The post-doc will lead the implementation of the research component of the project ‘Building resilience in high biodiversity areas for Nature and People’, under the supervision of the project’s research committee composed of Dr. Suneetha Subramanian, Research Fellow and Academic Associate, Institute of Advanced Sustainability of the University of the United Nation, Tokyo; Dr Thomas Elliot, CEO, Restor; and Dr. Paule Gros, CEO BiodivEarth.
Full description of the job offer
1- BiodivEarth project
2- Research mission
3- Conditions
4- Qualifications and skills required
5- Application process
I-The BiodivEarth project:
Building resilience in high biodiversity areas for nature and people
Overall goal of the project
BiodivEarth project “Building resilience in high biodiversity areas for nature and people” aims to strengthen the resilience of effective management schemes (*) in sites of high biodiversity thereby helping to prevent further biodiversity loss in those sites.
The project brings together a diverse set of stewards delivering effective management schemes such as indigenous peoples, local communities, private landowners, farmers, fishers, foresters, entrepreneurs, protected area managers and institutional bodies, to facilitate knowledge sharing and help improve the resilience of management schemes through a Community of Practice (CoP).
(*) Within the scope of this project, we define a management scheme as resilient if it can consistently achieve over time its intended results in terms of maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functions while sustaining local socio-economic and cultural dynamics.
Approach followed
The approach developed involves identifying sites of ecological significance where successful
management schemes have maintained rich biodiversity over extended periods, extracting from
these cases valuable learnings on what makes a management scheme resilient and accelerating the dissemination of these learnings to enhance the resilience of management schemes in biodiverse regions across the globe (with an initial focus on islands).
To start with, BiodivEarth is working with a small group of pilot sites, chosen for being effectively managed, representing different types of stewards, and having consistently delivered over time, i.e. being exemplary for their resilience. De facto each of those schemes holds some key ingredients for resilience. The CoP facilitates the exchange of know-how on resilience amongst the stewards and contribute to giving more visibility and recognition to their management schemes globally. It creates a dynamic to reinforce the resilience of the participating management schemes.
Simultaneously, a collaboration is being established between the Stewards and Research
organisations to understand the key factors contributing to the resilience of management schemes, pulling data from the sites of the CoP and from other sites worldwide. Learnings from this research will help diagnose and improve the level of resilience of sites within and beyond the CoP.
Concrete strategies implemented
Establishing and sustaining a CoP of pilot models to exchange and promote proven methods for enhancing the resilience of management schemes
Conducting in-depth research to identify the key factors that contribute to the resilience of pilot models from the CoP and other sites worldwide
Actively sharing the findings from the research to contribute to enhance the resilience of management schemes within and beyond the CoP.
Pilot models and Sites already engaged in the Community of Practice
The first pilot model that joined the CoP is the Custòdia Agrària, Menorca’s Land Stewardship
Scheme (https://www.gobmenorca.com/custodia-agraria/), which establishes voluntary agreements between farmers, landowners, and a conservation organization (GOB Menorca) to
work towards an economically and environmentally sustainable farming model so that Menorca
can maintain a prosperous farming system with the added value of conserving biodiversity and
ecosystems. Custodia Agrària is managed by GOB (the Balearic Ornithology and Nature Defence Group), a local NGO that works in close collaboration with local constituencies towards the preservation of the landscapes and natural values of Menorca.
The second pilot model is the fishing No-Take Zone (NTZ) being established around Gyaros
Marine protected Area in the Cyclades, Greece, by national and local institutions (NECCA) in
collaboration with WWF. This model, supported by the local fishers and other stakeholders, has
allowed fish stocks and biodiversity to recover from fishing pressure and, at term, led to increased catch in fishing areas surrounding the NTZ.
( https://www.wwf.gr/en/our_work/nature/marine/marine_protected_areas/gyaros/ )
We are currently in the process of identifying additional pilot models in the geographies of the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and Northern Europe. We are seeking models of community-led management of natural resources, institutional (co-)management of protected areas, private entrepreneurship and land stewardship.
For more information, please check the following links to a 3mn video presenting the project https://vimeo.com/1044091831/aaea7329a2?share=copy
II – Research mission:
The postdoctoral researcher will tackle three work packages that are conceived to be independent in terms of funding and publications to build flexibility into the project implementation
Identify a set of at least 15 pilot sites worldwide applying management schemes aligned with the selection criteria for the project’s pilot models (link to criteria of selection). These models should be documented through long-term socio-ecological data set and chosen to achieve a diverse representation of biomes and management types. The pilot sites will be identified by engaging with relevant networks, conducting online research and consulting scientific references. The potential pilots identified will be validated through consultations with the stewards of the models and experts in relevant fields. (Work package 1)
Conduct analyses on a sample, including the set of 15 pilot sites identified and the 5 pilot models of the CoP, to determine key factors and combination of factors underpinning the resilience of these models. These analyses may require developing composite variables based on raw data. (Work package 1)
Lead the development of a diagnostic tool for the resilience of models integrating the result of the analyses and building on previously existing tools (such as R-SAT and IPSI indicators of SELSP). This task will be implemented in collaboration with the developers of the existing tools. (Work package 2).
Contribute to the local extraction of know-how at pilot sites and to the development of solutions towards increasing the resilience of models. Solutions will be based on extracted know-how, results of analyses, and existing wisdom from research sites. These tasks will be performed in collaboration with stewards and researchers of pilot sites (Work package 3)
III Conditions
Contract: The contract will be with BiodivEarth, a Swiss NGO governed by Swiss civil code.
Duration: The position is for one year starting in September 2025 and ending August 31, 2026.
It is renewable based on year-1 research outcome and funding availability.
Location: The affiliation structure is open to discussion. Proposals from research institutes interested in hosting the position could be considered.
The work will require frequent exchanges with the BiodivEarth team, based in Lausanne, Geneva and Marseille areas, and regular interactions with members of the project Research Committee based in Zürich, and Tokyo areas. Some of these exchanges could be done remotely.
In addition, for activities such as extraction of know-how and design of the diagnostic tool, the postdoc is expected to visit pilot sites of the Community of practice in the Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands and Northern Europe.
Remuneration: Salary will be based on prevailing benchmarks and factor-in experience. Travel costs and research expenses will be covered by BiodivEarth on a pre-agreed basis.
IV Qualifications and skills required
Field of research: Candidates are expected to have completed their PhD thesis and/or a post-doc in Landscape Ecology, Conservation Biology, Socio-ecological Systems, Ecological and/or Social Sustainability, Sciences and Societies or related fields.
Professional skills: Strong capacity to analyse socio-ecological datasets, including quantitatively using advanced statistical methods and tools, and experience or keen interest in designing applied tools based on research results.
Soft skills: Ability to engage in collaborative research. Good convening and communication skills. Ability to work in a multicultural environment.
Experience: Previous experience with system analysis, holistic approaches, and working with communities locally will be highly valued.
Languages: Full proficiency in English is mandatory, including strong writing skills.
A good command of Spanish would be a real plus.
V. Application procedure
Please send a CV, a letter of motivation and the contacts of three referees to info@biodivearth.org by August 31, 2025. If applicable, candidates are encouraged to submit letters from research structures interested in hosting them in case of success.
Successful candidates will be notified for an interview by August 31, 2025. Enquiries about the position are welcome and should be submitted through the above-mentioned email address.
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