WEGO – PhD Positions

Well-being, Ecology, Gender and cOmmunity Innovative Training Network (WEGO- ITN)

Recruitment of 15 Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD Positions

Call for applications

Overview:

On behalf of the WEGO-ITN, The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam is pleased to announce the recruitment of 15 Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSCA) PhD positions (Early Stage Researchers). WEGO-ITN’s consortium is made up of scholar-activists working on feminist political ecology from ten institutions in five European Union countries: Germany, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom and eight institutions from six countries for training and secondments: Australia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Uruguay and USA.

The PhDs will be hosted at the beneficiary institutions of the WEGO-ITN: Freie Universität Berlin (FUB); Humboldt University Berlin (HUB); Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at Sussex University; Pangea Foundation (PF); Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU); The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam; University of Brighton (UofB); University of Passau (UPAS); IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft (IHE) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

The purpose of WEGO-ITN funded by the European Commission (2018-2022) is to develop a shared research and training agenda in order to educate the next generation of interdisciplinary social-environmental scientists on feminist political ecology in Europe. The network will look in detail at local communities’ coping strategies to build resilient, equitable and sustainable futures and how they link to global sustainable development policies. WEGO-ITN will research diverse economic and ecological practices that create new forms of gender relations, livelihoods and care activities, in response to growing lack of resilience of the economy and ecosystem. Through co-supervision by academics and non-academic partners, WEGO-ITN PhDs will engage in critical, practical, and creative exploration of the contribution and relationships between their individual doctoral study projects across the three interconnecting research themes: 1. Climate Change, Economic Development and Extractivism; 2. Commoning, Community Economies and the Politics of Care; and 3. Nature/Culture/ Embodiment and Technologies.

In addition to undertaking a doctoral research, the PhDs will engage in a series of collaborative research and training laboratories in order to develop advanced skills and expertise in tackling social-ecological challenges linked to policy agendas from a feminist political ecology perspective. The training laboratories will be held annually engaging with partners in the network from University of Auckland (UoA), University of Vermont (UVM), University of Western Sydney (UWS), Defensoria del Vecino de Montevideo (DVM), Island Institute (II), Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM), Associazione Culturale “Punti di Vista” (PDV) and Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

Please note this is a general call for the whole ITN WEGO. More specific requirements for individual selection criteria and information on financial support and remuneration will be available at the shortlisted stage.

Timeline:

The positions will be open for applications from 29 January 2018.

The deadline for applications is 12 noon, 1 March 2018.

Applicants will be informed if they are short listed by 31 March 2018.

Interviews of short listed candidates will be arranged and held by the host institutes in April and May 2018. Decisions will be known at the latest by 15 June 2018.

Starting date for the PhDs is 1 September 2018.

Duration of the PhD trajectory is 36 months.

 

Requirements:

The PhDs should apply for doctoral study in one of the 15 projects offered by the 10 hosting institutions. Please see the hyperlinks to the websites of the hosting institutions.

The candidate must have:

• good verbal and writing skills in English and where applicable be proficient in the relevant language for PhD project (i.e. Italian, Japanese, Spanish, German, Indonesian).
• be highly motivated, have a personal commitment to the research project as a whole, proven ability to work in a network and an aptitude to meet challenges.
• demonstrate an excellent understanding of feminist political ecology.
• have two – three years’ experience of working/campaigning/studying in the field of social-environmental science.
• be an early career researcher with less than 4 years of research since graduation.

 Work conditions:

• A full time contract with a competitive salary for 36 months. The remuneration of the recruited PhD is based on a monthly payment made up of living allowances, family allowance and mobility expenses where applicable and according to MSCA Horizon 2020 requirements.
• Office space in a professional and stimulating environment.
• Family friendly working conditions.

Applicants should submit all documents in English:

1. A proposal of between 1500 and 2000 words that elaborates your research motivation and interest, how you plan to undertake the research project for which you are applying. Candidates can only apply for one of the PhD projects. State your full name and the PhD topic for which you wish to apply on the proposal.
2. A copy of your Master’s Degree in the English language. Applicants should have obtained a Master Degree with a minimum grade of B+/ 2.1.
3. Proof of residency of the last three years (1 September 2015 to 1 September 2018). Applicants cannot have spent more than 12 months in the country (work/study/living) of the hosting institute in the 3 years immediately prior to the recruitment date of 1 September 2018. If an applicant had more places of residence in this period, please indicate the periods and countries.
4. A CV indicating clearly that applicants have not undertaken 4 or more years of research. Please note, the WEGO Network is particularly interested in early career scholars who are currently engaged in the political ecology activities. Your CV should therefore also indicate your engagement in communities, movements, non-government organisations you see as relevant for the societally relevant aspect of the WEGO-ITN.
5. The names of two referees. The referees of short listed candidates only will be contacted.
6. Applications should be sent to itnwego@gmail.com by 12 noon, 1 March 2018.
7. For inquiries, please write to itnwego@gmail.com.
8. General information on WEGO-ITN: https://www.iss.nl/en/research-15/research-programmes/projects/civil-society-and-market/research-projects/well-being.
9. General information about the Marie Sklodowska Curie (MSCA) Innovative Training Network program.

For more details refer: WEGO PhD Call for Applications