After completing her degree in Social Geography and Urban and Regional Planning, Arlette worked as a junior lecturer at Utrecht University. She then moved into public administration as a researcher at Tilburg University and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, conducting research into the governance of transitions, such as the Regional Energy Strategies (RESs), nature and nitrogen policies, and the National Programme for Rural Areas. In addition, as a freelance investigative journalist, Arlette researches local urban issues in her home city of Rotterdam, such as poverty and greening.