Postdoctoral Fellow to project INSPIRI

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 INSPIRI: Imaginative Narratives and Scenarios for insPIring Restoration and Innovation for European seas and water systems. Progress toward the European Green Deal, the Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters, and related EU climate, biodiversity, and pollution targets is hindered by governance barriers such as mistrust among decision-makers, lack of public support, and modest policy action. Building on creative participatory methods, the INSPIRI project will contribute to overcoming these challenges. The INSPIRI consortium will innovate by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to imagine aspirational futures for EU waters using the Nature Futures Framework. Through case studies across the four Mission Lighthouse regions, we will co-create visions of desirable futures for ocean and water systems with stakeholders in the following case studies: the Danube Basin, the Bay of Biscay, the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Aligned with key EU strategic objectives and targets, these will then become goals for back-casting and modelling regional scenarios. The outputs from both visioning and modelling exercises will serve as inputs into regional Transformation Labs that bring together decision and policy-makers, experts and other stakeholders from the Lighthouse regions to chart actions towards implementing sustainable futures for EU waters. We will develop innovative scientific and artistic visualizations in each case study as well as at the pan-European level for both 2030 and 2050 time-horizons. Finally, through a creative, multi-layered communication, dissemination, and exploitation strategy, leveraging the full potential of art-science collaboration for motivating change, we will inspire key target groups to take meaningful action. Our consortium, collaborating closely with the Mission Lighthouses and governance structures, brings together world-class expertise in stakeholder engagement, visioning, modelling, policy analysis, and art-science collaborations to ensure we can deliver on the ambitious work plan. All our data will contribute to the European Digital Twin of the Ocean. Overall, INSPIRI will support action to achieve an ambitious EU vision for its waters by 2050.

INSPIRI is a European Commission funded project comprising 9 leading institutions across four countries: SRC and Planethon in Sweden, ZRS in Slovenia (lead), USC in Spain, IIASA in Austria, IRD and CNRS in France, CNR in Italy, and WWF Romania.

The objectives are addressed by work packages, focused around the main actions of the research. WP1: Inspire through arts-based initiatives, WP2: Imagine through visioning workshops, WP3, Test through modelling, WP4: Action through T-labs and WP5: Co-ordinate. SRC is leading WP2 with CNRS and IRD, and is a co-lead of WP1 and WP5 and contributing to the modelling in WP4. SRC is the lead for the Baltic Sea case study.

Main responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Researcher will play a central role in the project by undertaking the methodological development for the visioning exercises using the Nature Futures Framework in conjunction with the case study leads and helping with the workshop process, analysis and results (WP2). The role also involves supporting stakeholder engagement processes in the case study areas and working closely with Planethon to contribute to the arts-based processes (WP1) and the T-labs (WP4).

Qualification requirements

In order to qualify for a Postdoctoral position, applicants are required to hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent relevant degree from another country. The degree must have been completed no later than when the employment decision is made.

Assessment criteria

It is considered an advantage if the doctoral degree or an equivalent degree was completed no more than three years prior to the application deadline. Under special circumstances, an older degree may also be an advantage. Special circumstances 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:

• Proven experience futures-oriented approaches, such as scenario development, participatory visioning, or pathway modeling., especially familiarity with the Nature Futures Framework.
• 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.
• An interest in or experience in using arts-based approaches or working across arts and the humanities.
• In-depth knowledge of sustainability transformations and the ability to apply this expertise to real-world processes for sustainable development.
• Strong skills in research design, management, and coordination, especially in international and interdisciplinary team settings.
• Demonstrated academic publishing record (commensurate with career stage).
• Excellent written and spoken English skills (proficiency in Swedish is not required). Proficiency in Spanish, French, German, Slovenian, Swedish, or Romanian would be a bonus.

We are looking for a candidate who can work within a highly interdisciplinary team and in an action-oriented research project with researchers and non-academic actors from diverse backgrounds. Our preferred candidate needs to be responsible, responsive, a good team player and happy to work independently on tasks. They must be self-motivated, proactively take responsibility for their tasks and have a structured way of working and communicating. They should be happy with prioritizing tasks, potentially working on multiple things simultansously whilst keeping an overview of a complex organization and 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 September 1 or as per agreement.

We offer

With us, you will experience the dynamic interaction between higher education and research that makes Stockholm University an exciting and creative environment. You will work in an international environment and get favourable conditions. The university is located in 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 Laura Pereira, laura.pereira@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.