Ausschreibung Post-Doctoral Position in Applied Network Analysis or Data Science at MCC Berlin

MCC’s working group on Applied Sustainability Science is looking to recruit a motivated post-doctoral researcher with a background in network analysis or data science applied in the fields of sustainability and climate change. The research will be linked to the externally funded international project START (Strategic Scenario Analysis) that will examine energy transformations to zero emission societies.

Job duties
The successful candidate will be located at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) in Berlin and work in the START project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research in cooperation with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The candidate will be involved in two major tasks: 1) a meta-research project, where we aim to understand the structure and evolution of the energy research landscape, and assess how well it aligns with the requirements of zero-carbon energy transitions; 2) a discourse-analysis project, where we aim to understand the evolution of scientific, political and public discourses on coal and decarbonization using vast archives of text such as newspaper archives, science repositories or parliamentary archives. The candidate will analyze large citation networks and apply machine learning algorithms from computational linguistics such as topic modelling. Collaboration with other researchers in the project (e.g. Australian National University, University of Melbourne, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, University of Münster) is expected. The ultimate objective of the position is to publish in international peer -reviewed journals and to contribute outputs to the wider community (background information, visualizations, code for reproduction etc.).

Job requirements
Applicants should hold a PhD in climate change, energy or sustainability with a record in applied quantitative analysis. Proven skills in network analysis and programming using R, Python, or comparable languages, as well as experience with the visualization of research results are a crucial requirement. Further experience with machine learning are an advantage, as is an interest in qualitative social science methodologies like discourse analysis. The candidate should demonstrate his or her proficiency in English and ability to publish in renowned peer-reviewed international journals.

Appointment terms
The position is to be filled as soon as possible, subject to negotiation. Salary for the position is according to the German TV-L (100{c8db3f4443fb2f1c80e20e2e8420a201d47393e6b007c83f4847286f4b955a35} position). The contract duration is for two years. MCC follows a recruitment strategy that promotes equality and diversity and tolerance. We explicitly encourage qualified female candidates of suitable backgrounds to apply. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for a job interview.

Applications
For application please send an e-mail with reference number PD_2017_2 to Ms. Liane Otto, otto [at] mcc-berlin.net, with an electronic application containing by December, 31st 2017:
–  Curriculum Vitae
–  Motivation letter
–  One representative academic paper
–  Copies of relevant certificates
–  Two academic references

For content-related questions you can contact Prof. Jan Minx, minx [at] mcc-berlin.net.

Portrait of the MCC
MCC was founded in 2012 by Stiftung Mercator and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and since 2014 it is affiliated with the Technical University (TU) Berlin. Our research is carried out in seven working groups and one special task force and it addresses the grand challenges of climate change and of governing the global commons. Our research is rooted primarily in economics and other social sciences. We provide scientific policy advice and aim to identify policy-relevant solutions. Cooperation with high-profile international partner organizations provides a network of excellence and foster the high quality of the research at MCC. Within a few years, MCC has established itself prominently in the climate policy research landscape, ranked as No. 1 of climate think tanks in Europe.
For more information about the institute, please visit http://www.mcc-berlin.net.