PhD position in Geography : Energy Justice in the Swiss Energy Transition (100%)

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

The Department of Geography and Sustainability (IGD) at the University of Lausanne (UNIL)invites applications for the position of

PhD student in geography (Energy justice in the Swiss energy transition)

to join Prof. Selin Yilmaz's research team.

The IGD brings together some 130 members working in the fields of geography and sustainability, combining the humanities and natural sciences. With 27 professors and MERs and over 80 PhD students and post-docs, the IGD offers an international, interdisciplinary, and stimulating environment conducive to high-level research. It regularly hosts renowned conferences and researchers from all over the world.

Start date: November 1, 2024

Duration of contract: 2 years, 2 years renewable, maximum 4 years

Rate of employment: 100%.

Salary: 48’606 – 51’507 CHF yearly (salary scales for PhD in line with SNSF guidelines)

Place of work: University of Lausanne, Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Géopolis, UNIL-Mouline, Lausanne, Switzerland

The successful candidate will work in the project entitled EQUITAS (Swiss Energy eQUIty aTlAS: Closing the loop between theory, policy, and practice) funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy in collaboration with HES-SO Valais-Wallis Institute of Social Work and Energy Science Centre (ESC), ETH Zurich. This project aims to bring social equity to the forefront of energy policies, programmes, and pilots by developing innovative social metrics using socio-territorial indicators. The successful candidate will work on translating the conceptual framework of energy justice — encompassing recognition, procedural, distributive, and restorative justice — into the Swiss context, by exemplifying how the four dimensions of energy justice apply to Swiss energy policies. He/she will play a key role in developing the metrics and indicators using both quantitative and qualitative data points, visualizing these metrics through a comprehensive 'energy equity atlas' using GIS tools.  The ideal candidate should be passionate about social justice, skilled in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and eager to contribute to the creation of equitable energy policies.

The candidate will conduct personal research with a view to obtaining a doctorate in environmental sciences.  He/She will devote 100% of his/her time to his/her doctoral thesis as well as the project tasks but is welcomed to take part in master’s and bachelor teaching in the field of the governance of energy transformations and energy geography to develop experience.

In order to qualify for the position, the candidates are required to have:

    • Completed or nearly completed a master’s degree in environmental sciences; geography, social sciences;

    • Proven knowledge of energy policy and justice;

    • Good knowledge of qualitative methods (e.g. interviews) and quantitative methods (e.g. metric calculations) would be an asset.

    • Good language skills in English are expected (the language of the project EQUITAS and publications will be in English). French and German would be an asset.

    • Ability to work in an interdisciplinary multi-institutional team

The IGD offers a stimulating environment and a culture conducive to the development of a research career. IGD members are enrolled in international research networks, and graduate assistants are encouraged and supported to participate in these too, at annual conferences.

IGD offers competitive salaries and financial support for field work and conference attendance. In addition, various opportunities for further training are available either at UNIL or within Swiss organizations that promote doctoral research.

Prof. Selin Yilmaz (Write an email)

Department of Geography and Sustainability: https://www.unil.ch/igd/home.html

Application deadline: September 17, 2024

Interested candidates are requested to send us the following documents - in PDF format - via the University of Lausanne Careers website only:

• Motivation letter (2 pages) explaining how the candidate’s profile matches the above criteria;
• Full curriculum vitae;
• Scans of university diplomas obtained and course transcripts/marks, in case of nearly completed Master’s degree, the latest transcript of grades should be submitted.
• A piece of research (e.g. Master’s thesis, research paper, publication, etc.).
• Names and e-mail addresses of two academic referees. You do not have to attach a reference letter.

Interviews are scheduled online for 23 September 2024, from 13:00 to 16:30 local time

Only applications through this website will be taken into account.

We thank you for your understanding.

UNIL is committed to equal opportunities and diversity.
www.unil.ch/egalite

UNIL supports early career researchers.
www.unil.ch/graduatecampus