O Centro de Estudos Sociais (CES) da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal, está a recrutar um Assistente de Investigação para o projeto BIOTraCes, que aborda mudanças transformativas em biodiversidade e sustentabilidade. A posição requer mestrado em ciências sociais ou áreas afins, experiência em métodos qualitativos e envolvimento com comunidades. Fluência em inglês e português é essencial. As candidaturas encerram a 22 de novembro de 2024. Mais detalhes no site do CES, aqui, e no Edital em anexo.

The Centre for Social Studies (CES) – Associate Laboratory - University of Coimbra (Portugal), calls for applications for one position for Research Assistant (CES/09/2024-BioTRACES) within the project “BIOTraCes - BIODIVERSITY AND TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE FOR PLURAL AND NATURE-POSITIVE SOCIETIES” (Grant Agreement 101081923), funded by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) of the European Commission under the framework programme Horizon Europe 2021-2027 (HORIZON-CL6-2022-Biodiv-01-09), and coordinated at CES by the Principal Investigator (PI) Luciane Lucas dos Santos.

BIOTraCes develop knowledge, tools and novel approaches that enable transformative changes (TC), necessary for achieving a nature-positive society. We aim to contribute to more inclusive, effective and just public policies, local strategies and corporate concerns on biodiversity aligned with the European Green Deal and SDGs.

To this end, we will engage with diverse stakeholder networks around 9 transformative biodiversity innovations in high-impact sectors - agriculture & food, forestry, water, and urbanisation. These local case studies across Europe will help understand in context how plural and often marginalized values, identities, and knowledge systems, concerning living with and caring for nature, can shape behaviour. The case studies will create a portfolio of good and failed examples by discerning power lock-ins, leverage opportunities and enabling actors and testing co-produced interventions. Also, we will analyse indirect drivers of biodiversity loss: structural factors and lock-ins that constitute barriers to sustainable decisions and behaviour. A Theory of Transformative Change (ToTC) will synthesise our findings, showing steps on the path to biodiversity recovery and informing public and private strategies and approaches for initiating, accelerating and (up)scaling TC.

BIOTraCes’ originality is threefold: 1) An approach of transdisciplinary collaboration, based on action research, co-production and co-learning. 2) Operationalising in research and action principles of pluralising (acknowledging variety in values), empowering (enhancing the agency of marginalised groups), politicising (unveiling the political dimension of obstacles towards TC) and embedding (bringing TC into the economy, social practices and policy). 3) A focus on achieving impact through a ToTC approach, which led us to establish an Influencer & Stakeholder Board. Close alliance with the science-policy interfaces and interproject collaboration suit our vision well. For more information, see the project website: https://www.biotraces.eu/

Expected duration of project execution: 48 months, starting December 1, 2022

Scientific Field: Social Sciences 

Candidates’ Profiles:

The candidate must have a Master's degree in social sciences, environmental science, sustainability studies, communications or a related field. The selected researcher is expected to demonstrate strong research skills with experience in qualitative methods, particularly in participatory research methodologies, knowledge of biodiversity issues, sustainable development, and transformative change theories, and experience in stakeholder engagement in tandem with intersectionality theories and their applicability in communitybased social movements. It is desirable to have proficiency in project management and coordination, also in communication skills. Fluency in English and Portuguese, spoken and written, is a fundamental condition. Open-minded and able to work with diverse perspectives and knowledge systems, highly organized, with attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks will be considered a must. 

Call closes on: November 22nd, 2024

URL: https://ces.uc.pt/op/downloadEdital.php?id=503