Sweden: Senior Researcher, Climate Change and Risk Programme

Jul 6, 2021 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
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The Senior Researcher leads and develops high-quality research to better understand the security risk and opportunities for peace in regions highly exposed to climate change. This includes research on how climate-related security risks evolve and how they are interlinked with different social, political and economic processes, including violent conflict. The aim is research that is policy-relevant and supports, among others, multilateral organisations’ responses to climate-related security risks.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is seeking a talented Senior Researcher for its Climate Change and Risk (CCR)  Programme that provides a unique opportunity to engage with both policy and academia. 

Context

SIPRI is an independent international institute whose core mission is to undertake research and activities on security, conflict and peace. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, the media and the interested public. SIPRI provides excellent opportunities for scientific and personal development. SIPRI is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all over the world.

The Senior Researcher position

The primary responsibilities of the Senior Researcher is to deliver high-quality research on climate-related security risks, which also includes managing staff delivering on this agenda, disseminating research to various audiences, and fundraising for research activities.

Within the Climate Change and Risk programme, the Senior Researcher will have a critical role in maintaining  the high quality and relevance of SIPRI research. Depending on the profile, the Senior Researcher is expected to develop their own research agenda oriented towards:

• when, why and for whom climate-related security risks arise (in a specific geography or geographies),
• or how organizations are able to efficiently respond to those risks and proactively promote peace,
• or a combination of the two.

The Senior Researcher will moreover collaborate with the Programme Director and other researchers in the CCR programme on other work streams, which include, but are not limited to research on climate security risk assessments, environmental peacebuilding, violent conflict, food insecurity and conflict prevention.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Senior Researcher is responsible for:

• Designing, conducting, writing, and disseminating high-quality research;
• Communicating research findings through research papers, journal articles, reports, policy briefs and other outlets;
• Preparing well presented, effectively argued and properly budgeted research proposals to secure future funding both for her/his own research and for other research carried out within the CCR Programme team and the Peace and Development research area;
• Collaborating with the Programme Director on budgeting and financial management for the research within the CCR Programme;
• Collaborating on issues related to climate change and risk with other authors at SIPRI;
• Networking with relevant researchers, policy makers and civil society actors in Sweden and internationally, in close collaboration with the Programme Director;
• Mentoring and managing research assistants and researchers, including promoting and disseminating their research;
• Contributing to the success of the annual Forum on Peace and Development;
• Taking part in, and contributing to, the collective life of the Institute by participating in seminars, Research Staff Collegium meetings and other collective activities.

Requirements

The Senior Researcher on Climate Change and Risk should have strong knowledge of the dynamics of violent conflict and peacebuilding processes, especially with regards to security risks posed by climate change and environmental degradation. The Senior Researcher should also have a profound interest and experience in providing policy relevant analysis.

The successful candidate will have the following experience and skills:

• A university degree or degrees, in a discipline relevant to this post at the Doctoral level, or publications to a Doctoral degree standard.
• Five years experience as a researcher initiating and carrying out their own research projects on issues related to climate-related security risks and experience of managing researchers and research assistants;
• Strong knowledge of issues relating to climate-related security risks, either more broadly or in-depth in a specific sub-area (e.g. peace and conflict, development, migration, or organisational responses);
• Strong knowledge of qualitative research methods;
• Good knowledge of the multilateral system, preferably United Nations and/or African Union;
• A record of publications that is commensurate with the length of time worked in research;
• Experience and interest in providing policy relevant analysis;
• Proven ability to work and deliver in small teams;
• Ease of working in oral and written English, with further language proficiency being an advantage.

Contract period

Starting September 2021, or as soon as possible, the contract period will initially last for 3 years with possibility of extension. The post is full-time.

The post is open to all applicants globally that fit the requirements for the position. It should be noted that the post requires that the candidate becomes a resident in Stockholm, Sweden by the time of employment.

The salary package will be negotiated individually.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit:

• A one-page cover letter in English detailing your qualification and specifying why you are applying for this position (1 page);
• A CV in English including your degrees, work experience, publications, language skills and contact details for two referees; and
• Two writing samples in English (articles, book chapters or substantial pieces of writing up to 10 000 words). It is preferred that at least one sample is single-authored.

In order to be considered in the recruitment process, the application must be made via the form in the vacancies section of SIPRI’s website and not through any other external job sites. 

Please observe that you must apply via our electronic application system. Please access the form via the ‘apply’ button at the end of this page.

The closing date for applications is 4 August 2021 (CET).

Interviews are expected to be held virtually during August and September. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. 

For enquiries regarding the position, please contact: Dr Florian Krampe, Programme Director, Climate Change and Risk Programme, SIPRI, florian.krampe@sipri.org

SIPRI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

The trade union contact persons at SIPRI are Pieter Wezeman for ST (pwezeman@sipri.org) and Jiayi Zhou for Saco-S (zhou@sipri.org)