Soil Microbial Ecology and Ecosystem Services - MICROTROP 2014

(Version française plus loin dans le corps du message)
Merci de diffuser aux éventuels candidats

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Call for applications - Deadline: 15 June 2013
 

Advanced training for early-career scientists

MICROTROP 2014 - Soil Microbial Ecology and Ecosystem Services
 

Senegal, 19 May-13 June 2014

Microtrop is an intensive one month advanced course in Tropical Soil Microbial Ecology designed for PhD students (in their last year), post-doc or early career scientists within 5 years of PhD completion.
The course combines lecturers by leading soil and microbiology scientists with hands-on training. Experimental design and methods that are cost-effective and appropriate for scientists working in developing countries and tropical soils are presented. The course keystone is a tropical microbial ecology research project designed by each participant that includes data analysis and write up. The courses will be held in English.
The training will gather ca. 20 participants from Southern countries, France or Western Europe, and the USA.
Consult the web site www.ecoltrop.ird.fr and the flyer for more details.
Download the application form.
Contact : ecoltrop.senegal@ird.fr

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Appel à candidatures – Date limite : 15 juin 2013
Ecole chercheur

MICROTROP 2014 - Ecologie microbienne des sols et services écosystémiques
 

Sénégal, 19 mai – 13 juin 2014

Microtrop est une formation intensive d’un mois en Ecologie Microbienne des sols tropicaux dédiée aux jeunes scientifiques (fin de thèse, post-doc, chercheurs ou enseignant-chercheurs nouvellement recrutés).
La formation comprend des cours, des démonstrations de laboratoire et des travaux. Les méthodes ciblées sont adéquates au développement de recherches en microbiologie des sols dans les pays du Sud. La formation est dispensée en anglais et comprend également la conduite d’un mini-projet de recherche par chacun des participants.
La formation sera suivie par 20 participants en provenance des pays du Sud, de France, d’Europe de l’Ouest et des Etats-Unis sélectionnés par le comité scientifique.

Pour plus d’information consultez le site web  www.ecoltrop.ird.fr ou téléchargez la plaquette et le formulaire de candidature.
Contact : ecoltrop.senegal@ird.fr

PhD position: the impact of mineral governance on miners' property rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Tenable at the University of Zurich

Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)

Supervisor: Timothy Raeymaekers (Department of Geography)

Task:

The candidate will work on a three-year project on transnational mineral governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The project zooms in on the transformation of miners rights through current reform programmes targeted at so-called conflict minerals in Eastern DRC. The PhD candidate will assess the ways current reform processes impact on the performance of mineral markets as well as the institutional choice patterns of mine workers. In sum the study aims to provide more insights into the political ecology of natural resource markets in countries emerging from protracted armed conflict, specifically detailing (1) the transnational dimension of economic regulation and (2) its impact on the institutional choice patterns of direct natural users of natural resources in the specific case of the DRC.

Requirements:

Applications should have completed a MA/MSc degree in geography or any relevant social science domain. They should carry evidence of their capability (and, if possible, prior experience) to do qualitative research in the domains of conflict analysis and resource governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. They should be willing to spend prolonged periods in the field.

Proficiency in French is required, active knowledge of Kiswahili and German will be regarded as an additional asset.

This project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), so candidates are paid by SNF regulations. The post is of limited duration (3 years). A one-year extension is possible if funding continues.

Interested candidates should send a cv, copies of relevant diplomas and a letter of motivation stating their qualifications for the job in one single pdf file to this email address by 15 May 2013:

timothy.raeymaekers@geo.uzh.ch

PostDoc position – Transdisciplinary research to reduce post-harvest losses and to add value in food value chains

Call for application [» download PDF]

Organisation/Project: DITSL at the University of Kassel, GlobE Project: RELOAD
Application deadline: April, 30^st 2013 or until the position is filled

DITSL is a non-profit limited liability company (GmbH) at the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences of the University of Kassel at Witzenhausen. DITSL conducts research on agricultural systems as human activity systems following an inter- and transdisciplinary social-ecological approach.

We are looking for a dynamic, highly motivated and innovative scientist for a Post Doc position in the frame of the collaborative research project RELOAD: Reduction of Post Harvest Losses and Value Addition in East African Food Value Chains. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and led by the University of Kassel in Germany.

Within RELOAD, DITSL leads the subproject “Transdisciplinary research: Stakeholder processes, knowledge integration and collaborative learning”. We will investigate food value chains (mainly milk and meat and to some extent vegetables, grains and tubers) as human activity systems, with a focus on communication, collaboration and competition of various actors. Research will focus on actors, their goals, perspectives, strategies, activities, needs and room for maneuvre. Starting out from a stakeholder analysis and the formation of stakeholder platforms, we will offer learning opportunities to the actors to reveal control options in food value chains - so that losses can be reduced and value addition enhanced. We will explore possibilities for collective action by producer groups to bring about benefits especially in the areas of strengthening marketing capacity and market linkages.

The Post Doc:

• will lead research activities in Kenya and is expected to conduct field research for about 4 - 6 months per year,
• will advance methodology in transdisciplinary research,
• will contribute to capacity building through training of PhD and MSc students,
• will support project management (financial, logistic, reporting),
• will coordinate the research activities with other partners in the RELOAD project.

We offer a Post Doc position (TV_L 13, 80 %) for 3 years starting 1^st of July 2013. The project contains the research funds to pursue extended empirical research abroad.

Qualifications of the applicant:

• PhD in agricultural/rural -sociology, -economics, -development or -system science, human or economic geography, organizational behaviour or related discipline.
• Practical experience in (community based) action research, in designing and facilitating learning processes with producer organisations or in value chain development.
• Interest and experience in working with scientists of other disciplines and with societal stakeholders in Kenya (and to a limited extent in Ethiopia and Uganda).
• Fluency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of German and/or Kiswahili is an asset.
• Very good writing skills, team work orientation and good communication skills.

Female and male applicants are equally encouraged to apply for this position.

Application documents:

• A letter of motivation
• Curriculum Vitae
• Publication list
• Summary of the PhD thesis
• Copies of relevant certificates
• Contact details of 2-3 referees

Please submit these documents by email in a single PDF file to PD Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann ( b.kaufmann@ditsl.org).

Candidate screening will start May 1^st 2013 and continue until the position is filled.
Contact: PD Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann, DITSL GmbH Witzenhausen at the University of Kassel Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Phone: +49 (0) 5542 607 19 (direct)