Vacancy Announcement Young Research Fellows in 2013 UNEP International Ecosystem Management Partnership

The UNEP International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP) is a global centre on ecosystem management. It is co-sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It focuses on promoting ecosystem management in all developing countries. UNEP-IEMP is a UNEP collaborative center in the south and for the south. It supports UNEP sub-programmes on Ecosystem Management and Climate Change, promoting an ecosystem approach in the green economy, and also intends in future to support the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

The core mandate of UNEP-IEMP is to synthesis science findings for decision making on ecosystem management. This is supported by three inter-linked pillars: Monitoring and Capacity Building, Integrated Knowledge Management, and Science for Policy. UNEP-IEMP is hosted by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS in Beijing China.

UNEP-IEMP’s work in 2013 will focus on Asia-Pacific and Africa, especially on the theme of ecosystem assessment and sustainable ecosystem management, including providing policy and capacity support to Asia-Pacific and African countries.

Position Description

Four young research fellow positions in UNEP-IEMP are open for application, in the domains of Ecosystem Management in Africa and Asia-Pacific (see table below).

UNEP-IEMP Young Research Fellow Recruitment Plan for 2013

Research field

Major tasks

Professional background

Supervisor

Vacancy

Ecosystem management in Asia Pacific

Study on the issues of ecosystem management and climate change adaptation

Ecology/ Environment/Climate Change/Geography

Xiubo YU

1

Ecosystem management in Africa 

Study on African ecosystem monitoring and assessment, ecosystem service tradeoff, soil &water conservation and ecosystem management strategy.

Ecology/Environment

/Remote Sensing and GIS/Geography

Xiubo YU

1

Bingfang WU

1

Agricultural Remote Sensing

Inter-continental comparisons for crop production monitoring methods and assessment on food security constraint factors.

Remote Sensing/

Geographic modeling/GIS/RS software, strong statistical and programming skills,

Bingfang WU

1

All successful candidates are expected to work for UNEP-IEMP full time for one year, extendable to another year based on performance. The successful applicants will be paid and supported by CAS in accordance with the CAS rules and procedures and will be based at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS or Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth of CAS, in Beijing, China.

Kindly send you application letter along with your CV, list of published papers, 1-3 representative papers in PDF format and contact information of two referees to Ms. Guoqin Wang, info@unep-iemp.org no later than March 31, 2013.

The applicants must be below the age of 40, have obtained a PhD degree in relevant disciplines specified in the table above, be fluent in English, with good communication skills and team work. Experiences working in Africa and/or Asia-Pacific are preferable.

Review and assessment of applications will be carried out using standard peer-review procedures and by consultation with panels of experts. Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Selection Criteria

  1. Research experience, past performance, and recent progress;
  2. Originality, scientific significance and potential of the proposed research work with CAS; and
  3. Existing degree of collaboration between the candidate and the host institute, the likelihood that the visit will lead to further collaboration, and the likely impact of the visitor’s research on the work of the host institute

Disclaimer:

  1. The successful applicants shall not be staff members of the United Nations or UNEP but shall be fellows of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
  2. The applicants shall abide to the rules and procedures of CAS and must commit to abide by the laws of the People’s Republic of China. For regulations for CAS’s Young International Scientists, please visit http://english.bic.cas.cn/AF/Fe/200906/t20090615_6347.html
  3. United Nations or UNEP shall neither be responsible nor liable for any claims which may arise from this employment and CAS shall take full responsibility in this regard.

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