BSC is looking for a PhD student or a PhD degree holder to be employed in the EU Horizon Europe Framework Programme’s project Maximising the CO-benefits of agricultural Digitalisation through conducive digital ECoSystems (CODECS) (Grant Agreement No. 101060179). The person will be employed full time (1.0 FTE) for a period of 43 months starting no later than March 1, 2023 with a gross salary (on top of that BSC will pay employer’s social contributions) of a) EUR 2350 per month (for PhD student); b) 3400 per month (for PhD holder).
DESCRIPTION OF THE CODECS PROJECT
The overarching goal of the CODECS project is to improve the collective capacity to understand, assess and foresee the full range of benefits and costs of farm digitalisation, and to build digital ecosystems that maximise the net benefits of digitalisation. CODECS will produce and provide information on the costs and benefits of digital technologies – assessed at different scales and in real life – to farmers, advisors, and policy makers. It will study and create the conditions for increasing capacities of farmers and rural communities to use them and will build policy recommendations to foster the agricultural digital technologies conducive to sustainable development. The CODECS consortium will be devoted to implement policies of reference for this topic, to be achieved through specific engagement activities at Living Labs at regional, national, European level, a dedicated work on policy analysis and policy tools, and the establishment of a science-policy interface.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH POSITION
Number of positions available: 1
Description of work:
The selected applicant will be engaged in the following tasks of the CODECS project:
- co-development of the conceptual and methodological frameworks for studying sustainable digitalisation in agriculture;
- research and organisational work in the Latvian case study / Living Lab including mapping and analysis of the digital ecosystem; data gathering and analysis of economic, environmental and social costs and benefits; organisation of on-farm and virtual demonstrations of digital tools; policy foresight exercise;
- organisation of CODECS science-policy interface and development of policy recommendations and specific policy tools;
- preparation of the project’s communication materials.
The employment contract will start no later than March 1, 2023 and last until September 30, 2026, with a possibility of further engagement in other BSC projects.
Requirements:
- The candidate must be either (i) a PhD student or (ii) a PhD holder.
- We are looking for candidates who have affinity with the project’s topic, are motivated to participate in an international and interdisciplinary project, are keen to learn and advance their research careers.
- An interest in food systems, digitalisation, digital ecosystems, cost-benefit analysis of digital solutions and digitalisation policies will be viewed as an asset.
- The candidate should be fluent in English, have proven skills in public and scientific communication (including writing and presenting). Proficiency of Latvian language is optional.
- Track record of participation in research projects and preferably also authorship of scientific publications.
- The candidate should be able to start the work no later than March 1, 2023.
- Applicants must have a work permit to work in Europe.
Requirements specific for the PhD students:
- The PhD student is expected to link his/her doctoral thesis with the research work in the CODECS project.
Benefits:
- Academic environment: We offer work in a professional, vibrant, friendly and international environment and a space to pursue one's scientific ideas and ambitions.
- Financial provision: The successful applicant will be employed for the period of 43 months with a gross salary (on top of that BSC will pay employer’s social contributions) of a) EUR 2350 per month (for PhD student); b) 3400 per month (for PhD holder).
- Researcher training: The hired person will gain support and mentoring for her/his continuous involvement in project activities. Joint work with the CODECS project partners’ organisations will facilitate sharing of international research experience and interdisciplinary perspectives as well as promote networking and collaboration. The person will gain access to the knowledge pool of BSC’s national and international projects and research infrastructure and will be encouraged to become integrated into BSC’s international networks.
- Employment conditions: The position allows for a flexible work arrangement.
How to apply:
Applications in English should consist of a motivation letter, a CV and a writing sample of an academic output (e.g. master or PhD thesis, journal article) should be sent by December 21, 2022 to info@bscresearch.lv. For more information about the CODECS project and vacancy contact Prof. Tālis Tisenkopfs at talis.tisenkopfs@bscresearch.lv.
About BSC: Baltic Studies Centre (BSC) is a leading private non-profit research organisation in the field of social sciences in Latvia. Since establishment in 1991 BSC has carried out over 45 research projects including 18 EU Framework Programme projects. The areas of BSC expertise include sociology, sustainable agriculture, food supply chains, innovation networks, peri-urban agriculture, community development, public policy analysis, science and technology studies. BSC undertakes action-oriented research strategies and cooperates with producers’ organisations, policy makers, municipalities, SMEs, and other research and advisory organisations nationally and internationally. More information: http://www.bscresearch.lv.