Founded in 2009 in Potsdam, the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies e.V. (IASS, www.iasspotsdam.de) is an institute for transdisciplinary sustainability research with a wide network of partners across the globe. With its top-level research, the publicly funded institute aims to illuminate development paths for the global transformation to a sustainable society and foster dialogue among researchers, policy-makers and civil society actors in an interactive way. IASS researchers investigate global sustainability policies, an innovative future energy supply, the sustainable use of resources such as oceans, soils, and raw materials, and the challenges facing our Earth system such as climate change and air pollution.

Given the institute-wide focus on transdisciplinary work, which is integral to the IASS vision and mission and the research projects deriving from them, a cross-cutting IASS unit on the ‘theory and practice of transdisciplinarity’ is in the process of being created under the auspices of the IASS Management Board. In this context, the IASS is seeking to appoint a

Head of Cross-cutting Unit on Transdisciplinarity (m/f)

at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reference number: IAS-TD1

It is expected that the head of this unit will bring new perspectives to transdisciplinary research at the IASS and develop this approach further in discussions with the Management Board and in close consultations with IASS colleagues. The successful candidate should therefore have many years of experience in sustainability research at the science-society interface and a proven track record in the management of projects in this field. As a central requirement of this position, the candidate must be able to demonstrate that in their career to date, they have contributed to the theoretical elaboration of transdisciplinary work while at the same time gaining practical experience in the implementation of projects with societal stakeholders (co-development).

Tasks:

• Developing a work programme for the cross-cutting unit in close consultation with the IASS Management Board, the Research Coordination Board, and individual IASS research projects
• Developing and presenting focused IASS contributions on scientific and societal discourses and reflecting on and contributing to research projects on overarching questions, in particular the meaning of sustainability in the Anthropocene
• Leading the members of the cross-cutting unit, while cooperating closely with colleagues in other IASS research projects
• Contributing to knowledge management with regard to theories, methodologies and concepts at the institute by processing the experiences gained in projects together with the respective staff members
• Linking IASS research on transdisciplinarity to the work carried out by national and international partners from science and society; organizing and reflecting on transdisciplinary processes in collaboration with representatives and partner organisations from the scientific, policy, and civil society communities
• Conceptualizing further sub-projects and attracting the third-party funding required to implement them.

To submit your application, please click on the "APPLY" button.

We look forward to receiving your application with a short cover letter, your CV and two references. Please also quote the reference number IAS-TD1.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Extensive knowledge of the current discourse on transdisciplinarity, especially that conducted in the field of sustainability studies, proven in relevant publications; a PhD and expertise in one or more of the IASS research areas
• Many years of experience in implementing research projects at the science-policy interface
• A least five years of experience in leading interdisciplinary teams whose work is both theoretically grounded and of practical relevance
• Practical experience in implementing sustainability policies at national and international level, for example, in a government department, an NGO, an international organisation or in industry
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in German and English
• The ability to work in a team is particularly important for this position.

What we offer:

• An attractive, international working environment with a pleasant working atmosphere
• An interesting and varied remit with the opportunity to shape the institute’s transdisciplinary research approach in consultation with the IASS Management Board
• Remuneration is in accordance with the TVöD salary scale. The position is initially foreseen for the period until December 31st, 2016 with the possibility of extending the employment contract thereafter.
• Handicapped applicants with equal qualifications will be given preference. The Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies wishes to increase the number of female employees at the institute. For that reason, we especially welcome applications from female candidates.