PostDoc position on farming in China based in Germany

April 29, 2008

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Applications are invited for a post-doctoral researcher to work at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO) on a project investigating the determinants and dynamics of farmers’ decision-making in rural municipalities in China.
The post is associated with the IAMO International Research Group “Economic dynamics and social equilibrium in rural China”, which aims at a comprehensive and coordinated analysis of the dynamics of agricultural development, and socio-economic and ecological processes in China’s rural areas to overcome main development deficits. The following people and institutions, who are international leaders in this field, collaborate within the research group:
Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, CCAP, China (Prof. Jikun Huang), Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, CARD, China (Prof. Zuhui Huang), World Bank, Beijing, China (Dr Achim Fock), Stanford Uni-versity, USA (Prof. Scott Rozelle), Ohio State University, USA (Prof. Belton Fleischer), Licos Center for Transition Economics, Belgium (Prof. Johann Swinnen), Cemagref, France (Dr Guillaume Deffuant).

The post is available from now on until at least 31st December 2010.

The post will involve analysing and conceptualising the dynamics of rural households at the municipality level in one or two Chinese provinces, in order to understand how decision-making and important drivers (social networks, political framework conditions, and ecological pressures) interact. The post involves contributions to developing an agent-based modelling framework on social-ecological dynamics together with a group of researchers working in the field of agricultural economics, complexity sciences, and land-use sciences. The modelling framework shall be tested and validated in interaction with stakeholders in collaboration with our local partners in China. The successful candidate should have some experiences in developing and applying participatory research approaches (e.g. role-playing games), preferably coupled with modelling. An interest in complex systems and agent-based social simulation is essential. Programming skills are highly welcome. A PhD in a quantitati!
ve social science, agricultural economics, agronomy, environmental sciences, behavioural sciences, or computer science is required. Experiences in working within an international research environment are expected. Previous experience with China is highly appreciated. Highly effective writing and oral communication skills in English or Germany is required; knowledge of Chinese will be a plus.

The post will be located in Halle (Saale), Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural De-velopment in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO) (www.iamo.de) which is one of the leading public research institutions on transition economies. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to do fieldwork in the Chinese research regions, and to spend some time at partner research institutions. The institute is located in Halle (Saale), an old city with a vibrant research and student environment. The city is very well connected to major railway lines and to the airport Leipzig/Halle.

Salary is based on the TV-L (Ost) with social benefits valid for public servants (1.0 TV-L E13). We regret that we cannot refund any application expenses. We look forward to receiving applications from women. We will employ handicapped people if they have the qualifications required.

For informal discussions about the post, contact Dr. Kathrin Happe at happe@iamo.de (Tel. 0049 (0)345 2928 322). To send an application please email Kathrin Happe or post to Dr. Kathrin Happe, IAMO, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 2, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.

Applications are invited at any time.

Scholarship Tags: based, China, farming, germany, Position, Postdoc