Huub Dijstelbloem researches the relationship between science and politics. More specifically, he studies the interaction between knowledge development and decision-making, particularly around questions that have a technological dimension, spark social debate or involve normative and scientific uncertainties. His current research focuses on the long-term viability of food systems and the digitisation of border controls and surveillance of travellers. Bringing together the fields of philosophy of science and political philosophy, his research employs a combination of conceptual, normative and empirical approaches.

Dijstelbloem has worked as a senior research staff member and project coordinator at the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) since 2009, and as a lecturer in Philosophy of Science at the UvA since 2005. From 2006 to 2009, he worked as a programme coordinator at the Rathenau Institute. Dijstelbloem is a member of the Advisory Board of the UvA's Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies and a board member of the Netherlands Graduate Research School of Science, Technology and Modern Culture (WTMC). He was previously also a member of the editorial board of Krisis, an open access, peer-reviewed journal for current issues in philosophy.

Dijstelbloem has edited a large number of books, including Bestemming gewijzigd. Moderniteit en stedelijke transformaties (2013, co-edited with Hans Harbers, Rob Hagendijk and Pauline Terreehorst), Onzekerheid troef. Het betwiste gezag van de wetenschap (Van Gennep 2011, co-edited with Rob Hagendijk), Migration and the New Technological Borders of Europe (Palgrave 2011, co-edited with Albert Meijer), De Migratiemachine (Van Gennep 2009, co-edited with Albert Meijer), Reshaping the Human Condition. Exploring Human Enhancement (Rathenau 2008, co-edited with Leo Zonneveld and Danielle Ringoir) and Politiek vernieuwen. Op zoek naar publiek in de technologische samenleving (Van Gennep 2008). In addition, he has contributed to many WRR reports and surveys, including Publieke zaken in de marktsamenleving (Amsterdam University Press 2012) and Het gezicht van de publieke zaak. Openbaar bestuur onder ogen (Amsterdam University Press 2010, co-edited with Paul den Hoed, Jan Willem Holtslag and Steven Schouten). He has also authored several book chapters and articles on topics related to science, democracy and technology.