PhD Candidate in Biodiversity Value Assessment for Energy Transition

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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KHQjc4ndas&t=41sAbout the position A three-year PhD position is available at the Gjærevoll Centre for Biodiversity Foresight Analyses at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The position is funded by NTNU Energy and also linked to the VISTA Centre for Norwegian Transformative Energy Policy Development (NOTRAP). The PhD project will explore the societally relevant intersection of biodiversity modelling, renewable energy and social-ecological systems. We are seeking a motivated candidate with experience and interest in biodiversity science, spatial ecology, landscape ecology, land use, or other closely related topics. The Gjærevoll Centre will be the candidate's primary workplace. Here, the candidate will be part of a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment and contribute to the NOTRAP centre. The candidate is also expected to contribute to NTNU Energy's activities upon request. As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia. Your immediate leader will be the Director of the Gjærevoll Centre.

About the project Holistic efforts to address climate change and biodiversity loss are needed. A major research objective today is to inform a transition to renewable energy that protects areas of high biodiversity value, and the diverse and irreplaceable values nature holds for human society. This work is strengthened by a community-engaged research framework. The Gjærevoll Centre brings together researchers from the natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, informatics, environmental engineering, economics and the social sciences to understand how biodiversity is affected by human use of land and water. By combining ecological field studies, biodiversity modelling and foresight analyses with perspectives on societal values and governance, the centre aims to produce knowledge and tools that can inform policies and actions to halt biodiversity loss. The NOTRAP centre contributes to this aim with a focus on the nexus of energy transition and democracy, establishing Energy Policy Incubators for the co-construction of transformative energy policies. Within the PhD project, it is expected that the candidate will link assessment of biodiversity impacts of energy transition pathways with perceived importance of natural habitats by local populations. The position is funded under NTNU Energy's Focus Area 1, The Renewable Revolution. NTNU Energy is NTNU's strategic research area on energy and aims to strengthen energy research that contributes to securing climate-friendly, nature-friendly and fair energy. The PhD project will investigate synergies between biodiversity value and societal value in areas with contested land or water use related to the energy transition. As an integrative project, it may combine approaches such as ecological fieldwork, biodiversity modelling, participatory and citizen-based mapping of biodiversity and societal values, and social-ecological systems analysis. The candidate will work with the NOTRAP centre to identify and develop links to its activities, including the Energy Policy Incubators. The main supervisor will be Researcher Irja Ida Ratikainen (Gjærevoll Centre, NTNU). The candidate will have an interdisciplinary supervision team with co-supervisors from the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences.

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate • Conduct high-quality research within the framework described above • Produce a high-quality PhD thesis, comprising manuscripts suitable for publication in international peer-reviewed journals • Disseminate research results to academic and non-academic audiences • Participate actively in relevant research groups at the Gjærevoll Centre and the NOTRAP centre • Contribute to NTNU Energy's activities • Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign institutions Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme. In particular, your previous education must be equivalent to a five-year Norwegian degree programme. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master's thesis. This corresponds to an undergraduate Bachelor degree and typically a 2-year Master's degree. • You must have a strong and relevant academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works. • Documented quantitative and computational skills in general, and preferably within spatial data analysis and biodiversity modelling • You must have a Master's degree in ecology or a closely related scientific field. • Good oral and written communication and presentation skills in English. Applicants who are about to complete their Master's degree may apply, but the degree must be completed and documented before the start of employment. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• •A solid understanding of biodiversity, spatial ecology, and/or nature conservation and management
• •Experience from nature management, conservation practice, or participatory and community-engaged research
• •Experience from interdisciplinary research
• •Good oral and written communication skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is an advantage

Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

• Work independently and in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them • Collaborate well and contribute actively to an interdisciplinary research environment • Communicate well, and present and discuss your research with other professionals and with stakeholders • Learn new methods and approaches, and adjust the plan for the project as needed • Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the research Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer Evaluate and remove/add what is relevant for the position.

• An exciting job with an important mission in society • Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment • Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period • Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues • Working capital that can be used to implement the project • Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU • Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK) • Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2) As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

Diversity Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​