The Center for Development Research (ZEF) of the University of Bonn invites applications for senior researcher position which is part of the ERA4CS project “Climate Information to support integrated Renewable Electricity Generation in West Africa (CIREG)” at the ZEF Department “Political and Cultural Change”.
The research consortium for the CIREG project is led by the Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research (PIK). Other partners in the consortium are Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the West African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) and one industrial partner. The main objective is the development of climate-resilient and sustainable Renewable Energy Generation systems in the Volta and Niger River Basins (Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo and Niger) jointly by scientists and West African stakeholders.
The appointment will start as soon as possible after the final selection (probably July 1st 2018) and lasts 19 months. Part-time contracts may be considered, but the preference will go to applicants who are available full time. The university offers a remuneration package that follows the tariff system for public employees (TVL-West 13/1-2, gross annual salary: 45.900-50.945 Euro) depending on individual work experience. The duty station is Bonn where full time presence is required. During the contract period, three to four months will be spent in West Africa to conduct empirical data collection.
Tasks are: contributing expertise and research to the CIREG project; administrative support of the project coordinator at ZEF; empirical field research in West Africa (locations to be determined with the CIREG consortium): collection and analysis of social-economic baseline data, ethnographic case studies, survey among local entrepreneurs and quantitative data analysis; writing and publication of scientific project reports, ZEF Working Papers, peer-reviewed journal articles; active participation in activities of the ZEF department “Political and Cultural Change”; active participation in ZEF thematic group “Water, food and energy”.
Requirements are, among others: master degree in a social science discipline; expertise in social development studies with a focus on energy/renewable energy; expertise and work experience in empirical qualitative research; research experience in Africa or in the Global South; very good oral and written communication skills in English and French; good knowledge of written German; ability and willingness to work in an interdisciplinary, multicultural environment, and to work in West Africa for three to four months.
The application deadline is May 31, 2018.
For further information, check the full job posting (PDF).