The Research Training Group ECO-N, seeks to fill the above position, which will be affiliated to the Institute for Infrastructure and Resource Management (IIRM) at the Faculty of Economics and Management Science, from 1st April 2025.
Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d/x)
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Term
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Founded in 1409, Leipzig University is one of Germany’s largest universities and a leader in research and medical training. With around 30,000 students and more than 5000 members of staff across 14 faculties, it is at the heart of the vibrant and outward-looking city of Leipzig. Leipzig University offers an innovative and international working environment as well as an exciting range of career opportunities in research, teaching, knowledge and technology transfer, infrastructure and administration.
The Research Training Group on the Economics of Connected Natural Commons: Atmosphere and Biodiversity (ECO-N), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), is a core element in Leipzig University’s support of early-career sustainability researchers. The project involves the Faculties of (1) Economics and Management Science, (2) Life Sciences, and (3) Physics and Earth System Sciences at Leipzig University, as well as the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, with a total of approximately 30 early-career researchers and established researchers in the research training group. ECO-N combines interdisciplinary research on how to sustainably use and conserve natural commons such as biodiverse forests, fertile soils, regional climate, or clean urban air with a rigorous course programme providing disciplinary and interdisciplinary competencies.
Besides interdisciplinary collaborative doctoral research projects, one key element of ECO-N is synthesis research on the sustainable use and conservation of the different natural commons related to atmosphere and biodiversity. To this end, ECO-N will establish synthesis working groups consisting of both, ECO-N internal early-career and participating researchers as well as international experts. The synthesis working groups are envisaged to work on topics such as “Evenness in the multifunctionality of natural commons” or “Economic inequality and governance of natural commons”. We are seeking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher who will help setting the agenda for the working groups, actively engage in the workshops, and bring forward the synthesis research, e. g., by combining data from different sources or insights from different models.
WHAT WE OFFER
• A modern workplace and attractive working conditions (mobile working)
• Flexible working hours and work-life balance
• Goal-oriented staff development throughout your working life, with opportunities for continuing professional development
• Pension plan
• Discounted local public transport ticket (e. g. the Deutschlandticket as a job ticket)
• A highly dynamic, collaborative and interdisciplinary working environment
DUTIES
• Synthesis research on the economics of connected natural commons, as part of two ECO-N synthesis working groups
• Ambitious contributions to working group outputs leading to peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences
• Possibility to co-supervise doctoral projects
• The position comes without teaching obligations, but contributions to teaching within the ECO-N qualification programme are welcome
REQUIREMENTS
• Strong interest in sustainable use and conservation of natural commons documented by relevant publications or working papers
• Ph.D. in economics, meteorology, biology, or a related discipline
• Experience or documented interest in interdisciplinary collaboration
• Experience or documented interest in synthesis work
• Excellent English language skills (spoken and written)
• Proactive/independent, results-oriented with attention to detail, and with excellent team skills
Please send your application with the usual documents, quoting reference number 5/2025, to: Leipzig University/ECO-N, Professor Dr. Martin Quaas, Hainstraße 11, 04109 Leipzig by 27 January 2025. You are also welcome to email your application as a single PDF file to apply_eco-n@uni-leipzig.de. Please note that it is not possible to guarantee confidentiality and rule out unauthorised access by third parties when communicating by unencrypted email.
We kindly request that you submit copies only, as we are unable to return application documents. Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.
In addition to the usual application documents, please submit names and contact details of at least two scientific references as well as up to three publications (PDF). In the cover letter, the motivation and experience as required for the position should be documented.
Leipzig University aims to increase the proportion of women in positions of responsibility and therefore expressly invites qualified women to apply. Severely disabled persons – or persons deemed legally equal to them under Book IX of the German Social Code – are encouraged to apply and will be given preference in the case of equal suitability.
For queries on the application process or for project-related questions, kindly contact Professor Martin Quaas (martin.quaas@uni-leipzig.de). For more information on the research training group, please visit: www.eco-n.org.
Privacy information
If you choose to apply and send us your documents, you do so voluntarily. Any personal data contained within your application documents, or obtained during an interview, will be processed by Leipzig University – as the advertiser of the position – exclusively for the purposes of the selection process for the position advertised. It will not be passed on to third parties without your consent in the individual case. The legal basis for such data processing is Sect. 11(1) of the Saxon Data Protection Implementation Act (SächsDSDG) in conjunction with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The controller for the application process within the meaning of the GDPR is the addressee of the application, specified in the advertisement.
Your personal data will be stored for six months after the end of the recruitment process and then erased or destroyed in accordance with data protection regulations. You may refuse or withdraw your consent with effect for the future without giving reasons. In these cases, Leipzig University will not or no longer be able to process and consider your application. Under the GDPR, subject to the relevant statutory requirements you have the following rights vis-à-vis the addressee of the application with regard to your personal data: right of access (Art. 15 GDPR); right to rectification of inaccurate personal data (Art. 16 GDPR); right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR); right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR); and right to object to processing (Art. 21 GDPR). If you have any questions, please contact the Data Protection Officer at Leipzig University (office: Augustusplatz 10, 04109 Leipzig). You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Saxon Commissioner for Data Protection.