Postdoc in Human Rights Studies, with focus on water and sustainable development - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The 2030 Agenda is the framework for sustainable development that the world’s nations have signed to end extreme poverty, reduce inequalities, solve the climate crisis, promote peace and equity and much more. To achieve the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, research has several important roles: to identify challenges and conflicting objectives, contribute to new solutions, generate dialogue and learning between different societal stakeholders and critically analyse the goals. Lund University aspires to be a part of the solution and has therefore initiated a research programme on sustainable development with postdoc fellowships in interdisciplinary projects. The projects will not only constitute platforms for the postdocs’ career development, but also form a basis for national and European applications, and for future environments for excellence and profiling. The programme is also to develop the postdocs’ expertise in teaching and learning in higher education. For more information about the programme, please visit Excellence Programme for Sustainable Development | Sustainability Forum (lu.se).

Description of the workplace

The position as post doc (3 years) is located at the Division of Human Rights Studies, Department of History at Lund University. The Division has bachelor-, master- and PhD-programs. The Department has 24 Senior Lecturers and Professors, around 30 post-doctoral researchers and as many doctoral students. This research project has the aim to apply a human rights perspective on water supply with a sustainable and long-term approach. Focus is on a Swedish context, but neither water nor human rights can be restricted to a local, regional or national setting, but has to consider an international and global outreach. Human rights is one of five profile areas at Lund University, which you can read more about here.

Work duties and areas of responsibility

The position consists first and foremost of research within LU4W. More specifically you should relate a human rights perspective to integrated water resource management (IWRM). You should investigate if and how IWRM is related to human rights. To what extent are there a human rights language present when water resources are considered in local, regional, national and international contexts? On the one hand you should study written documents, but you should also interview keys persons in local, regional and national, but also when relevant in international contexts of relevance to the project. Out of the results of this research you should also investigate and discuss best practices that could form a foundation for what role a human rights perspective can play in the establishment of a future sustainable IWRM. The goal should be that these findings could not only work in an international setting, but maybe first and foremost on a local and regional level.

The work will be carried out in close cooperation with five other post docs from five different faculties; Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Science and Technology. The project is supervised by six senior researchers from the six different participating faculties. It is required that both time and engagement are invested in the other post docs and their work.

There will be some necessary traveling, but most of the work will be carried out at the Division of Human Rights Studies. Teaching, supervision, and other administrative duties comprise a maximum of 20 % of the position.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• A Ph.D. or an international degree deemed equivalent for the position. This requirement must be fulfilled no later than three months after the application deadline and the applicant is responsible for supplementing his/her application within this time with documentation that proves the completion of the doctoral degree. The supplement should be emailed to Office Director Dan-Erik Andersson (for email address see the university's website: https://www.mrs.lu.se/en/person/DanErikAndersson/).
• The position is a career development post and its purpose is to act as an initial step on a career path. Therefore, the candidate most likely to come into question is one who has completed a doctoral degree no more than three years prior to the last date for applications. If special grounds exist, the degree can have been completed earlier. Special grounds include leave of absence because of illness, parental leave, positions as elected representative in trade union organisations, military service or service/assignments relevant to the subject area. In such cases, certification concerning this is to be submitted in connection with the application.
• An ability to perform interviews and to read legal documents in Swedish.
• PhD in Human Rights Studies or other related subject/field of relevance for the position.

Assessment criteria

The grounds for assessment are a good ability to develop and conduct high-quality research, and teaching skills. The main criterion for a postdoctoral fellowship is research expertise. As documentation for the assessment of qualifications, applicants are to submit a project plan of the research they intend to carry out during their appointment. Only applicants whose research and previous work could strengthen the research team and the project as a whole will be considered for the position of postdoc.

Specific qualifications of additional merit

• Documented research of relevance for the position in Human Rights Studies with focus on Water and Sustainable Development (LU4W) is a merit.
• Very good oral and written abilities in English, shown through publications, theses or equivalent.
• Experience of working with researchers from different academic disciplines.

Conditions

The appointment is limited to three years and refers to full-time employment in accordance with the central collective agreement on fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral fellow between the Swedish Agency for Government Employers and OFR/S, Saco-S, 19 November 2021.

Lund University is a public authority which means that you receive specific benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension. Read more on the University website about being an employee at Lund University Work at Lund University.

How to apply

The application must include:

• A CV and copy of the Ph.D. degree.
• A list of publications (including DOI, ISBN or ISSN numbers).
• a personal letter should be included (1000-1500 words)

The personal letter should include a motivation for why you are applying for the position. It should be made obvious how your merits coincide with the research project and how you relate this project to your former and future research interests. You should also describe your conditions and competence for implementing the project. 

The applicant is responsible for making sure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions above and for submitting it to the University by the application deadline through the recruitment portal.