Join NICHES: Open job position at ICTA-UAB, Spain

5 July 2023

NICHES partner ICTA-UAB is announcing an open position for a postdoctoral researcher working on nature-based solutions. To apply please contact Dr Johannes Langemeyer at johannes.langemeyer@uab.cat before 14th of July 2023.

The successful applicant will be based at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) in Bellatera (Barcelona), Spain. She/he will become part of the Social-Ecological Systems Research Group (LASEG) and closely collaborate with a small team of NBS researchers led by Dr. Johannes Langemeyer and closely collaborate with partner institutions in Europe and North America.

Starting date: as soon as possible (likely September 2023)

Duration: 18 months (with the possibility of an extension)

The successful candidate will support research on Nature-based solutions (NBS) in the research projects NICHES (Nature's Integration in Cities' Hydrologies, Ecologies and Societies) and E:SBN (Systematization of Nature-Based Solutions in Spain). The NICHES project responds to an urgent need to increase the evidence around and implementation of NBS to mitigate stormwater runoff and flooding in urban areas, compounded by climate change and increasing heavy rain events. Research will be carried out in Barcelona, Rotterdam and Boston. The main objective of the E:SBN project is to establish a system for the identification, classification and cataloguing of NBS, in order to promote consistency in NBS planning and deployment, as well as to maximize their effectiveness. The project results feed into the Spanish National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC).

The specific tasks to be undertaken by the post-doctoral researcher are the following:

  • Analysis of the state of the art of NBS and systematic compilation of public and private NBS projects and initiatives implemented and planned in Spain. This task will consist in a sophisticated review of NBS projects across Spain.
  • Development of NBS scenarios following a feasibility approach based on the emerging social-ecological-technological systems framework. The scenarios will be developed in a spatially explicit way using standard GIS tools.
  • Examination of social and economic values of enhanced ecosystem services by NBS scenarios. The (online) survey will include a discrete choice experiment or related method and a PPGIS mapping approach in order to evaluate preferences for potential increases in diverse ecosystem services related to increased NBS.


In addition, the successful candidate will support the following tasks:

  • Design of an NBS identification, classification and cataloguing system, including selection and representation of good practices and validation with relevant stakeholders at the Spanish national level. This task will consist in the development of an NBS classification scheme and its presentation at Spanish National level.
  • Support of the development of an integrated assessment framework for NBS and development of spatially explicit and policy transition pathways for NBS implementation, considering social, ecological, and technological aspects.


Qualifications:

  • PhD in Geography, Spatial analysis, Environmental/Ecological Economics, Environmental Sciences, Sustainability (or related fields)
  • GIS / spatial analysis
  • Econometric modelling
  • Survey design
  • Statistical analysis
  • Proficiency in Spanish & English


Application documents:

  • ID / Passport
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Academic titles
  • Motivation letter (max 1p.)
  • Writing sample (published article)


For questions related to the position, please get in touch with Dr Johannes Langemeyer at johannes.langemeyer@uab.cat.