The Cirad TETIS (Land Use, Environment, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information) unit is recruiting a research fellow specialising in planning and particularly in taking ecosystem services (ES) into account for land use planning and development.
The future researcher will be in charge of conceptualising and operationalising the way ecosystem services are taken into account in the design and implementation of land use policies and projects in developing countries.
With a view to applying and using the concept of ecosystem services in land use planning processes, you will be in charge of developing research along the following three lines: (i) definition and spatial representation of ecosystem services that are consistent with land use diagnosis factors; (ii) use of ecosystem services in coordination, forecasting and decision-making processes (implementation and reflective analysis); (iii) evaluation of development choices on the basis of the ecosystem services rendered.
These lines of research involve several disciplines and methods which will need to be applied: land use diagnosis and strategic planning, involving competence in consultation and negotiation methods between stakeholders; and spatial analyses of economic and social aspects.
Within the TETIS Joint Research Unit (UMR), you will be assigned to the “Uses of Spatial Information and Governance” (USIG) team composed of geographers, GIS specialists and socio-economists. You will collaborate with the other two teams in the unit: ATTOS and MISCA in particular, to establish the conditions and procedures for applying the tools and methods designed by these teams in field work (modelling, mapping, producing indicators, etc.) in order to spatialise ecosystem services. Under the unit’s research and development projects, you will also be required to collaborate with other researchers from Cirad and its partners.
For the purposes of land use development and governance, the future researcher will apply the results of all the research carried out at USIG in terms of land use diagnosis and support for stakeholders. Through this position, you will contribute additional expert knowledge that is essential to the unit for implementing projects on the land unit scale in tropical environments, particularly in regions of the world where biodiversity and forest resources are still substantial (Central Africa, Amazonia, etc.).
An initial foreign assignment to Congo Brazzaville is planned in the short term to participate in the Sustainable Land Use Project (SLUP) launched by the Government of the Congo, the Central African Forest Initiative and the French Development Agency.
Education:
PhD in geography, agricultural science or ecology
Required experience and knowledge:
Knowledge of environmental issues in agricultural and rural development;
Proven experience in land use planning;
Experience of action research practices and support approaches;
Proven ability to develop consultation approaches and the use of geomatics to implement a land use planning process;
Proficiency in GIS methods and techniques and spatial analysis
Experience in representing and analysing ecosystem services would be an advantage;
Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa is desirable.
Other expert knowledge:
Proven ability to work across disciplines;
Teamwork skills and open-mindedness;
Proven scientific writing ability;
Leadership skills and ability to work independently;
Good practical ability to read, write and speak English.
After a 3-month induction period at the Montpellier site, you will be posted to the Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville)
Publication end date : 19/02/2023
Apply here