📚 Werde Associate Academic Officer (FTA-IP, P2) bei der United Nations University in Bonn!

About UN University (UNU)

Join the United Nations University (UNU), a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization within the UN System. UNU conducts policy-relevant research, builds capacity, and disseminates knowledge to support the UN's goals. Contribute to solving pressing global issues for the United Nations and its Member States.

For five decades, UNU has provided impartial research on sustainability, human security, and economic development. With researchers in 12 countries, UNU's expertise covers the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, generating knowledge for global change. UNU collaborates with other UN entities and leading research institutions. Visit http://unu.edu for more information.

About Institute (UNU-EHS)

The United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), established in Bonn, Germany in 2003, focuses on advancing human security and well-being by addressing risks from environmental hazards and climate change. Its main areas are risk & adaptation and transformation. UNU-EHS offers education at the master’s level and hosts international PhD projects and capacity-development courses. Learn more at https://unu.edu/ehs.

Urban Futures and Sustainability Transformation (FAST) division: The FAST division researches systemic transformation toward sustainability to inform policy. It seeks to understand complex realities by researching social, environmental, and technological sub-systems, such as infrastructure provision and social security mechanisms. The division aims to advance system understanding and identify leverage points for change. Sustainable futures require technological conversion coupled with social and environmental justice. This includes research into desirable, affordable, and just lifestyles in a changing global environment. The core focus is on urban areas, which see the effects of global change and are key drivers. Based on primary and transformative research, FAST provides science-based advice for inclusive urban policy action. The project portfolio includes research in multiple cities and continents, including the Transformative Urban Coalitions (TUC) project, where new models of coalition building and governance are tested in Urban Labs. The division also engages in cross-division projects such as the FloodAdaptVN project, which aims to reduce flood risks in Hué, Central Vietnam by developing a decision-support platform and “solution labs” for adaptation measures.

The division engages with scientific and policy partners to enable and scale change processes from the local to the global level. For detailed information please visit: https://unu.edu/ehs/our-work/transformation/urban-transformation

Responsibilities

Under the authority of the Director of UNU-EHS / Vice-Rector in Europe and the guidance of the Head of the FAST division, the successful candidate will be entrusted with the following tasks:

• 
  Advance research on shifts in mindsets and behavior towards systemic transformation

• Contribute to the development of the division’s strategic approach to urban sustainability transformation;
• Contribute to further developing quantitative and multi-method assessments to track sustainability transformation, with a focus on assessing drivers of mindset and behavior changes;
• Co-shape research on the links between risk, adaptation and transformation, including on transformative adaptation;
• Together with the head of division and fellow senior researchers, identify transformation research questions, leverage synergies between research projects, and take over project management and PI roles where suitable.

2. Contribute to the division’s research, theory and policy development within diverse projects

• Lead the co-creation of risk knowledge and the development of a spatial risk index linked to floods and earthquakes in SAFER-BiH Project on Risk-Informed Planning in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including framework development, co-creation of conceptual risk models, indicator development, data collection, analysis and index creation;
• Contribute to analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from a city-wide survey on personal attitudes and actions in relation to climate change in Bonn, Germany, and co-author related policy and research publications;
• Contribute to the Transformative Urban Coalitions Project by supporting a quantitative survey of mindsets and mindshifts in Urban Labs, and contribute to subsequent analysis;
• Draw conclusions on the role of risk knowledge and perception for transformation behavior across projects, as a basis for future proposals.

3. Lead the work package “Flood risk management and adaptation pathways” within the context of the FloodAdaptVN project

• Take a leading role in the co-creation of visions for resilient futures in Hue city;
• Coordinate the co-development of adaptation pathways to reach desired visions with relevant stakeholders;
• Contribute to planned capacity building & training activities in the project;
• Warrant mainstreaming of project outcomes into planning and policy processes in the region;
• Support the project manager in the day-to-day implementation and management of the project, including coordination with other consortium partners in the project as well as other divisions at UNU-EHS, organization of meetings, budget monitoring and reporting.

4. Engage in project implementation and outreach activities

• Together with the head of division and fellow senior researchers, fundraise with German as well as international donors for policy relevant research topics that also open-up possibilities for PhD students;
• Feed project outputs into high-impact communication campaigns, serve as media spokesperson for the division and the institute;
• Contribute to donor and institutional reporting;
• Publish research results in international peer-reviewed journals and other outlets (e.g. book chapters) and present results at scientific conferences and engaging in relevant networks (e.g. the UN Behavioural Science community);
• (Co)-Author policy materials, including reports, briefs, factsheets, and presentations; and engage in regional and international policy events, such as COP and World Urban Forum.

5. Contribute to capacity development and teaching activities

• Teach in the Joint Master Programme “The Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security” with the University of Bonn, and other universities as desired; including on the role of risk knowledge and understanding in transformation;
• (Co-)develop related materials for micro- and online learning formats, in English and other project languages;
• (Co-)supervise student assistants, MSc students, interns and visiting researchers;
• Contribute to different dialogue formats and organizing programme-related events and planning processes.

6. Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

Key performance indicators

• Timely and quality development and implementation of outputs from the FloodAdaptVN and SAFE-BiH projects
• Timely and quality delivery of policy as well as scientific outputs
• Timely and quality development of a behavioral science based research framework
• Quality and level of engagement with project partners and stakeholders
• UNU is seen as a reliable and trustworthy partner by research partners, governments, donors, and civil society

Competencies

Values:

• Inclusion — take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity

• Integrity — act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behaviour, or any other breach of UN standards

• Humility — demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others

• Humanity — act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet

Behaviours:

• Connect and collaborate — build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN

• Analyse and plan — seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand prob