About the Programme
With 200 years of history, around 38,000 students, more than 6,000 employees, the University of Bonn is one of the top universities internationally and in Germany, where it has been awarded the title of Excellence University.
The Development Geography and Environmental Governance Research Group in the Department of Geography is seeking to recruit a doctoral candidate (55% contract for 3 years) as soon as possible, to be based in the Department of Geography. The Department has over 200 employees, including 14 professors active in teaching and research, who receive support from the central administration.
The research group led by Prof. Jessica Budds explores processes of socio-ecological change and how they shape the lives, livelihoods, landscapes, and identities of local people, primarily in the Global South. Through a broadly-defined political ecology approach, we are particularly interested in understanding how socio-ecological change is shaped by political and/or economic power relations at different spatial and temporal scales, as well as how the forms that socio-ecological change takes may consolidate existing power structures and discourses.
We invite applications grounded in critical perspectives to nature-society relations to contribute to the work of the group in the following areas:
- Neoliberalism and nature
- Environmental governance
- Water security and hydrosocial relations
- Extractive industries
- Urban infrastructure, risk and resilience
- Green economy and adaptation to climate change
Proposals to conduct theoretical and field-based work are equally welcome. Regional foci of particular interest are South America and East Africa.
Further information on the research group is available via our webpage.
Job description
The doctoral candidate will pursue a research within the scope of the research group, on which they will write and defend a doctoral thesis. This entails:
- formulating an innovative and critical research aim and question;
- undertaking research training;
- reviewing literature and constructing a conceptual framework;
- where appropriate, designing methodology for empirical work and planning and conducting fieldwork;
- analysing data and writing up results;
- presenting findings and writing academic publications;
- assisting with research funding applications and the organisation of academic events (e.g. workshops);
- preparing, delivering and assessing undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in accordance with a teaching load of 2.5 hours per week per semester;
- supporting student assistants;
- contributing to the administration of group activities.
Person specification
Essential:
- good Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in human geography or a cognate discipline (e.g. development studies, environmental studies, anthropology, sociology, politics);
- research interests and proposal within the thematic and conceptual scope of the research group;
- knowledge of and/or engagement in current debates in critical human geography and political ecology;
- experience of fieldwork using qualitative research methods;
- commitment, flexibility, good self-organization, and the ability to work independently and as part of a team;
- ability and willingness to travel overseas, including to the Global South;
- strong academic presentation and writing skills;
- very good command of English.
Desirable:
- research and fieldwork experience in the Global South;
- contribution to publications;
- proficient second language of relevance to the PhD project;
- working knowledge of German.
Work environment
- a well-resourced, culturally-diverse and respectful workplace;
- a varied and demanding position with one of the largest employers in the region;
- opportunities for professional development and networking;
- professional pension scheme (VBL);
- good physical exercise and sports facilities;
- support for international researchers;
- funding according to salary scale 13 TV-L.
The University of Bonn is committed to diversity and equal opportunities. It is certified as a family-friendly university. Its aim is to increase the proportion of women in areas in which women are underrepresented and to promote their careers in particular. It therefore strongly encourages applications from women with relevant qualifications. Applications are handled in accordance with the North-Rhine Westphalia Land Equality Act. The applications of suitable persons with proven severe disabilities and persons of equal status are particularly welcome.
If you are interested in joining our research group, please send your completed application in English or German (comprising a statement of interest, CV, degree certificates and transcripts, PhD research proposal of up to 6 pages, and an example of your academic writing) by 01.12.2023 as a single PDF file by E-mail to Prof. Jessica Budds at jbudds@uni-bonn.de.
Questions and informal enquiries may be directed to Prof. Budds via jbudds@uni-bonn.de.
Funding Notes
Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.
