项目介绍

2024年2月27日

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD position, funded by Denmark’s Independent Research Fund, as part of the “Green Justice” project led by Prof. Dr. Merlin Schaeffer at the Department of Sociology. As member of the project team, the successful applicant will use innovative survey experiments to explore public perceptions of environmental justice and design solutions for fairer green transitions. The successful applicant will also be enrolled as a PhD student at the Faculty of Social Sciences and benefit from the rich academic environment of the Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences.

The anticipated starting date is 1 September 2024.

Job description

Scandinavian societies are committed to the green transition and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, alongside socially just policy making supported by a broad public consensus. This raises an important question: How can we transition to green energy production and consumption while ensuring citizens perceive the process as fair and equitable? To address this question, this project aims to conduct a series of factorial survey experiments based on large representative population samples focusing on justice perceptions concerning for example renewable energy sources or affordable housing. The project offers a unique opportunity for a PhD researcher to specialize in green empirical justice research and lay the groundwork for academic, public, or private sector careers.

As a PhD researcher in the “Green Justice” project, your tasks will include:

• Work in collaboration with the Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Merlin Schaeffer.
• Gain expertise in environmental justice research and write an overview of the state of the art in this research field.
• Design of factorial and conjoint survey experiments on environmental justice perceptions.
• Collaborate with survey companies to implement the designed experiments.
• Statistical analyses of survey experimental data.
• Co-authoring of scientific journal articles.
• Presentation of project results at international conferences.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding society and world at large, and thus invites all qualified applicants, regardless of personal background, to apply for the positions.

Salary and work conditions
PhD students are paid a full-time salary including social benefits in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The PhD student has a work obligation of up to 840 hours over the 3-year period of time without additional pay. This implies a full-time employment of 37 hours per week. The work obligation includes teaching obligations. Residency in Denmark implies full health care coverage and access to public services such as childcare facilities or schools.

The successful applicant will have access to a fully equipped office workplace at the Department of Sociology and will be integrated as a member of the department’s staff.

Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences
Enrolment in the Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences provides PhD students with a rigorous and supportive PhD environment dedicated to nurturing outstanding researchers. The program equips students with the skills needed to complete a high-quality PhD dissertation, including involvement in research networks, participation in relevant courses, teaching opportunities, and other avenues for knowledge sharing. This approach ensures PhD students not only develop their research expertise but also refine their professional skills, preparing them for success in diverse career paths.

Further information about the PhD study program is available on the website of Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences: 

Under “Legal basis” on the website you will find information about the rules and guidelines for the PhD program and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD program at the Universities. 

Information about Sociology’s PhD study program is also available on the PhD website of the Department of Sociology:

Requirements
In order to be eligible for the position, the applicant must have completed a two-year Master’s degree program in the social sciences (Sociology, Political Science, Economics) or a related discipline, or have earned 120 ECTS credits at an equivalent academic level before starting their employment. Talented applicants who are about to finalize their Master’s degree are also eligible to apply.

Above and beyond a two-year Master’s degree (or close to completion), the successful applicant should have the following qualifications:

• Interest in social science research on environmental topics and the green transition.
• Strong background in quantitative social science methods.
• Firm knowledge of conducting statistical analyses using either R or Stata.
• Excellent English writing and communication skills.

How to apply
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word.

• Cover Letter (detailing your motivation and background for applying for the position)
• Project description: A two-page description of a potential survey experimental design on environmental justice perceptions that could be implemented as part of the “Green Justice” project.
• CV
• Diploma and transcripts of records (Bachelor and Master)   
• Applicants should familiarize themselves with the past and ongoing work of the Principal Investigator of the “Green Justice” project, Prof. Dr. Merlin Schaeffer.

Please note that it is only possible to upload one document per attachment category. If more than one document has to be uploaded in the same category, please make sure that they are scanned and collected into one file.  

Application process  
On the website of Copenhagen Graduate School of Social Sciences you will find information about the application process, and enclosures to include with your electronic application: 

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here:  https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The following criteria are used when shortlisting candidates for assessment: 

1. Quality and feasibility of the project proposal. 

2. Qualifications as specified under requirements. 

3. Performance (grades obtained) in graduate and post-graduate studies. 

Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant themselves. You can read about the recruitment process here. 

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: https://ism.ku.dk/

Contact information
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk., please refer to ID number: 211-1745/24-2H #1.

Additional information about the position can be obtained from Merlin Schaeffer, e-mail: mesc@soc.ku.dk.

The closing date for applications is 24 March 2024 23:59 CET.
Applications received after the deadline will not be taken into account. Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.