진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

At the University of Kassel, Social-ecological Interactions Research Group (Prof. Dr. Tobias Plieninger), the following position will be filled by 01.09.2026:

Reference Number – Postdoctoral researcher (m/w/d), EG 13 TV-H, fixed term-position, full-time (currently 40 hours per week)

This is a fixed term-position of three years (corresponding to § 72 HessHG i. V. m. § 2 Abs. 1 Satz 1 WissZeitVG).

The position is integrated into a research project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG): “A social-ecological analysis of co-production of Mediterranean terrace landscapes”. This project aims to develop a social-ecological systems approach to identify the societal values and future scenarios of bioculturally rich terrace landscapes. It is focused on concepts such as landscape character assessment, land-use legacies and land abandonment, values-rules-knowledge, and landscape stewardship. The project will involve fieldwork in a low mountain area of Southwestern Spain. The research will combine methods from agroecology and the environmental social sciences.

Tasks:

• • Developing a classification of co-production of people and nature in terrace landscapes 
• • Analysis of taxonomic diversity, vegetation composition, and conservation status of traditionally used plants in terrace landscapes
• • Assessment of local ecological knowledge, values, and rules
• • Social-ecological integration and visioning of transformational futures
• • Publication of project insights in scientific journals and other outlets for multiple target groups

Requirements:

• • PhD and Master’s degree in agriculture, forestry, geography, interdisciplinary environmental sciences or related field
• • Experience in conducting ecological and/or social surveys, using qualitative and quantitative methods, and ability to perform fieldwork under challenging conditions
• • Familiarity with concepts and approaches of landscape sustainability science (cultural landscapes, multifunctional land use, social-ecological systems, agricultural heritage systems) and agricultural sciences
• • Excellent written and oral English and Spanish communication skills
• • Experience in working cohesively in an interdisciplinary team environment
• • Demonstrated experience in publishing in international journals

We offer:

• • A collegial and open-minded working atmosphere within an internationally leading social-ecological research group
• • A unique experience of conducting place-based research in rural areas in the Mediterranean region, together with an interdisciplinary research team and local stakeholders
• • The opportunity of carrying out an interdisciplinary research project in an international setup and of contributing to the growing field of landscape sustainability science

Witzenhausen is a lively and beautiful university town famous for its sustainable agriculture bachelor and master’s programs. It is within a short commuting distance by train from the cities of Kassel and Göttingen, which are nodal points in the German railway system and therefore very well connected by train to the rest of Europe.

Please submit your application in digital form as a single PDF document through our online portal (link below). Application documents should include: motivation letter, CV, Master and Bachelor level certificates and transcripts, and names and contact details of two academic references. Please address all selection criteria under clearly labeled headings in up to one short paragraph each. For further information please contact Prof. Tobias Plieninger, E-Mail: [email protected].