Postdoctoral Research Associate - The Production of Climate Justice

at  Kings College London

Job id: 090348. Salary: £43,205 - £45,521 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.
Posted: 31 May 2024. Closing date: 17 June 2024.
Business unit: Social Science & Public Policy. Department: Department of War Studies.
Contact details: Pauline Heinrichs. Pauline.heinrichs@kcl.ac.uk
Location: Strand Campus. Category: Research.
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About Us
The Department of War Studies is seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Researcher for an international and interdisciplinary British Academy-funded research project on developing a critical actuarial science framework to understand global climate justice concerns under the direction of Faculty member Pauline Heinrichs and University of Massachusetts Lowell Faculty member Adam B. Lerner.
About the Role
The BA project brings together research on IR, political theory and critical accounting studies to develop a critical actuarial perspective on climate justice. At the international and institutional levels discussions have largely taken place through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its loss and damage negotiations. Yet reaching consensus on principal questions such as organisational and institutional logics, beneficiaries and contributors remains politically charged. This research project aims to address a gap in the current analysis of loss and damage negotiations by examining the assumptions behind the fund’s formation and development, including how its framers understand the relationship between calculating debts for climate damage and achieving climate justice. Based on interviews with policymakers, climate justice advocates, and climate scientists, as well as narrative analysis of primary documents, this project will build a bridge between normative international political theory and real-world policymaking, informed by critical actuarial climate science.
The successful applicant should have (or expected to receive) a PhD in Political Science, International Relations, Environmental Studies or a related discipline. Research interest and experience in the following areas will be valued: critical actuarial science; insurance models; climate justice; global justice; qualitative research.
We hope for the candidate to be able to conduct their own research as part of the project so that the contract enables the candidate to build their publication portfolio and establish an early career network.
Flexible working conditions can be considered.
It is hoped that the successful applicant will start around 1 July 2024, but there is some flexibility concerning the start date.
Informal enquiries and discussion are encouraged prior to application: please contact Pauline Heinrichs (Pauline.heinrichs@kcl.ac.uk) and Adam B. Lerner (Adam_Lerner@uml.edu).
This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract. The starting date is 1st July 2024 (or thereafter) and the position can be held for 1 year. This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent.
About You
To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• Sufficient breadth or depth of specialised knowledge in the disciplines and of research methods and techniques to work on developing theoretical and empirical innovation in critical accounting and climate justice.
• Experience of utilising research methods and techniques to conduct independent research
• Previous experience of contributing to research
• Experience in organising interviews and interview transcription
• Experience in organising research workshops
• PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area (practical experience in relevant fields will also be considered)

Desirable criteria

• A background in critical actuarial methods, climate justice or climate insurance models is desirable
• Experience in climate justice sector
• Experience in narrative analysis

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.
Downloading a copy of our Job Description
Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “

Please refer the Job description for details