Postdoctoral researcher food system transitions and true pricing

Why is meat, and especially beef, still relatively cheap for consumers, and why is there resistance to implementing true pricing as a policy instrument for change?

This postdoc is part of the European FoodFutures Programme, a large interdisciplinary research consortium focused on transforming food production and consumption towards more sustainable and resilient systems in Europe. Within this position, you will lead the work package on identifying key actors, their interests and potential leverage points for systemic change in the protein transition.

Your work focuses on understanding how true pricing could function as a mechanism to accelerate this transition, and why its implementation remains limited despite growing policy and scientific attention.

You will lead a postdoctoral research project consisting of three interconnected studies on true pricing as a potential leverage point for systemic change in the food system.

Your work includes:

• developing a research protocol at the intersection of public health, sustainability science and system dynamics, using mixed and innovative methods;
• conducting a structured stakeholder analysis across Germany, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands, expanding towards international actors such as the European Commission and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO);
• performing 10–15 cognitive mapping interviews to explore stakeholder beliefs, attitudes and behavioural intentions regarding true pricing;
• facilitating two group model building workshops to co-develop a shared systems understanding of true pricing in the international food system;
• translating findings into a systems model that identifies dynamics, interdependencies and leverage points for policy and decision-making.

You will collaborate closely with a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen, who develops the legal, policy and scientific evidence base on true pricing and food system transitions. Your results will contribute to follow-up studies, including field experiments and policy advice.

There are also opportunities to contribute to teaching, for example within the University of Amsterdam Master’s programme Complex Systems and Policy and within the Faculty of Medicine.

In addition, you will contribute to scientific publications, grant applications and presentations at national and international conferences.

We are looking for a motivated researcher with strong analytical skills and an interest in systemic change in food systems.

You have:

• a PhD in public policy, public health, sustainability science or a related interdisciplinary field;
• experience with qualitative research methods, including interviews and thematic analysis;
• familiarity with systems thinking, transition studies or complexity approaches, or the ability to work with system dynamics outputs;
• strong analytical skills at the interface of empirical research, governance and normative questions;
• affinity with food system transitions, sustainability governance or climate- and health-related policy;
• experience with stakeholder engagement, co-creation or participatory research;
• excellent written and spoken English; Dutch is not required but considered an advantage.