Postdoctor in project PLURALAKES

Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC) is a research centre on resilience and sustainability science at Stockholm University. The Centre advances the scientific understanding of the complex, dynamic interactions of people and nature in the Biosphere; train the next generation of sustainability researchers and leaders; and engage in collaborations with change agents. It is a joint initiative between Stockholm University and the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The SRC currently employs around 160 members of staff. More information about us, please visit: SRC.

Project description

The Postdoctoral Researcher will join the research project PLURALAKES: Co-creating desirable nature futures of temperate lakes, funded through the Water4All 2024 Joint Transnational Call on Aquatic Ecosystem Services. Many lakes in Europe reside in a degraded ecological state. PLURALAKES aims to enhance lake management strategies by integrating diverse values of nature into anticipatory governance processes, ensuring the long-term provisioning of ecosystem services. At the core of the project is the 'Nature Futures Framework' (NFF), a newly developed tool by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) to guide change processes towards desirable futures for nature and people. We will operationalize the NFF for lake ecosystems through case studies in three catchment areas in Northern Europe (United Kingdom, Finland and The Netherlands), which encompass many of the anthropogenic pressures faced by temperate lakes globally. The project integrates qualitative and quantitative methods—including participatory scenario planning, choice experiments, and process-based ecosystem modeling—to develop a scalable approach for sustainable lake ecosystem management, with relevance to temperate lakes worldwide.

PLURALAKES comprises five leading institutions across four countries: Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, Sweden; Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Helsinki, Finland; The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), Lancaster, United Kingdom; Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University, the Netherlands; and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Science (NIOO-KNAW).

The objectives are addressed by four interdependent work packages. These include coordinating knowledge integration and stakeholder engagement processes (WP1), developing systems knowledge (WP2), developing target knowledge (WP3), developing transformation knowledge (WP4), and overall project management (WP5).

Main responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Researcher will play a central role in the project by designing and coordinating the integration of knowledges across the work packages (WP1). The role also involves supporting stakeholder engagement processes in the case study areas. Additionally, the Postdoctoral Researcher will contribute to participatory futures processes in WP3 (visioning) and WP4 (pathway development), while assisting with the overall project management of PLURALAKES (WP5).

Qualification requirements

Postdoctoral positions are appointed primarily for purposes of research. Applicants are expected to hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent degree from another country.

Assessment criteria

The degree must have been completed at latest before the employment decision is made, but no more than three years before the closing date. An older degree may be acceptable under special circumstances. Special reasons refer to sick leave, parental leave, elected positions in trade unions, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances as well as clinical attachment or service/assignments relevant to the subject area.

In the appointment process, special attention will be given to research skills.

We seek a candidate with several of the following qualifications:

• Experience in water quality management and a comprehensive understanding of lakes as Social-Ecological Systems, including ecosystem services and their governance.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods and work across disciplines to address complex social-ecological challenges.
• Practical experience with participatory processes and co-creation methods, particularly involving diverse stakeholders.
• In-depth knowledge of sustainability transformations and the ability to apply this expertise to real-world processes for sustainable development.
• Proven expertise in futures-oriented approaches, such as scenario development, participatory visioning, or pathway modeling.
• Strong skills in research design, management, and coordination, especially in international and interdisciplinary team settings.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills (proficiency in Swedish is not required).

We are looking for a candidate who can work within a highly interdisciplinary team and action-oriented research project with researchers and non-academic actors from diverse backgrounds. You are responsible, responsive, and a good team player. You are self-motivated, take responsibility for your tasks and have a structured way of working. You are used to prioritizing and can keep an overview of a complex organization while delivering on concrete tasks.

About the employment

The position involves full-time employment for a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years, with the possibility of extension under special circumstances. Start date as soon as possible or as per agreement.

We offer

You will work in an international environment The SRC is located in Albano close to Brunnsviken and the National City Park with good transport links to the city.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

Further information about the position can be obtained from Dr. Jan Kuiper, phone: +46 737 07 88 70, jan.kuiper@su.se.

Application

Apply for the position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. 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 before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.