Air Quality Research Fellowship 2026-2027 opportunities are now open at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, offering an excellent chance for motivated researchers to advance their expertise in atmospheric studies. This prestigious program invites applicants to contribute to cutting-edge projects focused on understanding and improving global air quality, making it an ideal pathway for those aiming to build a strong academic and research career.
Applicants must hold an MSc degree in physics, astrophysics, chemistry, earth sciences, or a closely related discipline. Strong skills in programming and data analysis are required, but the university encourages candidates from diverse academic backgrounds to apply, even if they do not meet every listed requirement. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam values inclusivity and welcomes individuals with unique strengths and perspectives to join their research community.
Benefits of Air Quality Research Fellowship 2026-2027
- Gross monthly salary starting €3,059 up to €3,881 in the fourth year
- Initial 1-year contract with potential extension up to 4 years contingent on progress
- 38-hour work week with generous holiday allowance, bonuses, and commuting contribution
- Access to sports facilities and hybrid working flexibility
- Collaborative environment across VU Amsterdam, TNO, and SRON
Eligibility for the Air Quality Research Fellowship 2026-2027
- Eligible Countries: All countries eligible to apply
- Acceptable Course or Subjects: Relevant fields such as physics, astrophysics, chemistry, earth sciences, or related disciplines
- Admissible Criteria:
- Master’s degree in a relevant subject
- Experience in computer programming and data analysis
- Interest in atmospheric modeling and satellite data assimilation
- Motivation to work on societally impactful environmental science
How to Apply for Air Quality Research Fellowship 2026-2027?
- Prepare an introductory letter explaining your motivation.
- Include your updated CV and relevant academic diploma(s).
- Add at least one reference letter as required.
- Go to the official VU Amsterdam vacancy portal (link provided).
- Submit all documents directly through the online application system — email submissions are not accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Air Quality Research Fellowship 2026-2027 offers a funded opportunity to study the impact of fire-smoke on urban air quality, using advanced atmospheric modelling and satellite data. It targets candidates with an MSc in relevant sciences, offers competitive salary and benefits, involves international collaboration, and starts after interviews in mid-January 2026.
What is the “Air Quality Research Fellowship 2026-2027”?
It is a PhD-level research position at a leading university, focused on studying how smoke from landscape fires impacts particulate air quality in major cities — especially in Asia and Africa — using atmospheric modelling and satellite data.
Which institution offers this fellowship?
The fellowship is offered by a well-established European university- collaborating through a consortium that includes a national atmospheric modelling institute and a satellite data research centre.
What will be the main tasks of the PhD researcher?
The PhD researcher will run the LOTOS-EUROS air-quality model with data assimilation of satellite observations, test and validate smoke-plume simulations against measurements, analyse smoke contribution to air pollution and publish results.
What geographic regions will the research cover?
The project will first apply and validate models using data from a European region with dense measurements, then extend the work to mega-cities in Asia and Africa, where only satellite data may be available.
What are the eligibility criteria for candidates?
Eligible candidates should hold an MSc in physics, earth sciences, chemistry, astrophysics or similar; have programming and data-analysis experience; and ideally be comfortable working with models and satellite data.
What type of contract and salary does the fellowship offer?
The fellowship begins with a one-year contract, with the potential to extend up to four years until dissertation completion. Gross monthly salary starts around € 3,059 and can rise to about € 3,881 in the fourth year.
What benefits accompany the fellowship?
Benefits include holiday allowance (8%), end-of-year bonus (8.3%), commuting expense contribution, access to sports facilities, and a generous holiday leave entitlement under a 38-hour workweek. Hybrid working is possible.
With which organisations will the fellow collaborate?
The fellow will be employed by the university, but will spend one day per week at the national institute that developed LOTOS-EUROS, and work as a guest researcher at the satellite-data centre supplying the required observations.
What outputs are expected from the fellowship?
The fellow is expected to run air-quality simulations, compare results against observations, analyse impacts on urban air quality, and contribute to scientific publications and conference presentations.
When will interviews take place and when does the fellowship start?
Interviews are scheduled for the week of January 12–16, 2026. The successful candidate is expected to begin soon after.
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