Professor position in Marine Governance

HIFMB develops the scientific basis for marine conservation and marine ecosystem management by analysing the functional role of biodiversity in marine ecosystem and understanding the general principles constraining this role. The Institute thereby establishes the necessary knowledge and tools to predict future changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function and to analyse
their consequences for human well-being. The development of HIFMB is embedded in the existing research excellence of AWI and the University of Oldenburg in marine biodiversity research, comprising research groups at the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment at the University of Oldenburg and the Biosciences at AWI as well as research groups at the Institute for Social Science and the Department for Economics, Business Administration and Law at the University of Oldenburg.
HIFMB offers a rich intellectual environment and excellent research opportunities (www.hifmb.de). Specifically, each professorship will be equipped with allocated scientific personnel and be further able to apply for internal resources for cross-disciplinary projects. The region around Bremen and Oldenburg hosts more than 1000 marine scientists, offering broad
interdisciplinary collaboration potential across universities and research institutions.

The Professor in Marine Governance will advance the institute’s interdisciplinary re- search on marine conservation by
establishing an internationally visible profile in the marine social sciences. Whereas information from natural sciences is the basis for understanding the functional role of biodiversity in ecosystem processes, the societal decision about use and protection of marine biodiversity is based on economic, sociological, legal and political factors. Numerous institutional and non-institutional actors are involved in defining and deciding upon marine conservation and the exploitation of marine resources. The successful
candidate will establish a novel research field on formal or informal governance processes, based on a proven research expertise in this or related fields (such as environmental policy, political economy, political anthropology, environmental sociology, ecological economics, and/or science and technology studies), preferentially already tied to marine ecosystems. Given that marine conservation involves international and local levels of governance, a scale-transient approach is highly welcome, including
expertise in both quantitative and qualitative empirical as well as conceptual approaches to allow links to the theoretical and empirical natural marine sciences at HIFMB, the University of Oldenburg and AWI. Applicants should exemplify their interest in the science-policy interface and their track record in interdisciplinary research. HIFMB strives to integrate with existing expertise at the University of Oldenburg (Institute for Social Sciences, Ecological Economics) as well as in the region (economy, cultural
anthropology, history, human geography at Leibniz Centre for Marine Tropical Ecology and the University of Bremen). Candidates are expected to represent the subject Marine Governance in teaching at graduate and undergraduate levels.

Applicants must have the necessary formal qualifications as set out in § 25 of Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz. Candidates are required to hold an excellent PhD in sociological environmental or sustainability research and to have additional research and teaching qualification at university level proven by a pertinent habilitation, assistant professorship or an equivalent scientific
track record in governance research or a related field (e.g., political ecology, environmental sociology, ecological economics, behavioural or institutional economics, political economy, science and technology studies, political anthropology), including publications in leading international peer-reviewed journals, integration in the international research community and professional
work experience abroad. Applicants are requested to show their ability and willingness to participate in integrative and interdisciplinary research projects. They need to have experience and potential in the acquisition of third-party funded projects. Distinct teaching experience and didactic abilities have to be shown. Proficiency in English is mandatory. We expect the successful candidate to acquire German within two years. Given the current research focus of AWI and the University of Oldenburg on polar and temperate seas, research expertise in these regions is helpful.

International applications are explicitly welcome. To increase the proportion of women in science equally qualified female candidates will be given preference. Applicants with disabilities will be preferentially considered in case of equal qualification.

Applications, including a curriculum vitae, qualifying documentation (final academic records, list of publications, evidence of external funding, teaching experience, prizes) and a research plan as well as a teaching plan should be submitted by email in a single PDF-file to berufungenHIFMB@uni-oldenburg.de. Closing date is Wednesday, 11 April 2018.

Enquiries about the position are welcomed by the director of the HIFMB, Prof. H. Hillebrand (helmut.hillebrand@uni-oldenburg.de).

All current vacancies for HIFMB professorships at the University of Oldenburg can be found at www.uni-ol.de/stellen/.