The Arctic Centre, University of Lapland is seeking to fill two 24-month full-time post-doctoral researcher positions that will advance the frontiers of knowledge of the role of non-human nature in Arctic politics and governance. Both positions are to be based at the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law in Rovaniemi, Finland and require residence at Arctic Centre during the respective periods of employment.
The positions are key personnel appointments for scientific implementation of the project “A Planetary Approach to Global Arctic politics,” which is funded by the University of Lapland’s strategic funding scheme under the Global Arctic Responsibility theme.

The Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland is a national and international hub of information and centre of excellence that conducts multidisciplinary high-quality research in changes in the Arctic region. In addition to research, education forms a part of all activities of the Centre. The Arctic Centre conducts a study programme called Arctic Studies Programme that serves as an introduction to issues that are relevant in the Circumpolar North. The Arctic Centre is located in the Arktikum House, Rovaniemi, Finland.

The Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM), established in 1985, is one of the five research groups at the Arctic Centre. NIEM specializes in environmental and minority law. Particularly, it has a special focus on researching the law relating to (Arctic) indigenous peoples, as well as environmental law as it is applied in the Arctic regions.

Project description and working tasks

To facilitate a profound green transformation of global life, “A Planetary Approach to Global Arctic politics” project develops novel conceptualisations of “planetary society” and “planetarisation” of world politics to describe the ambitious visions and fundamental reorganisation of political practices with the objective of transforming planet Earth into a safe and peaceful place where all species can thrive. Empirically the project focuses on the Arctic region which can be viewed as a showcase of the global ecological crisis and globalisation. The project asks: What would the social and institutional organisation of Global Arctic politics look like if planetary justice was put at the front and centre of politics?

The positions will encompass diverse tasks including:

• Conduct research on Global Arctic politics and governance from a post-anthropocentric perspective
• Publishing of research results in high-quality international journals and other publishing venues
• Acquisition of supplementary external research funding (e.g., Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship, the Academy of Finland, Kone foundation) for a project focusing on post-anthropocentric Global Arctic politics and/or governance
• Organisation of an international workshop on post-anthropocentric approaches to Global Arctic politics
• Popularisation of Arctic science

Required qualifications and merits

We seek two creative and highly motivated persons with a strong publication record either on Arctic politics and/or governance or global environmental politics and with a promising research plan on a new, innovative post-anthropocentric approach to Global Arctic politics that will result in high-level international publications and external research funding. Successful candidates should have a PhD in International Relations, international law or a related field, and excellent oral and written communication skills in English. To be eligible for this position, the applicants should have completed their doctoral degree a maximum of five (5) years before the end of the application period, unless special circumstances exist. The applicants should be able to work both independently and in close collaboration with others.

Eligibility to apply for Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship at the Arctic Centre in the 2023 call will be considered as a highly complementary merit, and at least one of the successful candidates should fulfil this criterion. For more information: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships

Application

The application, written in English, should include (in one pdf file):

• Motivation letter (max. 1 page)
• Research plan (max. 3 pages)
• Curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)
• List of publications (indicate five most important linked to the thematic area of the project)
• Copy of doctoral certificate

When making the appointment decision, special attention is paid to the quality of the research plan and to the way in which the candidate’s research is linked to the other research activities of “A Planetary Approach to Global Arctic politics” project.

The Postdoctoral Researcher’s salary is based on the university’s salary system and is fixed at teaching and research personnel’s competence level 5. In addition, the total salary includes a personal salary component amounting up to 50 % of the task-specific salary component. The positions include six-month trial period.

The deadline for application is August 15, 2022, either to the following address: Lapin yliopisto, Kirjaamo, PL 122 (Yliopistonkatu 8), 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland or in one single pdf file via our secure email system: https://securemail.ulapland.fi. In the secure email system mark the recipient as: rekrytointi(at)ulapland.fi. Title your letter/email as “A Planetary Approach to Global Arctic politics”. The application documents will not be returned to the sender. Applications for the previous call (ended 19.4.2022) will be considered when making selections.

Further information:

University Researcher Sanna Kopra
The Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law
email: sanna.kopra(at)ulapland.fi
Phone +358 40 132 4502