Postdoc on ‘Small town development under climate change in Africa’

Section for Geography 2

Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
Faculty of Science

University of Copenhagen

We are seekening a post doctoral researcher for one year related to the research project Climate Resilience Across the Rural-Urban Continuum (RurbanClimate), funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The RurbanClimate project seeks to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between climate change, small town development and local governance that can support exploring pathways to sustainable adaptation to impacts of climate change on local ecosystems and livelihoods. The project focuses on the southern limit of the Sudano-Sahelian bio-climatic zone of West Africa and specifically on the southern part of Burkina Faso and Northern Ghana. In this region, impacts of climate change and high population growth bringing about youth employment and livelihood insecurity and fragility are evident. These processes spur increased mobility and the emergence and development of small towns.

The post doc will work in close collaboration with the RurbanClimate team at UCPH in assisting partners in Ghana and Burkina Faso to develop and conduct household surveys in emerging small towns.  The post doc will support the UCPH team in monitoring the data collection, clean the data and develop database entries and analyses. The post doc will be involved in collaborative paper writing and possibly qualitative follow up studies.

We are seeking a candidate with a PhD degree in human geography or with related social science background with experiences of conducting fieldwork in the Global South. Experiences with survey exact (or similar), GIS and mapping products will be an advantage. The post doc will be positioned at IGN, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen, but is expected to stay with our partner in Tamale, Ghana for 2-3 months.

Further information on the Department is found at https://ign.ku.dk/english/ and the E&S research group at https://ign.ku.dk/english/research/geography/environment-society-developing-countries/.  Inquiries about the position can be made to the Principal Investigator of the RurbanClimate project, Professor Jytte Agergaard: ja@ign.ku.dk.

The position is available from July 1st, 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Terms of employment

The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

The application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include

• Curriculum vitae
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• Your motivation for applying for the position (max one page)

The deadline for applications is Sunday 11th of June, 2023 23:59 GMT +2

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews are planned for the afternoon on Friday the 23rd of June, 2023.