Master Environmental Humanities as Doctoral Researcher (m / f / d)

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Institut für Geographie der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

The successful candidate will join our dynamic academic community to conduct and publish outstanding research, deliver excellent teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and develop their academic profile at the intersection of Cultural Geography and Nature-Society Geography. We especially welcome applicants with an interest in urban environmental challenges and who are keen to develop expertise in areas such as urban political ecology, climate urbanism, critical infrastructure studies, critical landscape studies, urban environmental history, feminist/postcolonial geographies, posthuman/animal geographies, and/or environmental inequalities and justice.

This is a 65% full-time equivalent (FTE) position, based on a fixed three-year contract with the possibility of further extension. Remuneration is in accordance with pay grade E13 of the German public-sector collective agreement (TV-L). The envisioned start date is 1 June 2025.

Job description

• Working as doctoral researcher you will develop, implement, and write a doctoral dissertation corresponding to the profile of the Society-Environment Research Group.
• You will co-author and single author peer-reviewed publications in international academic journals and present research results at international conferences
• You will plan, administer, and deliver classes of 3,25 lecture hours per week (SWS). Your teaching and supervision efforts will mainly be centred on students pursuing degrees in cultural geography.
• You will take on responsibility for a fair share of administrative and organisational tasks at the Chair in Cultural Geography and Society-Environment Research and contribute to academic self-management at the Institute of Geography.

Notwendige Qualifikationen:

We are looking for a candidate who:

• has successfully completed a university degree (MA/MSc., Magister, Diploma) with excellent results in human geography or a related field such as urban studies, political ecology, environmental humanities, anthropology, sociology
• has excellent written and spoken English language skills (incl. academic writing) and has good knowledge of German (CEFR B2)
• is able to work independently, as well as collaboratively within an international research team
• has proven knowledge of working empirically with qualitative social science/human geographical research methods (e.g., successfully completed methods seminars)
• has enthusiasm for and ideally some experience in university teaching.

What we offer

• This 3-year 65% doctoral position comes with an internationally competitive salary, stipulated in accordance with the German collective agreement for the public sector (TV-L E13; minimum gross salary: 37,500? p.a.)
• A fully equipped workplace at the Institute for Geography
• You will have the chance to collaborate and exploit synergies between your own work and ongoing projects of the Society-Environment Research Group, including the Cluster of Excellence ?Matters of Activity? and its affiliated leading international scholars.
• As member of the newly established Society-Environment Research Group, you will have the opportunity to shape its future research and teaching activities, collaborate on grant applications, design workshops and conferences, and develop innovative outreach formats (e.g., film screenings, public talks, exhibitions, podcasts) together with the other members of the group.
• You will be encouraged to vigorously pursue your own ideas, strengthen your track record of independent academic publications, and energetically advance your own academic career.
• You will receive supervision and support in your academic career development by the Chair, Professor Sandra Jasper, who has an exceptionally successful track record of mentoring early career researchers (DFG Walter-Benjamin, Alexander-von-Humboldt-Fellowship, DAAD Professorship).
• Generous support for participation in a wide range of national and international conferences, workshops and methods-training courses.
• A high level of freedom when it comes to establishing your work processes with flexible working hours, remote work options, and excellent family-work compatibility.

As the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg wishes to raise the proportion of women in research and teaching, female academics are expressly encouraged to apply. Furthermore, this post is suitable for those who are registered disabled. Registered disabled persons are given preference over non-disabled applicants who do not otherwise have statutory preferential status if their overall personal aptitudes, skills and qualifications are equal.

How to apply

Please send your application by email as a single PDF file (max. 5 MB) to Prof. Dr Sandra Jasper (). The application should include:

• Your curriculum vitae
• Your bachelor?s and master?s degree certificates and transcripts of records
• Letter of motivation (maximum two pages) stating why you would like to join the Chair in Cultural Geography and Society-Environment Research and potential areas of collaboration with the Society-Environment Research Group
• A two-to-five-page proposal for the envisioned PhD project
• An electronic copy of your MA thesis and up to two writing samples, e.g., seminar paper, publication (if available)
• Names and contact details of two referees, e.g., from the supervisor(s) of a previous thesis

The application deadline is Friday, 28 March 2025. Interviews will be online and take place on the 3rd and 4th of April, 2025. If you have questions about the position, you can contact Prof. Dr. Sandra Jasper ().