21-07-00002 Post-Doctoral offer in multi-objective decision making for biodiversity restoration and...

Reference: 21-07-00002

The Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), located in Solsona (Pre-Pyrenees, 120 km from Barcelona), Spain, employs app. 100 staff, produces >100 scientific articles annually and has a turnover of app. 6 Mil. €/year. Further institutional information is available at: www.ctfc.cat/en .

CTFC’s research activity is organised around three programs: 1) Multifunctional Forest Management; 2) Landscape Dynamics and Biodiversity; 3) Bioeconomy and Governance. As part of the Landscape Dynamics and Biodiversity program, CTFC undertakes research on the ecology of landscapes and biodiversity, an analysis of fires and other disturbances, mosaic landscapes (agroforestry systems or transitions between urban-suburban-rural areas) and the development of innovative forest planning and decision-making tools.

Within this program, CTFC is seeking to appoint a post-doctoral senior researcher to lead and conduct fundamental and applied research related to:

• Carry out multi-objective optimization of forest restoration for biodiversity and ecosystem services
• Design a web-based tool to guide decision-making for forest restoration

TERMS OF THE APPOINTMENT

• This contract may start on January 2022 (start could be delayed to February if necessary).
• It is a full-time position with a duration of 3 years (with possibility of contract extension).
• The candidate will be based at CTFC in Solsona (NE Spain), working as member of the Landscape Dynamics and Biodiversity Program (LDB).
• The candidate will lead CTFC´s contribution to the project SUPERB (Systemic solutions for upscaling of urgent ecosystem restoration for forest-related biodiversity and ecosystem services) funded by the European Commission through the H2020 Programme. SUPERB aims deliver evidence-based practical knowledge on sustainably and successfully managing, governing, and financing restoration by learning about barriers and enablers for restoration and demonstrate and test together with key local stakeholders (successful restoration approaches). Among other tasks, CTFC coordinates the development of a central knowledge platform for anyone interested or working in forest restoration to obtain evidence-based guidance on forest restoration, including restoration-support tools, manuals and guidelines. CTFC will also lead the demonstration of how multi-objective spatial prioritisation tools can be used to inform decision-making for forest restoration.
• Based on CTFC labour categories, annual gross salary will be adjusted to the foreseen role (Project PrincipaI Investigator, Team leader) and will be commensurated with the specific profile of the selected candidate (qualifications and experience), ranging between 33,000 – 47,000 €/year.

TASKS

Key responsibilities will include:

• Coordinate the development of a “decision tree” to organise the information compiled throughout the project in a logical and easily accessible manner. This tree will be developed jointly with target users to identify common underlying barriers and enabling factors at different levels of decision making. This will require close contact with leaders of all other Work Packages in SUPERB.
• Participate in the development of a web-based tool to guide stakeholders and practitioners in the identification of barriers and opportunities for forest restoration that suit their interest/ needs, to foster forest restoration practise beyond SUPERB.
• Review currently available decision support tools to guide multi-objective forest restoration planning.
• Co-develop, with stakeholders, multi-objective forest restoration exercises.
• Demonstrate the use of spatial optimisation tools to identify forest restoration priorities.

• A completed PhD on Forest Sciences or related suitable discipline for the main topic of this call. Master’s degree in forestry, Forests Sciences, Biology, Environmental Sciences, or equivalent is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in spatial optimisation algorithms.
• Knowledge of programming is an asset.
• Experience in leading and/or managing R+D projects related to the offer topic. Experience in international (especially European) research projects is an asset.
• Authorship of relevant publications in high impact journals.
• Good communication skills. Ability to interact with stakeholders.
• Experience in coordinating research groups, team management and knowledge transfer activities.
• Advanced knowledge of English and proficiency in Spanish, both spoken and written. Catalan is an asset.
• Capacity to work in multi-disciplinary teams.

SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

The selection process is led by the Human Resources Area of CTFC. This process consists of:

Further information: [email protected]