Post-Doctoral Position for the project ‘DECADE – Decarbonization and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
MCC’s working group on Climate and Development is looking to recruit a post-doctoral researcher focusing on the political economy of climate change mitigation policy in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research will be linked to an externally funded project and involves qualitative field research and quantitative data analysis.
Position
The successful candidate will be based at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) in Berlin. She or he will actively be involved in the project ‘DECADE –Decarbonization and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa’ funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. She or he will carry out qualitative field research and quantitative data analysis in selected Sub-Saharan African countries in cooperation with colleagues at MCC and project partners in Germany and Sub-Sahara Africa.
More specifically, the successful candidate will carry out interviews to identify the most important political and societal actors in the field of energy- and climate policy, their underlying interests and how they influence the formulation of energy and climate policies. This line of research is part of a long-term effort aiming to establish a database of country case studies that can be used for comparative analysis. Further, she or he will analyze data from household surveys to assess carbon footprints and how households of different types would be affected by climate change mitigation policies. Next to being published in academic journals, the insights of both analyses are intended identify politically feasible climate measures that do not have adverse consequences for the poorest parts of the population.
The successful candidate will also have the possibility to contribute to the supervision of PhD and Master students as well as the project management, including the organization of stakeholder workshops.
Qualifications
Applicants should hold a PhD in economics or another social science, such as political science.
Experience with qualitative research, in particular designing and carrying out semi-structured expert interviews, as well as field experience in Sub-Saharan Africa would be valuable for the intended research. Skills in data processing are a requirement, and experience with software packages such as R or Python would be an asset. A background in environmental – or climate policy is an asset but no requirement. Proficiency in English is a prerequisite, knowledge in French or Portuguese would be an additional asset. The candidate should have demonstrated her or his potential to publish in the international peer-reviewed literature.
Appointment terms
The candidate is envisaged to start December 1st, but the position will remain open until filled. Salary for the position is according to the wage agreement in the German public sector (TV-L level 13, 100% position). The contract duration is three years. MCC follows a recruitment strategy that promotes equality, diversity and tolerance. MCC aims to increase the share of women in post-doctoral research positions and encourages women to apply for this position. MCC provides a collaborative and interdisciplinary research and working atmosphere. It provides an exciting, international and family friendly working environment that offers flexible working hours and possibilities for home office.
Applications
Please send your application by e-mail with reference number PD_2018_5 until November 15 to Ms. Liane Otto, otto@mcc-berlin.net , with an electronic application containing the following (in one single pdf file):
• Motivation letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• One representative academic paper
• Copies of relevant certificates
Please also provide contact details of two academic references. Applications that are received after that date may still be considered if no suitable candidate could be identified earlier. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for a job interview. Appointment is conditional on final approval by the funding agency. For further content-related questions please contact Dr. Jan Christoph Steckel.
Portrait of the MCC
MCC was founded in 2012 by Stiftung Mercator and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and since 2014 it is affiliated with the Technical University (TU) Berlin. Our research addresses the grand challenges of climate change and of governing the global commons. Our research is rooted primarily in economics and other social sciences. We provide scientific policy advice and aim to identify policy-relevant solutions. Cooperation with high-profile international partner organizations provides a network of excellence and foster the high quality of the research at MCC. Within a few years, MCC has established itself prominently in the climate policy research landscape, ranked as No. 1 of climate think tanks in Europe.
For more information about the institute, please visit www.mcc-berlin.net . A detailed description of the working group “Climate and Development” can be found here.