Three postdoctoral positions in Green Transitions and Climate Politics

Health/Life sciences

The Department of Anthropology and the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invite applications for three postdoctoral positions in green energy transitions, climate politics and democratic citizenship. Each position is for two years and is to be filled by 15 May 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Project affiliation
The positions are part of two interdisciplinary research projects:

  1. One postdoc with a background in political science and one postdoc with a background in anthropology (or related disciplines) will be affiliated to The Danish Model for Citizen Engagement in the Renewable Energy Transition (DART). The project is financed by the Innovation Fund’s Grand Solutions programme and the positions have a 24-month employment period. Primary workplace will be Department of Political Science (for the political science postdoc) and Department of Anthropology (for the anthropology postdoc).
  2. One postdoc with a background in anthropology (or related disciplines) will be affiliated to the project Designing Community Collaboration for Sustainable Energy Parks (DEEP). The project is financed by the Innovation Fund and the position has a 24-month employment period. Primary workplace will be Department of Anthropology.

About the DART project
The DART project is headed by Associate Professor Simon Lex and Professor with special responsibilities Lars Tønder. The objective of the project is to investigate public resistance, citizen engagement, and democratic participation in the context of the green energy transition in Denmark. While a vast majority of the Danish population support the green transition, there is still a significant concern and resistance from local citizens and interest groups when it comes to the implementation of wind turbines, solar parks, PtX facilities and nuclear plants. This has spurred industry and policymakers to view civil resistance as a potential barrier that risks slowing down the green transition. The DART project takes an alternative approach by proposing that protesters, through their interference with industrial and political interests, engage in and contribute to a broader societal debate about societal change and new forms of participatory politics. Thus, the project defines local resistance not as being anti-government or anti-green, but rather as a venue for citizens to perform a democratic citizenship. By adopting this approach, the research aims to achieve two main objectives: firstly, to map and analyze the reasons behind resistance and protest; and secondly, to design models that facilitate citizen engagement in democratic participatory processes. For more information about the project, please visit the following link: https://jura.ku.dk/clima/research/dart/

About the DEEP project
The DEEP project is led by Associate Professor Simon Lex and focuses on the development and design of multifunctional energy parks. The planning of the green transition in Denmark has spurred so-called "green-vs-green conflicts" among a wide range of environmental and sustainability interests and stakeholders. These conflicts revolve around concerns regarding the potential impacts on landscapes, wildlife, and local cultural ecosystems. By studying the planning and development of renewable energy parks, the project has two main objectives: firstly, to map and analyze the reasons behind such green-vs-green conflicts; and secondly, to design models that facilitate the development of multifunctional parks, which integrate recreation, environmental conservation, biodiversity, and renewable energy. For more information about the project, please visit the following link: https://anthropology.ku.dk/dep/news/2023/can-wind-turbines-and-nature-interests-go-hand-in-hand/

Job content
Each postdoc is expected to conduct individual research in close collaboration with the project groups, consisting of early career and senior scholars, as well as external partners from both public and private sectors. The research will primarily rely on qualitative fieldwork, quantitative surveys and social scientific analysis. Additionally, the project will involve experimentation with the design of models for engagement and innovative forms of democratic participation. There will also be limited contribution to teaching in relevant courses. The postdocs will be affiliated with world-leading research departments and contribute to researcher groups such as Nature, Environment and Climate (NEC), Organization and Economy (OREO), and Research group on Climate, Environment and Change (REGROUP) – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk). They will also engage with Green Solution Centre, a broader interdisciplinary initiative at the UCPH (https://greensolutions.ku.dk), as well as the national partnership “MissionGreenFuels” (https://missiongreenfuels.dk).

Qualifications
The candidates will be assessed according to the following qualifications:

  • Specialization: The candidates for the anthropological studies in DART and DEEP must have obtained a Ph.D. degree in anthropology (or related fields), while the candidate for political studies in DART must have obtained a Ph.D. degree in political science.
  • Qualitative and quantitative methods: Proficiency in conducting qualitative data collection and/or quantitative surveys.  
  • Critical analysis and academic writing: The ability to develop critical analysis and produce high-quality academic texts.
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration: Candidates should be able to actively participate in collaboration with researchers from other disciplines.
  • Workshop and seminar: Experience in conducting workshops and seminars with partners from public and private sectors.
  • Excellent English skills: Strong English language skills, both written and spoken.

Application  
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word. 
Your application must be written in English and include the following documents:

  • Application letter/cover letter – please indicate which of the three positions you apply for (max one page)
  • Project description (max two pages)
  • Curriculum vitae (with applicant’s e-mail & telephone number, one page)
  • Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, Masters diploma etc.)
  • Complete and numbered list of publications. The enclosed publications must be marked with *
  • Documentation of teaching qualifications and research dissemination if any
  • Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of two publications for assessment. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments

Strategy of the Faculty of Social Sciences
The Department of Anthropology and the Department of Political Science are part of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The Faculty is a successful academic community that strives to put knowledge into action by:

  • Engaging partners in the co-creation of knowledge, learning and social change.
  • Empowering our students to become reflective and responsible citizens who have the vision, the knowledge and the competences to change society for the better.
  • Energising global, European and Danish communities of knowledge by innovating research methodologies and by research findings with impact

For more on the Faculty strategy, see: https://samf.ku.dk/fakultetet/strategi/.

Terms of Employment

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here:  https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: https://ism.ku.dk/

Contact information
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk, please refer to ID number: 211-1674/23-2I.

Additional information about the position can be obtained from Simon Lex, simon.lex@anthro.ku.dk, +45 31432839 and Lars Tønder, lt@ifs.ku.dk, +45 35320489.

The closing date for applications is 29 February 2024 at 23:59 [CET]

Applications or enclosures received thereafter will not be considered.

Deadline: 2024-02-29 at 23:59
Unit: Health/Life sciences

Read the job description at the university homepage or apply.