Postdoctoral researcher in Rural Development in the Global South
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet / Samhällsvetarjobb / Uppsala
2025-03-13
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About the position
In the Division of Rural Development, we conduct research, teaching and collaboration that focuses on issues of justice, knowledge and power in agriculture and forestry, natural resource management and development in rural areas. We see rural areas as dynamic spaces created by a network of relationships that span between the urban and rural and across the globe. We focus on ideas about what development is and how these ideas have consequences in rural areas both in and between the Global North and the Global South.
For this position, we are looking for a person to join the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) team of the EU Biodiversa+ funded project Increasing Sustainability of Agribiologicals by Living Labs in sub-Saharan Africa (inSALSA). The project aims to enhance adoption of agricultural biologicals over conventional agrichemicals in smallholder farming in Sub-Saharan Africa through investigating farmer attitudes, needs and preferences in 'living labs' in Kenya and South Africa (as well as a replication lab in Ethiopia and a capacity building lab in Italy). The living labs focus on the use of biologicals to combat pests in tomato and potato. The labs are coordinated by local universities and combine social scientific with natural scientific research and technical development. The labs include stakeholder dialogues and connections to policy and practice.
As a postdoc you will work in a smaller research group at SLU under the leadership of Prof. Flora Hajdu and Dr. Johanna Bergman-Lodin and collaborate with larger research groups from several other European and African institutions. You will collect and analyse social scientific data in the living labs as well as in the wider communities and at policy level in Kenya and South Africa, and you need to be able to work independently with this. Publications are planned as joint endeavors. In relation to this, you need to be able and willing to understand natural scientific perspectives and write and publish together with researchers from other disciplines.
The postdoc holder will be expected to be present at least three days a week at SLU in Uppsala during term time, when not travelling.
Your profile
For this postdoc in Rural Development, a PhD in social sciences or humanities is required, alternatively in an interdisciplinary subject with significant elements of critical social sciences, e.g. Sustainability Studies. As postdoctoral positions are career-developing positions for younger researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates with a PhD that is not older than three years in Sept 2025 (excluding deductible time such as sick or parental leave). The applicant must have a PhD degree when taking up the position.
Further basic qualifications:
• Previous experience of research in rural settings in the Global South, preferably on smallholder farming and gendered aspects of livelihoods in Africa
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English
• Good ability to independently design and carry out research tasks
• Good ability to work in teams
• Personal suitability
Merits that are also taken into consideration:
• Experience of ethnographic fieldwork with participatory methods and interviews, and especially with living labs
• Experience of Gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in program/project planning and monitoring
• Ability to collaborate in transdisciplinary projects
• Background in agronomy or practical experience of agriculture
• Experience of fieldwork in Kenya or South Africa
• Knowledge of Kenyan or South African languages
• Own contact networks relevant for the project
• Teaching experience, leadership experience and engagements at university department level
Application and selection:
We welcome your application via the application system no later than 28th March 2025. The application must not be sent directly to the contact persons.
The application should consist of the following:
• A personal motivation letter detailing your merits in relation to the qualifications
• CV including list of publications
• Copies of all your published publications. If you have no publications yet, please enclose a short description of your research (maximum two pages).
• Contact details for two personal references
The selection between the applications who meet the basic qualifications listed will be based on the merits listed above assessed trough the CV, publications and personal motivation letter. A selection of candidates will be called for an interview in May, after which personal references may be contacted. A second interview and/or a written test may be relevant as a final selection method. Those who are not selected are only notified by the system when the position is filled (probably in June).
About us
At the Department of Urban and Rural Development, we conduct undergraduate education, doctoral education, research, and collaboration across five divisions: Agrarian History, Landscape Architecture, Rural Development, Environmental Communication and the Division of Political Science and Natural Resource Management. This division includes Sida's Helpdesk for Environment and Climate Change and the SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre (CBM). Additionally, we house the SLU Center for Nature Interpretation (CNV). As the largest department within the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) for social sciences, humanities, and design, our focus lies on questions related to the sustainable use of natural resources and landscapes in our research, teaching, and collaborative efforts. The department is comprised of approximately 175 dedicated individuals.
Read more about our benefits and working at SLU by visiting:
https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/Location:
Uppsala
Form of employment:
Temporary employment 24 months
Scope:
100%
Start date:
According to agreement, preferably 1st September 2025
Application:
Please submit your application before deadline 28 March 2025. You can submit your application by clicking the button below.
Union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/ Ersättning Fast månadslön
Så ansöker du Sista dag att ansöka är 2025-03-28
Klicka på denna länk för att göra din ansökan Omfattning Detta är ett heltidsjobb.
Arbetsgivare Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (org.nr 202100-2817),
http://www.slu.se Arbetsplats Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Kontakt Head of division (Rural Development)
Katarina Pettersson
katarina.pettersson@slu.se +4618671425 Jobbnummer 9218789