Senior Researcher in Ecological Macroeconomics

We are looking for a senior postdoctoral researcher with excellent organisational skills to help lead a transformative new Horizon Europe research project entitled Models, Assessment, and Policies for Sustainability (MAPS). This is a 4-year position, starting June 2024.

The project: There is an urgent need for a new economic paradigm that reconciles human well-being with environmental sustainability – one based on a “post-growth” approach. High-income countries must move beyond the pursuit of GDP growth as a policy goal, and instead pursue policies that improve human well-being while reducing resource use. 

The aim of the MAPS project is to broaden the range of policies, models, and assessments to help achieve sustainability, equity, and human well-being.  It is a 4-year Horizon Europe research project coordinated by the University of Barcelona, with nine other partners across Europe, and a total budget of €5 million.

The position: We are looking for an outstanding postdoctoral researcher in ecological economics, with excellent organisational and time management skills, to help manage and coordinate the MAPS project. In particular, the candidate will help lead the development of a novel ecological macroeconomic model across teams at different institutions. The successful candidate will work closely with the Project Coordinators (Daniel O’Neill and Federico Demaria) and the Administrative Project Manager (Nathalie Roy).

The successful candidate is expected to work a 4-day week on the MAPS project, with the fifth day reserved for their own research interests. In a typical 4-day week, we envisage that the candidate would spend roughly two days on project-related research and two days on coordination of research. This position is an incredible opportunity for a senior postdoc who wants to gain experience in how to obtain, manage, and report on a major funded research project.

The responsibilities of this position include:

• Directly contributing to research on the project, in particular the development of a novel ecological macroeconomic model
• Publishing research in high-impact academic journals
• Coordinating research activities across the work packages of the MAPS project, and with other related projects
• Monitoring the implementation of the project and the timely reporting and delivery of project commitments to the European Commission
• Supporting the Coordinators in planning, producing, collecting, and reviewing the deliverables and outcomes to ensure their timely delivery
• Co-supervising other team members, including postdoctoral researchers and PhD students
• Drafting scientific reports for the European Commission
• Engaging in communication and dissemination activities to help achieve project impact
• Contributing to writing new funding proposals

Essential — The successful candidate will have:

• A PhD in an area such as ecological economics, sustainability science, natural/social sciences, or a related field.
• A track record of relevant research publications in internationally recognised journals
• Knowledge of post-growth research topics
• Expertise in quantitative methods, particularly methods related to modelling (e.g. integrated assessment models, stock–flow consistent models, system dynamics, input–output analysis, econometrics, machine learning, material/energy flow analysis, etc.)
• Motivation and initiative to help lead an interdisciplinary team
• Excellent organisational skills and a keen attention to detail
• Well-developed time management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Fluency in English

Desirable — The successful candidate may have:

• Experience with existing ecological macroeconomic models (e.g. Eurogreen, LowGrow SFC, PyMedeas, etc.)
• Expertise in computer programming
• Previous experience with Horizon Europe research projects
• Knowledge of additional topics such as public policy, participatory processes, provisioning systems, artificial intelligence, sustainable welfare, gender studies, transformation studies, human well-being, or the Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries
• Experience working with project management processes and software
• Proficiency in Spanish and/or Catalan

The position will be based in the Faculty of Economics, at the University of Barcelona (Spain), under the supervision of Dr Daniel O’Neill and Dr Federico Demaria.

How to apply: Please submit your CV and a motivation letter (max 2 pages) to Dr Daniel O’Neill and Dr Federico Demaria at ecoeco.recruitment@gmail.com by 10 March 2024, 23:59 CET. The subject of your email should be: “Application for Senior Researcher in Ecological Macroeconomics”.

Within your motivation letter, please indicate how your skills and experience match the essential/desirable specifications listed above, and discuss how you would develop a novel ecological macroeconomic model designed to explore post-growth policy packages, with a team of modellers spanning 4–5 institutions.

Please ask three referees to submit reference letters for you to ecoeco.reference@gmail.com by 10 March 2024, 23:59 CET. The subject of their emails should be: “Reference for YOUR NAME”.

Deadline to apply: Sunday, 10 March 2024, 23:59 CET

Start date of position: June 2024

Salary: €40,000 per year (with a 4-day workweek)

Online interviews are expected to be held 18–20 March 2024.

The successful candidate will join one of the top groups of post-growth researchers in the world. We work closely as a team, and the successful candidate is expected to live and work in the Barcelona area.  Barcelona is a dynamic city on the Mediterranean, with a very high quality of life. The University of Barcelona is generally regarded as the top university in Spain, and one of the best in Europe.

We are committed to advancing the careers of women researchers, and researchers from under-represented backgrounds, who are encouraged to apply.