Postdoctoral Researcher for RELATE4NATURE Project
The aim of RELATE4NATURE is to ensure that the values of nature are better reflected in societal decision-making. Today, economic considerations often dominate, while values such as wellbeing, justice and people’s relationships with nature receive less attention. The postdoc project will develop and test new models for integrating these values into decision-making in areas such as agriculture, energy development, urban and regional planning, and nature management.
RELATE4NATURE will contribute to understand how to drive systemic and sustained transformations in socio-economic systems, ecological governance, and human-nature relations to secure a biodiversity-positive, climate resilient, and socially just future. The project responds to the global challenge of a lack of socio-economic models for recognising and embedding relational values (e.g. wellbeing, social cohesion, justice) alongside instrumental and intrinsic values in public and private decision-making.
The project provides synthesised and prioritised tools, methods and pathways to public and private decision-makers for assessing and scaling alternative socio-economic models. RELATE4NATURE co-develops, co-pilots and co-evaluates innovative combinations of established and alternative models tailored to the impact areas of agriculture and rewilding, green energy and biodiversity, nature-positive urban and regional planning, and ecological guardianship.
The Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3):
The Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) is an international research centre located in Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain). BC3’s vision is to steer climate change science towards the co-production of new knowledge and the co-design of policy solutions together with other stakeholders through a solid and transdisciplinary approach, with the ultimate goal to achieve more sustainable and just futures. Its mission is to co-produce knowledge and co-design policy solutions with stakeholders, integrating environmental, socioeconomic, and ethical dimensions to address the global challenges of climate change. Founded in 2008, BC3 has grown into a leading international research centre, recognized for its multi-scalar research with global reach.
Job description
The Postdoc will conduct critical literature reviews, ecological-economic modelling, as well as quantitative and/or qualitative empirical analysis, associated with a case study in the Basque Country. More generally, the researcher will support Prof. Unai Pascual to achieve the scientific objectives of the project, support in task management, and to collaboratively work, publish and help disseminate project findings.
The case study in the Basque Country involves the analysis of alternative models associated with the green energy transition in the context of spatial and landscape planning given land use trade-offs regarding biodiversity conservation. In addition, the case study will involve the co-design of innovative policy instruments and tools, together with relevant social actors, which account for the diversity of values of nature.
Key responsibilities
Conceptualization and development of a research design to analyse trade-offs of the green energy transition, nature’s diverse values, and social justice.
Generate and analyse quantitative and qualitative data based on a case study.
Carry out empirically-based research on a case study from the Basque Country using a mixed-based methodological approach including quantitative and qualitative research methods. This will involve applying a transdisciplinary approach, in turn requiring leading activities such as identifying and engaging with key stakeholders, conducting interviews, surveys, leading and facilitating focus groups and stakeholder workshops.
Review and synthesize the available scientific and grey literature to support the conceptual and empirical research.
Day-to-day assistance for the management of the project at BC3 to fulfil expected project deliverables and milestones, and collaboration with other researchers of the project consortium.
Contribute to support communication and dissemination of project activities and outputs (including project meetings, conferences, deliverables).
Lead and contribute to research articles for publication in peer-reviewed international scientific journals.
Main requirements/skills:
PhD in environmental or ecological economics, and related disciplines (e.g. political science, geography, environmental psychology, rural studies, development studies). Other related degrees might also be evaluated.
Proven quantitative and/or modelling skills (e.g., statistics, econometrics, GIS), and in qualitative research methods (e.g., critical discourse analysis, content analysis).
Demonstration of a track record of peer-reviewed publications as well as the ability to initiate and complete original research.
Research experience and knowledge of the literature on topics closely related to the project including, environmental valuation, plural values, green energy transition, biodiversity conservation, social-ecological frameworks, transformative change, scenario modelling, rural development, and knowledge integration.
Fieldwork experience for primary data collection
Ability to coordinate and contribute to research teamwork and conduct transdisciplinary work with local stakeholders.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Excellent written and oral command of English.
Desirable requirements/skills:
Knowledge of EU level and national or/and international green energy and biodiversity conservation related policies, concepts and frameworks around “ecosystem services”, “nature’s contributions to people”, “nature’s values”, “environmental justice”.
Experience in environmental valuation methods and tools
Knowledge of transdisciplinary methods and / or multi actor research
Good knowledge of Spanish and/or Basque languages.
Benefits and work environment
Interdisciplinary and inspiring work environment.
35-hour week work calendar.
30 days of vacation per year.