The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) School of Economics and Business jointly offers a 3.5 year PhD scholarship on the topic of REDD+ (reference emission levels, drivers and incentive mechanisms).
CIFOR advances human wellbeing, environmental conservation and equity by conducting research to inform policies and practices that affect forests in developing countries. CIFOR is a CGIAR Research Center. Our headquarters are in Bogor, Indonesia, and we have offices in Asia, Africa and South America.
UMB is recognized as a leading international centre of knowledge, focused on higher education and research within environment and biosciences. A broad range of study programs are offered at the Bachelor, Master and PhD levels to a total of some 4200 students. The School of Economics and Business has about 55 staff members and 600 students, of whom 30 are PhD students. The research spans across a wide range of topics, including environmental/resource/energy/climate economics and development economics. www.umb.no/ior.
The position
The position is for 3.5 years. The PhD degree at UMB requires course work of 60 credits (ECTS, equivalent of one year's study) and the successful defense of the PhD thesis. Time will be spent at UMB (Norway), CIFOR HQ (Bogor, Indonesia) and in the country of choice for fieldwork, with the exact allocation of time to be agreed upon. The expected uptake date is August 2013.
A scholarship of USD 2,200 per month will be provided by CIFOR. Additional funds for travel and fieldwork are available. The scholarship grantee will be covered by the Norwegian Public Health and Social Security System while in Norway during study periods longer than 6 months.
Thematic focus
The PhD scholar will be part of the research project "Global Comparative Study on REDD+" (GCS), led by CIFOR, and module 3 on MRV systems and reference levels. A major research question is how to set reference (emission) levels, including how drivers of deforestation and forest degradation can be integrated in a quantitative way, and - by extension - how to design and implement REDD+ incentive systems at different scales (national, regional, local). The PhD scholar is expected to work on a sub-topic within this overall question and in one or more of the six main countries of GCS (Indonesia, Vietnam, Tanzania, Cameroon, Brazil, Peru). A full research proposal is to be developed during the first six months of the scholarship.
Qualifications
Applicants should have a master's degree in economics or related field. Skills and experience in statistical analysis and in remote sensing are considered an asset. The assessment criteria will also include analytical abilities and grades, team-working skills, relevant experience, motivation and other factors that will increase the probability of a successful completion of the PhD.
Further information
- Professor, UMB, and Senior Associate, CIFOR, Arild Angelsen:arild.angelsen@umb.no
- Director of Research, Forests and Environment, CIFOR, Lou Verchot:l.verchot@cgiar.org
Applications
Applications are to be submitted to: cifor-hr-jobs@cgiar.org before 11 April 2013. Please indicate the position in the email subject line.
The application should include:
- A letter of motivation and outline of possible PhD topic (maximum 4 pages)
- CV, including list of publications
- Transcript from master's degree
- Scientific publications (if any)
- Maximum 3 letters of recommendation
CIFOR is an equal opportunity employer.
Staff diversity contributes to excellence.
Staff diversity contributes to excellence.
