhD position within the Exposome-NL Gravitation programme
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.

You are a motivated and proactive colleague who:

• has a Master’s degree in Environmental Epidemiology, Quantitative Geography, Spatial/Urban Data Science, or a related discipline (e.g., quantitative social sciences) by the start of the position;
• has proven experience in working with geographic data and quantitative methods (ideally in the health context);
• is a team player who can conduct academic research at the highest level;
• is fluent in English (C1 level) and has excellent communication skills;
• is well-versed in statistical programming languages, such as R or Python;
• (ideally) has gained some experience in writing scientific publications.

• A position for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment in the first year;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,901 and €3,707 (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)); 
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus; 
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU. 

In addition to the terms of employment
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 laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development
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, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities
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, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University
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.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University
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, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes
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. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow
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.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences
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studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

You will be supervised by Dr S.M. Labib
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, Dr Anke Huss
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, and Dr Marco Helbich
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.

Do you have any questions or require additional information about the position? Confidential inquiries can be directed to Dr Marco Helbich at m.helbich@uu.nl .

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home
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 for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send the following documents via the ‘apply now’ button:

• your motivation letter of max. one page in which you describe your motivation for this position, how your experience is relevant to the position, and how you can contribute to the project;
• your full curriculum vitae with detailed academic records, English proficiency score (if any), and other experience and relevant qualifications;
• the names and contact details of two referees whom we may contact;
• an official transcript of your grades during the Bachelor's and Master's studies as well as the diplomas;
• an example of your writing (e.g., a publication or your Master’s thesis).

Only complete applications received within the response period will be considered. Applications submitted via email will not be considered. Interviews will be conducted at the end of May or early June 2025. The intended starting date is 1 September 2025.

The application deadline is 16 May 2025.