Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung e.V. HR
The mission of the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) as a nationally and internationally active research institute is to deliver solutions for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture – together with society. ZALF is a member of the Leibniz Association and is located in Müncheberg (approx. 35 minutes by regional train from Berlin-Lichtenberg). The institute also maintains locations in Dedelow and Paulinenaue.

RESEARCHER (F/M/D) SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF AGROECOLOGY LIVING LABS

The Working Group “Governance of Ecosystem Services” is seeking a motivated and qualified researcher to join our team. Our group focuses on the analysis of market- and community-based instruments designed to incentivize the provision of ecosystem services as public goods—both for specific beneficiaries and for society at large. Our research is inter- and transdisciplinary, with a strong emphasis on empirical case studies in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
We are currently offering a position within the European research project SAFER, which aims to mobilize a network of living labs across six European countries to: (i) co-design best-suited agroecological practices adapted to local social-ecological conditions through a participatory approach that actively involves stakeholders in each living lab; (ii) quantify agronomical, environmental and socio-economic benefits and risks of scaling up agroecological practices from the field to the landscape scale using a harmonized landscape-scale design; (iii) forecast system-wide impacts of different landscape-scale deployment strategies for both farmers and local stakeholders; and (iv) identify how local policies, stakeholder demands and the living lab methodology can enhance or limit the wider adoption of agroecological practices at the landscape level.
SAFER is a collaborative project involving 11 European partners and is coordinated by INRAE (France). ZALF is responsible for the German living lab and will contribute to the socio-economic research of the project to understand different social-ecological conditions and to quantify the socio-economic benefits and risks of scaling up agroecological practices. In particular, ZALF will lead the design and implementation of a factorial survey experiment to better understand stakeholders’ needs and expectations regarding cooperation and collaboration in living labs.
We offer a part-time position (60% full-time equivalent) for three years (from 01.10.2025 until 30.09.2028).

REQUIREMENTS

• MSc degree in agricultural economics, geography or related subjects with a focus on social science
• Doctoral degree or prior research experience is an advantage
• Proficiency of quantitative methods of empirical social science research
• Knowledge of the EU common agricultural policy and agroecological principles is an advantage
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently
• Excellent command of the German and English language (oral and written)
• Strong interest in working in an interdisciplinary group and project team
• Scientific curiosity and, if applicable, a strong motivation to pursue a doctoral degree

QUALIFICATION

MSc degree in agricultural economics, geography or related subjects with a focus on social science, Doctoral degree or prior research experience

• Coordinating the empirical work in the German living lab and collaborate with the five other living labs around Europe
• Preparing and conducting a factorial survey experiment in all six living labs in collaboration with the other European partners including the analysis of quantitative data (with STATA or R)
• Conduct literature reviews and analyses
• Publication of results in peer-reviewed journals as lead and co-author
• Preparing results for communication to stakeholders (e.g. project workshops) and the scientific community (e.g. presentations at national and international conferences, journal publications).
• Active cooperation with ZALF´s new Innovation Centre for Agricultural System Transformation (IAT)