The UFZ
The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) with its 1,100
employees has gained an excellent reputation as an international competence
centre for environmental sciences. We are part of the largest scientific
organisation in Germany, the Helmholtz association. Our mission: Our research
seeks to find a balance between social development and the long-term
protection of our natural resources.
The job
The department of Environmental Politics is looking for a PhD Researcher
(f/m/x) in the new Graduate Schoolon the topic: “Governance Monitor –
Tracking and assessing governance narratives for sustainability
transformations”
Your tasks
The successful candidate will track the development of risk assessment and
management measures for the sustainable use of chemicals in a circular
economy. Chemical policies play a key role in governing the circular economy
as materials that become increasingly polluting over time. Therefore, this
project asks how narratives of chemical policies have evolved since the REACH
regulation entered into force (2007) and whether and how policy narratives
consider discrepancies between policy provisions (e.g. within REACH) and
implementation practices (e.g. the different tests available and applied).
To meet these objectives, the successful candidate will:
Analyse narratives on EU chemicals policy over time,
Contribute to the theorizing on discourses and narratives in
sustainability transformation,
Create peer-reviewed journal articles in collaboration with the research
group and international partners,
Communicate and disseminate research results to diverse audiences, e.g.
private sector, public sector, students, civil society.
We offer
Excellent technical facilities which are without parallel
The freedom you need to bridge the difficult gap between basic research
and close to being ready for application
Work in inter-disciplinary, multinational teams
Excellent links with national and international research networks
Excellent support and optimal subject-specific and general training with
our HIGRADE graduate school
Remuneration in accordance with the TVöD public-sector pay grade 13
Your profile
Very good university degree (Master, Diploma) in political/social
science, human geography or natural resource management, environmental
studies, sustainability science or comparable field with a strong emphasis
on social questions
English language proficiency (CEFR level C1 or higher) and working
knowledge of German
Prior engagement with theories & concepts from the areas of
narratives/discourses/storytelling
Strong interpersonal skills and a desire to cooperate closely with the
other members of the Graduate School
Excellent team work capabilities in a multidisciplinary, international
team
The following experience is beneficial:
Experience in conducting social empirical research, discourse analysis in
particular
Experience in environment or technology related social science research
Experience in publishing and presenting research findings in peer-reviewed
journals and at scientific conferences
Experience within one or more of the fields of research: circular economy,
chemicals policy
