Vacancy: Postdoc on dynamics of interconnected crises in the global economy and the environment

The programme Global Economic Dynamics and the Biosphere (GEDB) is advertising up to two 2-year postdoc positions, on the topic of understanding how multiple shocks (social, economic, and environmental) combine to create global systemic crises. Of special interest is the mediating role of human-environment interactions and how shocks are transferred, absorbed, and linked together across space, time and sectors of society.

The postdoc(s) will focus on applying, combining, and developing new methods to empirically answer these questions. To achieve these goals, you will work with an interdisciplinary team of scientists based at GEDB and at our collaborating partners in Sweden and abroad. As the topic is highly interdisciplinary, we will welcome applications from candidates from a diversity of disciplinary and methodological backgrounds including, but not limited to, the computational social sciences and digital humanities.

Background to the call

The Anthropocene is characterised by rapid global environmental and social change with evidence of increasing frequencies of shocks to highly connected sectors of society. These shocks interact to reveal underlying vulnerabilities in national and global systems. Recent examples of these dynamics include the years from the great recession to the Arab uprising and refugee crises, and most recently the combination of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine threatening to create a global food security crisis.

This new landscape of interconnected crises emphasises the importance of understanding how components of the global system absorb, transmit and link together social and ecological shocks. However, there is a lack of empirical methods to study these questions. This postdoc will aim to develop such methods and apply them to test theories of global system dynamics and resilience under multiple crises. This will likely entail combining a diverse set of methods and data sources in innovative ways.

Qualifications

Applicants should be able to demonstrate a track record in research, including publications.

Selection of eligible candidates will be based on:

  • experience of working with highly interdisciplinary topics, including those related to the topic area of this position
  • demonstrated academic outputs in the form of scientific publications
  • willingness and ability to work as part of a transdisciplinary team
  • communication and presentation skills
  • good written and spoken English skills (Swedish is not a requirement).
  • the applicants personal references

Experience in handling both quantitative and qualitative data is valued (but not mandatory).

Terms of employment

The term of the initial contract is two years with conditional extension of contract depending on evaluation of academic outputs.

Please note that selection decisions cannot be appealed.

Application

NOTE: consolidate your documents into ONE SINGLE pdf – multiple documents will not be accepted, and make sure you include the reference ‘GEDB Biodiversity’ in the title.

Please include the following information with your application:

  • Your contact details and personal data
  • Your highest degree
  • Your language skills
  • Contact details for 2–3 references (NOTE: do not include reference letters.)
  • Cover letter, describing what makes you suitable for the project in question
  • CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of degree projects/theses/publications
  • Research proposal (no more than 1 page) describing:
    • why you are interested in the field/project described in the advertisement
    • why and how you might choose to complete the project
  • Degree certificates and grades confirming that you meet the general and specific entry requirements.

Send your application as a single pdf document to: GEDB_appl@kva.se with subject ‘Crises postdoc’

Closing date: March 31th, 2023.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted no later than the closing date. If you are selected for interview you will be asked to provide electronic copies of three of your most relevant works (degree projects or published articles) and letters of reference.

Contact

For specific questions about the positions, contact Peter Sögaard Jörgensen, psjorgensen@kva.se

Welcome to apply!

 

About the programme

The Global Economic Dynamics and the Biosphere (GEDB) is a research programme at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is funded by the Erling-Persson Family Foundation. Our aim is to conduct interdisciplinary research that improves understanding of the economic dynamics of global change in a biosphere context, and the implications and opportunities this presents for a sustainable future.