Doctor-assistent sustainable development

In close collaboration with KU Leuven academic staff, the selected post-doctoral assistant will provide educational and management support for the Master in Sustainable Development (Space & Society Track) and its different connected activities. The focus of the Space & Society Track concerns the societal component of the sustainability transition, including social, economic, political and cultural dimensions. This track confronts students with the challenge of applying the conceptual debates on sustainability sciences to the analysis of concrete pressing issues such as climate change adaptation, disasters, biodiversity loss, water governance, food security and agriculture, sustainable tourism, urbanisation, land management, forest governance,… All these issues involve the questions of use, ownership and governance of natural resources and how the use of these different resources affects entangled social-ecological environments. Relevant analytical perspectives studied in this track include, among others, governance of socio-ecological systems, environmental justice, social sustainability, political ecology, political economy and North-South relations.

As the selected post-doctoral assistant you will:

• Contribute to curriculum development and participation in high level education, including teaching assignments for selected courses at the Master level.

• Supervise and evaluate master thesis.

• Participate in the organisation and implementation of a fieldtrip course to a Global South country (Africa and/or Asia).

• Contribute to management activities related to this Master Programme.

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on the following criteria:

• PhD in a field and subject that is relevant to the Space & Society track of the Master in Sustainable Development (e.g. sustainable development, geography, spatial planning, development studies, sociology, or other environmental socio-spatial sciences).

• Background and interest in sustainable development, environmental social sciences, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary socio-ecological approaches, climate change adaptation, environment-development relationships, both Global North and Global South challenges and cases.

• Excellent research qualities, as shown by a publication record in international peer-reviewed journal publications.

• A relevant track record in teaching, and experience in supervising and evaluating master theses.

• Excellent communication and writing skills in English are a prerequisite, since the selected applicant will play a key role in communicating with both students and international partners of the master programme.
  

• Ability to work independently and also as part of a team.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ease in relating to people from varying educational, cultural, and social backgrounds.

• Demonstrable organizational skills.

We offer a temporary part-time appointment (0.50 FTE) until 30/09/2025 (with an evaluation after the first year).