Informally; The successful applicant would work closely with me on all ABM-related work. If you are curious about the project, the department, and/or living in Aarhus, Denmark, please do not hesitate to get in touch (arthur@mgmt.au.dk).
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The Department of Management at Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, invites applications for a three-year postdoctoral position in the international Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded project “PlantTip”. The positions are connected to the MAPP research centre.
MAPP is a world-class interdisciplinary research centre at Aarhus University conducting social science research of highest quality. MAPP is dedicated to research on food systems that results in relevant and positive societal impact (for more information see www.mapp.au.dk).
The starting date is between May 1 and September 1, 2025, subject to mutual agreement.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded project “PlantTip” aims to identify societal tipping points in consumer food behaviour in Denmark, with a focus on accelerating the green transition towards a sustainable food system. This interdisciplinary project takes a dual-track approach, combining experimental research (lab-based, in-situ, survey) with simulation-based modelling using agent-based models (ABMs). The two tracks will inform and feed back into each other: the ABM track will help identify key areas of investigation and inform the design of experiments, while the experimental track will provide valuable behavioural data to validate and refine the ABMs. The project is a joint project of Aarhus University, Copenhagen Business School and Democracy X, and collaborates with amongst others Stockholm Resilience Centre and the chair of International Political Economy and Environmental Politics, ETH Zurich.
The ideal candidates are expected to contribute to the overall objectives of the project by being involved in the research, the ongoing development of the project and collaboration between the different partners, writing research articles, and dissemination to the research community and the public.
The positions in the project are full-time research positions. However, in case it is of interest for the candidate, and in agreement with the department, the employment may additionally involve teaching assignments.
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join our team and lead the development of the ABM component. The successful candidate will work closely with the experimental research team to ensure that the models are grounded in empirical evidence and that the insights gained from the models inform the design of experiments. The ultimate goal is to create a set of robust and data-driven models that can simulate the impact of policy interventions on consumer decisions and contribute to our understanding of how to more quickly reach a more sustainable food system through more sustainable food consumption in the form of more plant-rich diets.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement agent-based models (ABMs) to simulate consumer food behaviour and policy interventions
- Collaborate with the experimental research team to design and inform experiments, and to integrate empirical data into the ABM framework
- Analyse and interpret simulation results, and communicate findings to stakeholders and the research community through presentations and academic publications
- Work closely with project partners and stakeholder input to ensure that the ABMs are relevant, useful, and informed by real-world concerns and data
- Contribute to the development of a modelling framework that can be used to evaluate the impact of different policy interventions on consumer food behaviour
- Participate in project meetings, workshops, and conferences to present research findings and engage with food sector stakeholders
- Publish research results in top-tier academic journals and present at international conferences
Qualifications:
- PhD in a field relevant for the project task, such as computer science, complexity science, economics, sociology, or environmental science, etc.
- Strong background in agent-based modelling and simulation, with experience in developing and applying ABMs to complex social-ecological systems
- Excellent coding skills in NetLogo and Python, or strong coding skills in other languages and a desire to learn
- Experience with data analysis of agent-based modelling data
- Strong understanding of behavioural theories and models of human decision-making
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills with ability to work effectively with researchers from diverse disciplines and backgrounds
It is a plus to have experience working with experimental data and integrating empirical insights into simulation models, and/or to be familiar with food systems and sustainability research, including knowledge of policy interventions and consumer behaviour change strategies. Note that you do not need to be able to speak Danish.