Postdoc GreenFrontier - Politics of Conservation and Unequal Ecological Exchange in European Peripheries - the case of Spain Wageningen • Wageningen University & Research

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher for the 'GreenFrontier' project, funded by the European Research Council Starting Grant. This project investigates how strict nature protection reshapes socio-environmental relations across several European mountain regions. You'll focus on Spain, designing research, developing new analytical frameworks, and engaging with stakeholders through fieldwork. Highlights include sabbatical leave, partially paid parental leave, and access to sports facilities on campus. Join our diverse and international team to contribute to impactful research in Europe’s conservation frontiers. Take a closer look at why this opportunity stands out.

Jouw baan

We are seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Researcher to work on the ‘GreenFrontier – Politics of Conservation and Unequal Ecological Exchange in European Peripheries’ funded by the European Research Council Starting Grant and led by Dr George Iordachescu. The main objective of this research project is to radically transform understandings of how strict protection of nature remakes human-environment relations in Europe’s marginal areas by developing a novel field of inquiry - political ecology of conservation frontiers.

The project combines approaches from three disciplines –social anthropology, environmental history and environmental politics to investigate how strict protection of nature reshapes socio-environmental relations in the following mountain regions: the Southern Carpathians in Romania, the Central Apennines in Italy, the Cantabrians in Spain, and the Bieszczady in Poland. These areas are marginal because contemporary and historical economic underdevelopment contributed to processes of rural decline, land abandonment, outmigration and social marginalization. GreenFrontier looks at how these processes associated to underdevelopment create opportunities for expanding conservation regimes based on strict protection of nature.
You will be responsible to design research and explore new analytical frameworks to understand European conservation frontiers within their specific historical genealogies of land use change and as part of the current political momentum of green growth imperatives within the EU. You will be responsible to develop the case study focusing on Spain.
In the first 3 months you will undertake literature reviews, documentary and web searches, working closely with the PI and research team; you will then turn the attention to empirical data collection via fieldwork. You will establish contact with key organizations. Field data collection will focus on undertaking interviews with representatives of key stakeholder organizations (government, NGO, etc.), life histories and a range of visual and participatory methods. You will also organize a workshop at the local level with key stakeholders and user groups during fieldwork. You will develop a minimum of two articles/publications in leading journals, as well as contributing to other team publications, special issue editing, impact and dissemination activities and conference papers.
Your specific duties and responsibilities include:

• conduct literature reviews and collate information and findings from a range of peer-reviewed, grey literatures, online and archival research to inform methodological and conceptual development, and data analysis.
• design, develop and deliver methodological strategies and undertake appropriate field research to collect qualitative data through techniques including interviews, participant observation, focus groups, and other ethnographic and participatory methods.
• analyze qualitative data collected from primary and secondary sources using appropriate techniques and contribute to the synthesis of diverse data to identify key themes and findings.
• contribute to the dissemination of findings from the research, including through: peer-reviewed publications; presentations at conferences, seminars and workshops; actively on social media; podcasts; and engagement with non-academic audiences.
• work with other project team members to ensure the effective management and delivery of the research project, including appropriate record-keeping and reporting, assistance with other aspects of data collection as required, and support for event organization and other dissemination activities.
• ensure that all research activity undertaken is compliant with the University’s ethical policy and protocols.

Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role
Jouw kwaliteiten

Essential:

• A PhD in Social Anthropology, Human Geography, Environmental History, Environmental Politics or other connected fields. The degree must be awarded before the application deadline.
• A record of research at doctoral or post-doctoral level on a topic relevant to the themes of the project (conservation justice, political ecology of conservation, rural justice, resource frontiers). An appreciation and understanding of the academic debates on political ecology of conservation and environmental justice is essential.
• Proven experience of conducting fieldwork research including qualitative data collection techniques indicated in the job description.
• Proven skills in analyzing qualitative data through the use of appropriate techniques to develop critical interpretations and arguments.
• Ability to conduct interviews and undertake fieldwork research in Spanish.
• Capacity to communicate research findings effectively through academic writing and oral presentations, demonstrated by academic publications and previous conference participation.
• Self-motivation, creativity, organization and capacity to undertake independent fieldwork research and to work to deadlines.
• Inter-personal skills and the capacity to work effectively as part of a highly-motivated and diverse team.

Desirable:

• Experience in engaging with policy-makers at the EU or national level, including through policy briefs, knowledge exchange events and other types of advocacy work.
• Experience of communicating research to non-academic audiences, through methods such as podcasts, videos, public lectures, social and traditional media, etc.
• Experience of quantitative and/or GIS methods.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position you should have language level C1 . In addition, you should have full working proficiency in Spanish, as most of the fieldwork will be done in Spain which requires a nuanced understanding of Spain’s recent historical, political and socio-economic development.

You will work here
The post will be based in Wageningen, but will involve periods away for fieldwork research (up to four months), conferences, etc. Some of the ethnographic fieldwork will be carried on in mountainous environments, therefore the capacity to undertake travel and fieldwork is a requirement of the post.
You will be employed in the Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group (FNP), part of the Environmental Sciences Department at Wageningen University. You will be encouraged to participate in the activities organized by FNP, including seminars, reading groups as well as in other research networks within and beyond the University
Wij bieden jou

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.546,- and € 5.538,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). We are open to consider flexible working with our staff which benefit both the applicant and the delivery of the project. We offer a temporary contract for the duration of 20-months, with an initial period of one month probation. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes. The FNP group has an excellent track record of successfully attracting research funding, and you will benefit from support and guidance if you plan to apply for individual funding in the future.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
 
Wil je meer informatie?

For more information about the position, please contact Dr George Iordachescu via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Edgar Tijhuis, corporate recruiter, via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered. You can apply until 25th of November 2025. The first interviews are scheduled for 8th  – 12th of December 2025.

Procedure
Applicants are required to complete the online application form, and to attach the following documents:

1. A short CV, including list of relevant academic publications (maximum 5 pages). Please provide the name and contacts of two referees which will be contacted in case you are invited for the interview.
2. A research proposal (maximum 2 pages) which sets out how you will develop and carry out the research.

Please upload both documents as a single PDF file.
We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment process reflects our commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. For this reason, we ask applicants who have taken career breaks, whether for parental leave, other forms of personal leave, or to take up secondments or placements, please clearly state the dates of any career breaks on your CV. This enables us to ensure that those who have taken career breaks are not disadvantaged, and their application can be assessed with a clear view of the numbers of years an applicant has been active in academia.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
 
Wij zijn

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.
We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.