PhD within Sustainable harvesting of wild Animals in African forests and impacts on carbon stocks

2nd April 2024
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PhD on Sustainable harvesting of wild animals in African forests and impacts on carbon stocks
PhD within Sustainable harvesting of wild Animals in African forests and impacts on carbon stocks
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About the position

 The Department of international environment and development studies (Noragric), Faculty of Landscape and Society (LANDSAM) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has a vacant 3.5-year PhD–position in International Environment and Development Studies. The position involves three years for PhD studies and half a year with duty work for the AFRI-FOR project.

 In developing countries, reconciling nature protection and development goals (food security, poverty alleviation) makes tropical forest conservation extremely challenging. Since the late 1990s, there has been an increasing interest in non-timber forest products (NTFPs, such as wild foods including wild animals, medicinal plants, firewood and construction materials) and their commercialisation, as it is argued that sustainable harvesting and use of such products by local populations can help promote forest conservation and alleviate poverty. Recent work from the Amazon has highlighted that such synergies are possible. In African forests, though, the commercialisation of NTFPs to support forest conservation is limited due to the poor understanding of potential markets -and a lack of data- on which species can be sustainably harvested, and under which conditions.

Maintaining tropical forests is not just key for local peoples’ livelihoods, it is also crucial for stabilizing global warming to below the 2°C target of the Paris Climate Agreement. At the local level, carbon finance may be used as an incentive for forest conservation. To date, though, most carbon projects have implemented a precautionary approach that prohibits the harvesting of NTFPs, causing ‘carbonized exclusion’ of local peoples. But is there always a trade-off between carbon storage and NTFP harvesting?

To answer these knowledge gaps, applicants are invited to apply for a PhD project focusing on the themes and topics outlined above and below.

The wider project AFRI-FOR to which the PhD is attached will use a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, integrating the fields of ethnobotany (work package WP1), ecology (WP1, WP2), anthropology and political ecology (WP3), conservation science and sustainability science (WP1, WP4). It will gather data and knowledge from 20 socioecological forest contexts in five countries in Africa (Sierra Leone, Cameroon, DR Congo, Uganda and Kenya), which will allow insights to transcend single sites and provide a much-needed general understanding of the possible synergies and trade-offs between NTFP harvesting and carbon storage.

As part of the AFRI-FOR project, this PhD position will contribute to (i) WP1: Investigating the enablers of wild meat sustainable harvesting and (ii) WP2: Quantifying synergies between wild meat harvesting and carbon storage.

For WP1, we will combine information on hunters’ offtake and movements (interviews), with information garnered through wildlife surveys (using camera traps and acoustic sensors) and modelling techniques to investigate harvesting’ impacts on targeted species. Market surveys in urban areas might also be considered. For WP2, we will focus on soil carbon and above-ground biomass using non-destructive sampling approaches (e.g. field measurement of plots using rainfor protocols) and compare hunted vs non-hunted forests.

The applicant is made aware that an application for a PhD position at NMBU is at the same time an application for admission to a PhD program at the institution. The documentation that is necessary to ensure that the admission requirements are met must be uploaded as an attachment.

Main tasks

The appointed candidate is admitted to a PhD programme at the faculty. The PhD programme consists of mandatory and elective courses (30 ECTS) with written and oral examinations, and a major research component. The PhD candidate will develop a full research proposal aligned with the objectives of WP1 and WP2 of AFRI-FOR and progress plan for the PhD scholarship period during the first months of the appointment. Note that the target countries in Africa for the research cannot be modified by appointed candidate.

The appointed candidate is expected to contribute other activities related to the AFRI-FOR project, including but not limited to: application of research permits, collaborating with MSc students from the target countries, organizing data gathered in the field into large databases, writing of academic and non-academic reports, writing of e.g. blog for project website, dissemination activities within target countries (e.g. meetings with conservation NGOs). Also note that the appointed candidate will work closely with another AFRI-FOR PhD candidate focusing on harvesting of wild plants, and it is likely and encouraged that they help each other in data gathering within the target countries.

We have compiled a deliberation for this position.

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Competence:

The successful applicant must meet the conditions defined for admission to a PhD programme at the Faculty. The applicant must have an academically relevant education corresponding to a five-year Norwegian degree programme.

Required academic qualifications are:

• Master degree in International environment studies, Ecology, Agronomy, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, Conservation and Ethnobiology, or other related fields.
• Documented strong academic background from previous studies (Master degree GPA: B or better; Master thesis B or better)
• Documented proficiency in English (written and oral)

For more detailed information on the admission criteria please see the PhD Regulations and the supplementary provisions for the faculty’s  PhD programmes . If you are unsure whether your Bachelor and Master degrees qualify, please contact the PhD programme coordinator, see contact details below.

