Postdoctoral Research Associate - Community-led Conservation and Governance

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Postdoctoral Research Associate -  Community-led Conservation and Governance

The Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric and Earth Science at the University of Miami has an exciting full time opportunity for a Postdoctoral Associate with deep expertise in conservation governance, community-led conservation, and participatory and qualitative research methods. Disciplinary background is open within environmental governance, including but not limited to: political science, political ecology, sustainability science, human geography, cultural anthropology or a related field. Applicants with an interdisciplinary degree are welcome.

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will join an international research team that will identify pathways to successful community-led conservation, with a particular focus on the role of philanthropic foundations and grantmaking practices. Using a knowledge co-production approach, the project will develop actionable results to inform grant-making, policy, and practice in community-led conservation globally. The position will involve in-depth case studies in Indonesia, including extensive fieldwork and deep collaboration and knowledge co-production with communities, conservation practitioners, and philanthropic foundations. 

The research team will be led by Dr. Rebecca Gruby (University of Miami), Dr. Xavier Basurto (Stanford University), and Dr. Michele Betsill (University of Copenhagen). This position will be housed in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy and the Robert K. Johnson Center for Marine Conservation within the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. The postdoctoral research associate will be supervised by Dr. Rebecca Gruby and will collaborate extensively with all research team members, including a second postdoc based at Stanford University who will lead the project’s research in Mexico. This is full-time position available with an initial appointment of one-year, renewable for an additional 1.5 years based on satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

At the University of Miami, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will join a vibrant community committed to solutions-oriented environmental research and education. The position offers opportunities to engage with an active network of postdocs, graduate students, and faculty, as well as aligned organizations like the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and the Climate Resilience Institute.

Key responsibilities

• Lead a synthetic review of relevant literature on community-led conservation, polycentric governance, and environmental philanthropy
• Lead in-depth case studies of community-led conservation in Indonesia, including data collection and analysis as well as extensive fieldwork
• Coordinate and contribute to data analysis across case studies in multiple geographies
• Lead knowledge co-production process, including workshops and communication with communities, conservation practitioners, academics, and funder
• Mentor graduate students involved in the project
• Co-author high-impact peer-reviewed publications
• Develop creative non-academic outputs to ensure findings are accessible and actionable for diverse communities

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. (in hand by the starting date) in environmental governance, with expertise in Indigenous-led conservation or community-led conservation
• Disciplinary background is open, including but not limited to political science, political ecology, sustainability science, human geography, cultural anthropology or related field with a strong qualitative focus. Applicants with an interdisciplinary degree are welcome
• Demonstrated proficiency with participatory and qualitative methods, including mixed methods as well as complementary quantitative approaches
• Demonstrated experience with knowledge co-production and community-engaged fieldwork
• Ability to collaborate with scholars who work with large and complex datasets
• A strong publication record of empirical research commensurate with career stage
• Outstanding communication skills and a proven ability to collaborate effectively with researchers, communities, and practitioners across diverse disciplines and backgrounds
• Fluency in English and Bahasa Indonesia, both written and verbal

Application Instructions

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The position is available to begin immediately, with a preferred start date before April 1, 2026.

To apply, interested candidates must submit a CV, cover letter, and a recent publication or dissertation chapter.

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Job Status:

Full time

Employee Type:

Staff