Researcher / Senior Researcher / Associate

Duties/Pligte
- Providing conceptual, strategic, and visionary leadership for CST under the theme of linkages between biodiversity, ecosystem services and the economy.
- Leading the new AFD project, including:

- Collaborating with CST researchers to conceptualise the project approach (especially in considering linkages between spatial biodiversity indicators, ecosystem services and segments of society and the economy);
- In-house AFD s existing work on nature related risks (engaging with AFD researchers to understand their process and outputs and to interface with their existing stakeholders);
- Identifying key stakeholders in South Africa s environmental and finance authorities and developing and maintaining relationships;
- Conceptualising, organising and facilitating a series of workshops with key stakeholders to co-produce trajectories of change for the country;
- Coordinating the translation of these trajectories into biodiversity, ecosystem service and socio-economic measures (working with CST and AFD researchers that have expertise in aspects of this process, and identifying, recruiting and managing a postdoc or consultant to fill skills gaps if required);
- Managing project timelines and budgets;
- Ensuring that all deliverables are met, including progress and final reports, participatory workshops, at least one academic paper, as well as a policy paper and brief;
- Leading the writing of a project proposal to up-scale the pilot project, collaborating with CST and AFD researchers and other partners.
- Publishing research under the theme of biodiversity-economy connections in recognised peer-reviewed journals.
- Contributing to CST institutional functions, including guest lectures as part of the teaching programme, and participating in CST seminars, events, and staff meetings.
- Supervising postgraduate students related to biodiversity, ecosystem services and the economy.
- Collaborating with Stellenbosch University colleagues from other departments (e.g. the African Wildlife Economy Institute) to strengthen multi-disciplinary research and overall institutional outputs.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes

**Minimum Requirements: Researcher**:

- PhD in a relevant field (e.g. geography, ecology, resource economics, sustainability science).
- Specialist knowledge of the connections between biodiversity (including drivers of biodiversity change) and ecosystem services.
- An ability to conceptualise how this knowledge applies spatially across national scales (e.g. linked to changes in land use).
- Experience or at least strong interest in conceptualising how ecosystem services connect to socio-economic measures.
- Experience in conceptualising and facilitating workshops with diverse stakeholders.
- Knowledge of participatory scenario / futuring methods.
- Experience in developing and maintaining relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrable quantitative skills (e.g. the ability to extract, synthesise and interpret quantitative data).
- A publication record in areas such as sustainability science, social-ecological systems, conservation, biodiversity, natural resource economics.
- Experience in compiling fund-raising proposals.
- Experience in report writing.
- Experience and a desire to work in participatory interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary environments.
- Willingness to secure ongoing funding to support their position, as well as those of more junior researchers at CST.
- At least one peer-reviewed publication.

**Minimum Requirements: Senior Researcher**:

- PhD in a relevant field (e.g. geography, ecology, resource economics, sustainability science).
- Specialist knowledge of the connections between biodiversity (including drivers of biodiversity change) and ecosystem services.
- An ability to conceptualise how this knowledge applies spatially across national scales (e.g. linked to changes in land use).
- Experience or at least strong interest in conceptualising how ecosystem services connect to socio-economic measures.
- Experience in conceptualising and facilitating workshops with diverse stakeholders.
- Knowledge of participatory scenario / futuring methods.
- Experience in developing and maintaining relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrable quantitative skills (e.g. the ability to extract, synthesise and interpret quantitative data).
- A publication record in areas such as sustainability science, social-ecological systems, conservation, biodiversity, natural resource economics.
- Experience in compiling fund-raising proposals.
- Experience in report writing.
- Experience and a desire to work in participatory interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary environments.
- Willingness to secure ongoing funding to support your position as well as those of more junior researchers at CST.
- At least ten peer-reviewed publications with some as first/only author.
- PI (or Co-PI) on one or more grants (small or large), or de facto PI (i.e. assistant to a PI) on a large grant.
- At lea