Postdoctoral position in natural resources and sustainable development - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University is Sweden's largest and most versatile earth science department. We lead education and research in Geophysics; Air, water and landscape sciences; Natural resources and sustainable development; Mineralogy, petrology and tectonics; Paleobiology as well as Wind energy. More than 2,200 students attend our education at the undergraduate and graduate levels each year. We are around 250 employees and have over 30 nationalities represented at the department, in addition to Uppsala, also at Campus Gotland.

The position as postdoctoral researcher is placed within the research program Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRHU). NRHU research focuses on the availability, use and management of natural resources and ecosystem services as well as effects on the environment and society. The interdisciplinary research in NRHU acknowledges that the environment and its natural resources and ecosystem services constitute a prerequisite for strong sustainable development. Research themes in NRHU include urban ecology, livelihood diversity, recreational fisheries, global environmental change, etc. NRHU also hosts the Baltic University Program, the collaboration project Blue Centre Gotland and the Zennström guest professorship in Climate Change Leadership. NRHU is partly responsible for a Bachelor's programme in environmental science and master programs in sustainable development as well as sustainable destination development. For more information: http://www.geo.uu.se/research/natural-resources-sustainable-development/.

Project description: The research project “Blue urban commons: Using the case of street fishing for planning the sustainable and just city” is led by the NRHU research program. The aim of this research project is to assess how sustainable and fair use of urban blue spaces can be facilitated through planning, and how blue spaces can help make cities more sustainable. The value and function of urban ecologies for sustainable cities has recently been discovered, leading planning to create and open green urban space. Less attention is given to blueing urban space. Much, therefore, remains unknown not only about the aquatic ecologies of urban blue space, but also how urban dwellers use and interact with these ecologies. This project will investigate questions about aquatic ecological status of urban blue space, its access and use, and distribution of benefits to urban dwellers from a wide range of cultural and economic backgrounds, through a case study of recreational fisheries in Stockholm city. For this purpose, the research will integrate ecological and social scientific methods and involve an interdisciplinary team of highly skilled scholars. Results of the research will produce knowledge for planning that contributes to sustainable and fair use of blue urban space as common property. We are now recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to this project.

Duties: As postdoctoral researcher you are expected to contribute to the following project objectives.

• Investigate the historical-ecological development and use of urban blue space, in relation to the development of fisheries.
• Review and synthesise the ecological and biological studies and assessment of aquatic diversity in urban blue space.
• Construct a typology of use and valuation that describes and explains how urban dwellers fish in blue urban spaces.
• Investigate and theorise the role and function of urban fisheries for inducing sustainable attitudes among cityfolk, paying special attention to ‘local fisher knowledge’.
• Produce general insights from the case of urban fisheries for application in the planning of fair and sustainable use of blue urban spaces in the global North.

The postdoctoral position may include teaching to a maximum of 20% of full time. 

Requirements: To be eligible for a position as a Postdoctoral researcher, the applicant must hold a PhD or equivalent. The applicant's PhD degree should not have been awarded more than three years prior to the application date, although the degree date can be older if there are special circumstances. These special circumstances can be periods of sick leave, parental leave etc., which are deducted from the three-year period. The requirement for this position is a PhD in Urban Ecology, Sustainability Science, Environmental Sociology, Environmental Anthropology, Human Geography or equivalent competence.

Additional qualifications: In ranking eligible candidates, special importance will be given to scientific skills in relation to the subject area. In filling this position the University aims to recruit the person who, in the combined evaluation of competence, skills and documented qualifications, is judged most suitable to carry out and develop the work-in-hand and to contribute to a positive development of the department activities.

How to apply: The application should preferably be written in English and should include a short description of the applicant and her/his research interests. It should also include research plan, CV, copies of relevant examination certificates, a copy of the PhD Thesis and publications as well as other relevant documents (e.g. letters of recommendation or names of reference persons).

Salary: Individual salary.

Starting date: 01-10-2020 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to central collective agreement, until 30-09-2022.

Scope of employment: 100%.

For further information about the position please contact: Wynand Boonstra phone +46-730597749, e-mail wijnand.boonstra@geo.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 10 September 2020, UFV-PA 2020/2788.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.