Research Assistant (m/f/d), EG 13 TV-H - in the Glocalpower project

Part-time with half the regular working hours of a full-time employee. The employment is for the induction and replacement of an employee during the maternity protection period and is initially limited until 29.09.2019 (§§ 40 No. 8, 30 TV-H in conjunction with § 21 BEEG). An extension for the duration of any parental leave (maximum until 29.02.2020) will be sought.

The BMBF junior research group "GLOCALPOWER - funds and tools for an African energy transition" investigates the glocal transformation of the energy system from the perspectives of global environmental governance and international political economy. At the global level, the role of international organizations and green financial institutions will be researched; at the local level, case studies will be conducted in Ghana, South Africa and Zambia. These three countries represent different development paths of an energy transition in Southern Africa under conditions of post-colonial statehood. Two aspects are of particular importance for the design and productive course of energy transition processes in the global South: (1) the systemic importance of green global funds and financial flows, and (2) the design and effects of policy instruments for a glocal energy transition (i.e. energy feed-in tariffs, risk minimization and capacity building). Both aspects characterize the forms and practices of postcolonial environmental governance and contribute to the development of a specific "green economy". The analysis of energy transitions in these countries provides transformation knowledge for the emancipatory design of energy transitions in other sub-Saharan African countries as well.

Tasks:

• Participation in the coordination of a junior research group in the field of international energy transition policies
•  Conducting a case study on the political-economic effects of the energy transition in Ghana, including field research
•  Collaboration on joint publications on green funds in Southern Africa
•  Conducting research on green financial instruments           
•  Involvement in university self-administration is desired

Requirements:

• Very good university degree in political science/political economics
• Interest in socio-ecological issues and corresponding research
• Research profile in the field of international/global political economy; green capitalism, financialization or financial flows; in addition, a focus on energy policy and/or development policy as well as country expertise in Southern or Western Africa would be desirable
•  Willingness to travel abroad, openness and interest in field research
•  Ability to work independently
•  Good knowledge of qualitative research methods, affinity for quantitative research methods, including descriptive statistics
• Communication and teamwork skills, intercultural competence in a postcolonial context
• Very good English language skills

Advantageous:

• Experience with research in the global South is an advantage.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Franziska Müller, Tel.: 0561-804-7753, E-Mail: fmueller[at]uni-kassel[dot]de. Interviews will take place shortly after the application deadline.

The protection of your personal data is important to us, which is why we will handle your personal data with care. If you provide us with your data, you allow us to store and use it in accordance with the Hessian Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act. You can object to this at any time. Your personal data will then be deleted. Information in accordance with Art. 13 GDPR for the application procedure at the University of Kassel can be found at www.uni-kassel.de/go/ausschreibung-datenschutz

In the interests of equal opportunities, the University of Kassel strives to offer women and men the same development opportunities and to counteract existing disadvantages. The aim is to significantly increase the proportion of women in research and teaching. Qualified women are therefore expressly encouraged to apply. Severely disabled applicants with equal aptitude and qualifications will be given preference. Full-time positions are generally divisible. Please only send us copies of your application documents (no folders), as these cannot be returned after the selection process has been completed; they will be destroyed in accordance with data protection regulations. Applications with informative documents should be sent to the President of the University of Kassel, 34109 Kassel or bewerbungen[at]uni-kassel[dot]de, stating the reference number in the subject line, also in electronic form.