Call for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship for ReHousin Project

Call for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship - "Environmental and energy policies and housing inequalities"

funded by the EU Program Horizon “ReHousIn” CEE of Sciences Po

24 Months, Fixed-term, 100 or 80% Postdoc. Possibility of 80% of time with teaching at the Urban School, Sciences Po, might be discussed.

Position Summary

The CEE of Sciences Po aims to hire a Post-Doctoral Researcher with expertise in social sciences and an interest in energy efficiency, housing, and the green transition.

The CEE is a participant in the "ReHousIn" consortium, funded by the EU Program Horizon, alongside the Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest; TU Wien and University of Vienna; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Politecnico di Milano; the Norwegian University of Life Sciences; University of Lodz; University College London; ICLEI; ETH Zürich. The research will theoretically frame and analytically understand how various levels of governance (EU, national, regional, local authorities, energy providers, regulators, users, etc.) contribute to the development of different national environmental and energy policies.

ReHousIn investigates existing housing inequalities in Europe and the potential effects of the green transition on housing inequalities. Considering the significant differences in Europe and within countries, ReHousIn's provides context-sensitive knowledge about how green transition initiatives affect housing inequalities and which policy and planning tools have the potential to address them.

Sciences Po's role in the consortium focuses on the effects of Environmental and Energy Policies (EEPs) on housing inequalities in nine European countries, their various regions, and different social groups, considering both internal (dwellings) and external (habitat and neighborhood) features. This task will provide a theoretical introduction to the impacts and evolution of EEPs, with a focus on the mix of national and local policy options affecting housing and habitat conditions. Special attention will be given to (a) Nature Based Solutions (NBS) development, (b) improved energy efficiency through building retrofits, and (c) densification through sustainable land use (re)development.

Sciences Po's team will provide the theoretical and analytical framework to analyze the impacts and evolution of EEPs. The analysis will focus on the mix of national and local policy options affecting housing and habitat conditions, with a specific focus on (a) NBS development, (b) improved energy efficiency through building retrofits, and (c) densification through sustainable land use (re)development. It will also analyze and assess the EU regulatory system of EEPs, the Green Deal, and individual countries' (particularly France's) regulatory systems of EEPs. Eventually, the team will prepare a Comparative Report on environmental & energy policies.

Therefore, we propose a two-year post-doctoral researcher position to reflect on the relationship and impacts of energy efficiency, housing, urbanism, and NBS. The post-doctoral researcher will:

develop a personal research program on the effects of Environmental and Energy Policies (EEPs) on housing inequalities;

be responsible, with the support of the CEE's team, for preparing the introductory document, the national case study, and the comparative report;

assist the CEE's team in the management and implementation of the project, coordinate with international partners and the EU commission, and plan the research outputs.

Within the scope of the project, the postdoctoral fellow will conduct an analysis of grey literature, legal documents, regulations, policy assessments, and will conduct interviews with key policy actors in France, including policymakers, representatives from public agencies, and members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Additionally, the postdoc fellow will provide a summary of economic mechanisms, norms, institutional structures, and contextual factors that influence Environmental and Energy Policies (EEPs), such as monopolies or competitive markets in the energy sector, interventions in NBS, energy retrofitting, and changes in land use, among other factors. The analysis will also encompass case studies of pertinent projects, policy experiments, as well as both failure and success stories.

The post-doctoral researcher will actively participate in the intellectual and academic life at the CEE, researching and eventually teaching key issues on sustainable urban development policies (and their governance) that intertwine cities and NBS.

As an integral part of the research team, the postdoc fellow is required to demonstrate a distinctively comparative profile, capable of comprehending diverse political and social contexts, as well as varying processes of conceptualizing the role of energy and housing policies within urban settings. Some travel, both nationally and internationally, is anticipated as an inherent component of the research responsibilities.

The post-doc must work collaboratively on an interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional project on the topic of nature in urban, suburban, and metropolitan settings. The post-doctoral researcher will collaborate with other researchers and postdoc fellows at the CEE and Sciences Po. Sciences Po relies on robust expertise in the environment, anchored in criteria of academic excellence, pluralism, and critical analysis. Through the research, the postdoctoral fellow will deepen and renew existing initiatives within Sciences Po's CEE.

A particular feature of the role will be the opportunity to collaborate with an international network of other post-docs and PhDs working in Urban Studies, encompassing all disciplines, at Sciences Po. The postdoctoral fellow will also participate in outreach programs and the research seminar "Cities are back in town" and will contribute to the activities of the Interdisciplinary Workshop on Environmental Research (AIRE) or the activities developed at the Institute for the Arts and Creation.

Requirements

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

A PhD in Political and Social Sciences (‘Urban Policy Analysis’ and ‘Urban Planning’ included) with a strong methodological focus relevant to the project.

An understanding of the issues studied in the project: energy, housing, NBS, comparative research, case study methodology…

Proficiency in English; working knowledge of French has an added value (capacity to conduct interviews in French).

Skills, Abilities and Competencies:

Proven ability to organize academic and public events.

Ability to take initiative, self-manage and contribute intellectually to the overall project.

Ability to work as part of a team.

Good oral and written communication skills.

How to apply

The chair of the selection committee is Prof. Marco Cremaschi, Center for European Studies and Comparative Politics. 

Other members: Dr. Charlotte Halpern, FNSP tenured researcher at Sciences Po, Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics in Paris. Prof. Tommaso Vitale, Center for European Studies and Comparative Politics, Dean of the Urban School.

 Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Prof. Tommaso Vitale - tommaso.vitale@sciencespo.fr

Please send:

1. a cover letter precisely outlining the qualifications and skills that match the requirements for the position,
2. a CV,
3. a research proposal (5 pages max.) describing the issues, hypothesis, overall theoretical framework, methods, and objects of investigation, as well as a timeline and academic publication goals.

Candidates will be selected based on their scientific merit, their ability to mobilize trans-disciplinary interest and the quality of their research project. 

Applications must be submitted by email to: recruitment.cee@sciencespo.fr, clearly indicating: “Application for Post-Doctoral Fellowship, ReHousIn Project”.

Candidates should apply before 12 noon (Paris Local Time) on March 27. No late applications will be accepted. 

Interviews might eventually be planned in early April.

The contract will start on May 2nd.

Sciences Po is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to ensuring a balanced representation of gender, geographical areas, and minorities. Applications from women are particularly welcome.

Full Job Description (96 Ko)