The following experiences and skills will be emphasized:

• Prior experience with fieldwork in tropical Africa
• Prior experience in conducting interviews or focus-group discussions
• Hands-on experience in using camera traps and/or acoustic devices for wildlife monitoring
• Willingness to travel to Africa every year
• Good communication skills (e.g. previous presentation at a conference)
• Knowledge of French
• Knowledge of statistical methods using R (please specify which modelling technique you used before)
• Interest in cultural values associated with tropical forests and in science outreach

Required personal skills:

• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within the research group
• Motivation to manage and complete a PhD research project
• Enjoys interdisciplinary and collaborative work

Remuneration and further information

The position is placed in government pay scale position code 1017 PhD. Fellow. PhD. Fellows are normally placed in pay grade 54 (NOK 532200) on the Norwegian Government salary scale upon employment and follow ordinary meriting regulations.

Employment is conducted according to national guidelines for University and Technical College PhD scholars.

For further information, please contact:

Josie Teurlings, Senior Advisor, PhD programme coordinator, E-mail: [email protected] ; phone +47 67231309

The successful applicant is expected to start in the position 1 September 2024 and be on campus on a daily basis (working remotely is not permitted).

Information for PhD applicants  and general information to applicants

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Application

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the ‘Apply for this job’ button above. This will route you to the University’s Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Application deadline: 02/04/2024

Your CV must be entered in JobbNorge’s CV form and not just included as an attachment. This is to be able to comply with the regulations of §15 of the Public Administration Act.

In the application, the candidate must confirm that information and documentation (in the form of attachments) submitted via the job application can also be used by NMBU in a possible admission process.

Applicants invited for an interview are expected to present original diplomas and certificates.

The following documents must be attached to the application:

• Motivation letter (maximum 1 page, clarifying how you meet the required and emphasized experiences and skills)
• Complete CV
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and certificates. (i.e. Di-ploma, transcript. Diploma supplement for both bachelor and master). Diplomas, transcripts and diploma supplements that are not in Norwegian or English must be uploaded in the original language. An English translation of these documents must also be attached.
• Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement, or a similar document, which describes in detail the study program and grading system.
• Documentation of proficiency in written and oral English in accordance with NMBU PhD regulation section 5-2 (3).
• Names and contact details for two references (no recommendation letters required at this stage)
• One writing sample, for example master thesis, academic paper or article, book chapter, or equivalent
• Additional relevant documentation of professional knowledge (for example, list of scientific works). If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution for publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

About the Faculty of Landscape and Society

The Department of International Environment and Development Studies is a leading education and research institution in Norway, conducting world class and highly internationalized critical interdisciplinary research across the fields of International Relations, Global Development and Environmental Studies, focusing on global challenges at the intersection between social and natural processes. The department is organized in four research clusters: rights and power in development; climate change and agricultural development; conflict and human security; and environmental governance. The Department comprises around 30 academic staff, 25 PhD candidates and 400 fulltime students, and is responsible for one Bachelor program and three Master programs. For further information, read here. 

The Department is a unit in The Faculty of Landscape and Society, which in addition to Noragric, is home to four other departments, including public health science, landscape architecture, landscape engineering, urban and regional planning, property development and property law. The Faculty has 1300 students and 180 employees and offers popular, forward-focused Bachelor, Master’s and PhD programs. The Faculty is interdisciplinary and works with sustainable social development, both nationally and internationally. 

The faculty offers two PhD programs:  

• Society Development and Planning
• International Environment and Development Studies

NMBU
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NMBU

The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)

NMBU will contribute to securing the future of life through outstanding research, education, communication and innovation. We have the country’s most satisfied university students, who receive research-based education in a unique student environment. Our graduates gain a high level of competence in interdisciplinary collaboration and are popular in the labor market. NMBU has internationally leading research environments in several subjects. Together with our partners in society and business, we contribute to solving some of the biggest societal challenges of our time.

We focus on innovation, communication and entrepreneurship because we believe these challenges are best solved with joint efforts. We believe that a good working environment is characterized by diversity.If necessary, workplace adaptations will be made for persons with disabilities. More information about NMBU is available at www.nmbu.no/en

Apply for this job
Deadline

2nd April 2024

Employer

Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)

Municipality

Ås

Scope

Fulltime (1 positions)
Fulltime
(%)

Duration

Fixed Term

Place of service

Universitetstunet 3, 1430 Ås

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