Post-doctoral researcher in sustainable food innovation - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University was founded in 1994 and has since developed genuine interdisciplinary education and research with focus on strategies for sustainable development. The Institute facilitates many external research and development projects as well as two international master programs.

Subject description
The postdoctoral researcher will work as a part of a multi- and transdisciplinary team on a Horizon Europe innovation programme CULTIVATE: Co-designing Food Sharing Innovation for Resilience. The purpose of this project is to transform urban and peri-urban (UPU) food systems towards sustainability and resilience by using a multi-actor approach and develop an online social innovation support platform – The Food Sharing Compass. Food sharing is defined as collective acts around food across the food system, from seed sharing and surplus food redistribution to community composting.

We offer
Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme.
Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee: Work at Lund university

Work duties
The main duties involved in a post-doctoral posistion are to conduct research. Teaching may also be included, but up to no more than 20% of working hours. The position shall include the opportunity for three weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning.

Being part of the CULTIVATE project, the position includes conducting high-quality social science research, publishing in international scientific journals, providing relevant recommendations to societal actors, and organising and participating in project related events together with other project partners at the IIIEE and beyond. Specific tasks of the postdoctoral researcher include:

• conducting desktop research on costs, investments, challenges, drivers, and success factors to establish and maintain food sharing initiatives.
• supporting the development of a research protocol for empirical data collection about business models, the evolution and experiences of local food sharing practices.
• organising and executing empirical data collection in three EU cities (Barcelona, Utrecht and Milan) via mobile research lab, - a mixed method approach comprising online and in person interviews, study visits, participant observation and co-creative workshops with local food sharing stakeholders.
• analysing results from mobile research labs and presenting them in city reports, snapshots, scientific articles, blogs and via other communication channels.

The position includes active collaboration and knowledge co-creation with various stakeholders and organisations within and outside the project including knowledge institutes, municipalities, policy makers, businesses, non-governmental organisations, community groups and citizens.

The position also includes teaching (in English) in two MSc programmes at the IIIEE. The postdoctoral researcher may be involved in writing applications for research grants. When relevant, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to work with the IIIEE and Lund University administration to ensure the delivery of the above tasks.

Qualification requirements
Appointment to a post-doctoral position requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the last date for applications. Under special circumstances, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier.

Assessment criteria and other qualifications
This is a career development position primarily focused on research. The position is intended as an initial step in a career, and the assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications and potential as researchers. Particular emphasis will be placed on research skills within the subject.

For appointments to a post-doctoral position, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and conduct high quality research.
• Teaching skills.

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Additional assessment criteria:

• Documented experience of working interdisciplinary and in collaboration with other researchers.
• Documented experince of working internationally.
• Documented experience of working in collaboration with various societal actors.
• Documented experience of analysing food systems, sharing economy and/or other forms of (sustainable) innovations in urban contexts, based on theories and/or methods from social sciences.
• Documented experience of conducting systematic literature reviews.
• Documented experience of conducting and analysing in-depth interviews.
• Documented experience of organising workshops, conferences, field trips or other events.
• Documented skills of publishing in academic journals or via academic book publishers.
• Demonstrated ability to independently conduct high-quality research and successfully complete scientific projects Documented pedagogical skills including supervision of MSc students.
• Knowledge of Spanish, Italian and/or Dutch will be a merit.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Terms of employment
This is a full-time, fixed-term employment for two years. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow”) between Lund University, SACO-S, OFR/S and SEKO, dated 1 February 2022.

Instructions on how to apply
Applications shall be written in English. Please draw up the application in accordance with LTH’s Academic qualifications portfolio – see link below. Upload the application as PDF-files in the recruitment system. Read more: To apply for academic positions at LTH

The application shall also include the following:

• CV (maximum 2 pages)
• Motivational letter (maximum 2 pages)
• Research plan (maximum 3 pages) focusing on cost-benefit analysis of food sharing initiatives in Europe
• List of all publications
• Publications most suitable to the subject of the position (maximum 5)
• Names of three referees.

Starting date: 1 June 2023 or with a starting date upon agreement.