Call for Applications

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) is the University of Freiburg’s international research college. The Institute supports innovative research projects through individual fellowships and group formats. It is at the centre of a very active research community and enjoys an international reputation for academic excellence.

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Freiburg, Germany

 supported by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation offers a

 one-year Fellowship within the
“Young Academy for Sustainability Research” (YAS)

between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024

Application deadline: June 18, 2023

(1) Fellowship and Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS)

The University of Freiburg has launched the “Young Academy for Sustainability Research” (YAS) in October 2021 with the objective of hosting post-doctoral talents to undertake research in the field of sustainability at the University of Freiburg. The YAS is funded by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation and has fourteen members who meet four times a year at FRIAS. The Fellow is expected to be actively involved in the YAS and FRIAS in addition to his or her own research activities and to participate in meetings and projects of the members.

(2) Research fields

The YAS is open for all disciplines. In its first two years, research focused broadly around the following two themes and related cross-cutting thematic areas:

– Understanding and managing sustainable energy transitions, including a.) power and responsibility, b.) innovations for sustainability, c.) system transformations;

– Understanding and managing green infrastructures in socio-ecological systems, including d.) adaptation, vulnerability and resilience; e.) environmental risks.

For more details on current projects and YAS members see below “further information”.

(3) Benefits

The fellow will have the opportunity to live in a vibrant city, work at a leading global university, and conduct research in an academic community that strives for excellence and impact. The Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for outstanding researchers who wish to make major contributions to the field of sustainability science and related grand societal challenges. In addition, the Fellow has the opportunity to participate in projects of YAS members and to start own projects in cooperation with international and interdisciplinary post-docs.

Successful applicants will will be part of the FRIAS community and profit from the lively research environment of the university and its eleven faculties. Fellowship include a one-year full time employment contract with the University of Freiburg. Selected candidates will receive a salary according to grade TV-L E13 (approximately 70,000 € per year pre-tax).

As part of their employment contract, fellows are covered by national insurance (unemployment, pension, health and accident insurance). In addition, the fellow will receive a travel allowance to cover the costs of the inbound and outbound journey, an annual research cost contribution of € 4,500 and conference support of € 1,800 per year. To be able to contribute as a Fellow at FRIAS and YAS, a full-time presence at FRIAS is required.

(4) Eligibility Criteria

We are looking for candidates with original and innovative ideas to tackle emerging, complex problems and are committed to open new research frontiers. The all-important selection criteria are the academic excellence of both the applicant and the project proposal.  Applicants must have a completed PhD plus two to six years of post-doctoral experience at the time of the application deadline.

(5) Application

Applicants are requested to submit their application in English in one single PDF-file, including:

• a motivation letter (max. 2 pages), in which they demonstrate how their research program intersects with and complements the research interests of other members of YAS
• a research proposal detailing the specific aims to be pursued (max. 2 pages), in which they also describe how their research relates to the above-mentioned research fields and possible connections to YAS projects,
• a CV (max. 2 pages, excluding list of publications)
• a list of publications
• Formatting: font Arial, 11 pt, line spacing 1.5, all margins 2.5 cm

The application should be sent to michael.vollstaedt@frias.uni-freiburg.de by June 18, 2023; 24.00h CET.

(6) Further information

Information on the YAS, the members and current projects is provided at: https://www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/research-areas/sustainability-research-en/young-academy-for-sustainability-research?set_language=en.

More information on FRIAS is available via: https://www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/home.

For further details about the YAS, please contact the coordinator of the YAS, Dr. Michael Vollstädt: michael.vollstaedt@frias.uni-freiburg.de

For more details on the Fellowship position, you can also contact the current Fellow, Dr. Rita Sousa Silva: rita.sousa.silva@frias.uni-freiburg.de

(7) Data protection

The University of Freiburg takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We process your personal data in accordance with statutory provisions. Please consider the data protection information in accordance with Art. 13/14 General Data Protection Regulation GDPR as part of the application at the University of Freiburg:

http://www.zuv.uni-freiburg.de/service/stellenausschreibungen/datenschutz-bewerbungen.

If you decide to send us an application, we will process your application data in order to contact you or to be able to assess whether you have the suitability, aptitude and professional capability for the advertised fellowship for which you are applying.

The provision of personal data is necessary for the lawfulness of the application and selection procedure to be conducted. We can only assess your suitability for a fellowship if we receive your information or personal data on your qualifications. The absence of relevant personal data in the application documents may result in the application not being considered for the award of a fellowship (Art. 13(2)(e) GDPR).