At the University of Göttingen – Public Law Foundation -, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, there is a position available for: Research Assistant / PhD Student (all genders are welcome)

Position Group 13 TV-L/65% to be filled.

The start date is as soon as possible.

The position is limited to 3 years.

Proyect

The advertised position is part of the research project funded by the DFG “Designing Effective Policy Instruments for Sustainable Land Transformation.” The rapid expansion of oil palm monocultures in Indonesia has been associated with economic development, but also with significant environmental repercussions. It is crucial to identify strategies to reconcile these trade-offs. In this project, we aim to use field economic experiments to investigate the role of offering monetary and non-monetary incentives to small farmers to promote sustainable land use transformation in Indonesia.

Tasks

The doctoral researcher will investigate the effectiveness of different attributes of payment for ecosystem services (PES) schemes in inducing the adoption of sustainable land use practices, and will study the relevance of experimental learning as an educational tool to increase environmental awareness, values, and pro-environmental behavior. Tasks include:

  • Design and implementation of field experiments in Jambi, Indonesia.
  • Empirical analysis of quantitative data using statistical and econometric methods.
  • Presentation and publication of research results.

Profile

  • Outstanding Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, or a related discipline.
  • Strong analytical skills and experience with quantitative research methods; experience with economic or behavioral experiments will be positively regarded.
  • Demonstrated interest in topics related to rural development economics and economic incentives or extension services.
  • Willingness and ability to work in field conditions in the tropics (rural Indonesia); experience working in the tropics will be positively regarded.
  • Interest in interdisciplinary cooperation; experience working in intercultural and interdisciplinary teams will be valued.
  • Excellent command of English.

The position is based in Göttingen, Germany, but requires travel and extended research stays in Indonesia. The position is intended to qualify young scientists and offers the opportunity to prepare a doctoral thesis. The position is contracted in the research group of Professor Dr. Meike Wollni.

For more information about the chair group, please visit: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/108411.html. The complete application must include a letter of motivation, CV with contact details of two referees, certificates and transcripts of academic records, and a 1-2 page summary of your master’s thesis.

The University of Göttingen promotes equal opportunities and places special emphasis on advancing professional opportunities for women. Therefore, qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply, especially in fields where they are underrepresented. The university is committed to being a family-friendly institution and supports its employees in achieving a work-life balance. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of employees with severe disabilities and therefore welcomes applications from individuals with severe disabilities. In case of equal qualifications, preference will be given to applicants with severe disabilities. To protect the applicant’s interests, the application should include information about any disability or equality status.

Please upload your application in a PDF file including the usual documents by January 15, 2024, on the university’s application portal using this link: https://obp.uni-goettingen.de/de-de/OBF/Index/74322. For more information, please contact Adriana Bernal-Escobar directly via email: adriana.bernal@uni-goettingen.de, Tel. +49 5513924835.

Understood:

By submitting your application, you consent to the processing of your applicant data in accordance with data protection law. You can find more information about the legal basis and use of data in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).