Research Associate for CLICCS - Climate, Climatic Change, and Society Program

Apr 18, 2019 | Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences / Institute of Geography of Universität Hamburg
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CLICCS is an ambitious research program at Universität Hamburg and its partner institutions. Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), it is part of Germany’s Excellence Strategy. The program aims to understand climate changes, taking into account internal variability, extreme events, and unexpected side effects, addressing the natural and social spheres as well as their interactions. Thus CLICCS’ overarching research question is: which climate futures are possible and which are plausible? CLICCS will investigate how climate changes and how society changes with it, thereby feeding back on climate. It will identify those climate futures that are consistent with both climate and social dynamics (possible), and those we expect to unfold with appreciable probability (plausible).

The position in accordance with Section 28 subsection 3 of the Hamburg higher education act (Hamburgisches Hochschulgesetz, HmbHG) commences on 1. July 2019. This is a fixed-term contract in accordance with Section 2 of the academic fixed-term labor con- tract act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG). The term is fixed for a period of 3 years. The position calls for 39 hours per week.

CLICCS offers accompanying measures to help scientists thrive through all stages of their careers.

Responsibilities:

Duties include academic services in the project named above. Research associates may also pursue independent research and further academic qualifications.

Specific Duties:

The research associate will explore possible and plausible scenarios of the interconnected dynamics of climate and security in complex crisis constellations. The focus is on the impact of climate change and weather extremes on human security, physical safety and social stability, the water-food-energy nexus, rural-urban interaction, migration and violent conflict as well as cooperation and resilience. To understand climate futures in regional “hot spots”, analysis of model-based pathways will be combined with stakeholder perceptions. An integrative frame- work serves as a basis for a mixed-methods design, with qualitative data collection in expert interviews, focus groups, surveys and document analysis, as well as quantitative data gathering with geographical information systems, agent-based participatory modeling and social network analysis.

Requirements:

A university degree in a relevant subject plus doctorate, in a relevant field qualifying to carry out the above-mentioned responsibilities and duties, in geography and geosciences, or related disciplines. Welcome are skills in relevant quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including data gathering, field research, geographical information systems, agent-based modeling, theories and models of social and political dynamics. Desirable are the ability to conduct independent research, present and disseminate results, and work in teams, organizational skills, strong oral and written communication skills.

The University aims to increase the number of women in research and teaching and explicitly encourages women to apply. Equally qualified female applicants will receive preference in accordance with the Hamburg act on gender equality (Hamburgisches Gleichstellungsgesetz, HmbGleiG).

Qualified disabled candidates or applicants with equivalent status receive preference in the application process.

For further information, please contact Prof. Jürgen Scheffran (Juergen.scheffran@uni-ham- burg.de) or consult our website at https://www.cliccs.uni-hamburg.de/.

Applications should include a cover letter, a tabular curriculum vitae, and copies of degree cer- tificate(s). Please send applications (1 single PDF file) by 17. May 2019 to: cliccs-applications.cen@uni-hamburg.de.

Please do not submit original documents as we are not able to return them. Any documents submitted will be destroyed after the application process has concluded.