IFRIS Call for Applications for Post-Doctoral positions

Five (5) post-doctoral positions are available at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Society (ifris.org).

IFRIS welcomes science, technology and society scholars in all the social sciences: history, sociology, political sciences, anthropology, economics, management sciences or law.

The post-doc candidates should propose original research projects that fit within the framework of IFRIS four strategic orientations, which are detailed on IFRIS website:

  • Responsible innovation
  • The transformation of knowledge regimes and knowledge institutions
  • The government of system earth
  • Construction of futures

As can be seen, STS can be understood in a broad sense of issues related to the production and use of science and technologies in societies. Specific issues tackled by the post-doctoral project may relate to public health, biomedicine, agricultural sciences, food security, climate change, biodiversity, environmental questions, ICT, “big data” and internet, historical and social construction of technologies, risk and regulation, development and research policies, global distribution of knowledge, intellectual and property rights and global commons, circulation of knowledge, construction of public research policies, multilevel governance of science and technology, knowledge and local development, regimes of regulations and production of sciences and innovation in society.

Selected candidates will be attached to one of the following IFRIS research units (name and acronym is followed by the scientific organisation to which the unit is attached). See the website links for more details on these units.

Candidates do not need to have previous knowledge of these research groups. Nonetheless, it might be useful for them to consult their websites or take contacts that might help them design their research project. Contacts can be made through the IFRIS Secretariat: rust[at]ifris.org

Selected candidates are eligible for a contract of up to 24 months, under the standard French salary and work status. Contracts will start the soonest after they have been selected, according to candidates’ previous obligations and engagements, not later than eight months after their selection.

Requirements

Eligible post-doc candidates should hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or doctoral degree) and should have already fulfilled all the obligations for the acquisition of their doctoral degree (certified by their supervisor).

Eligible post-doc candidates that have still not received their doctoral degree at the time of the closing of this competition, may compete under the provision that they will finish their doctoral obligations within 2015, as certified by their supervisor.

Candidates cannot apply for a post-doc position within a research group where they have prepared their doctoral research work.

Applications

Formal applications should be sent through a two step procedure.

Step one

Candidates should send by March 31 research proposals, composed of ;

  • A one page Curriculum Vitae. The Vitae should indicate diplomas, trajectory, places and institutions where the candidate has worked and studied. Previous post-docs should be indicated in case there has been any.
  • A complete list of publications.
  • A long summary (maximum 6 pages) of the project, in English. The abstract of the project will state its object, objective, methodology, theoretical position, type of empirical material, research strategy, and motivations for the choice of the topic. The positioning and problematic of the project respect to other work is of importance in this summary.
  • A cover letter written by the candidate to indicate the way they believe their project contributes to IFRIS research agenda. The candidate should indicate her or his former relations to IFRIS research units, in case they exist. Candidates are not requested to indicate in which IFRIS research unit, but nevertheless can do so.

If the proposal is selected, the candidate will receive feedback on the project, its possible integration of research units of IFRIS and will be requested to send a full project (see below).

Step two

Selected candidates in step one should send by April 13, research proposals composed of:

  • A one page Curriculum Vitae. The Vitae should indicate diplomas, trajectory, places and institutions where the candidate has worked and studied. Previous post-docs should be indicated in case there has been any.
  • A complete list of publications.
  • A research project (No more than ten pages). The project should be written in English, including a plan of activities for the whole 24 months period and a tentative budget. The project should clearly state its objective, methodology, theoretical position, type and mode of collection of empirical material, research strategy, and expected outcomes. It should also indicate the type of expected production out of this period of time (workshops, book, articles, or any other envisioned material).
  • The research project should clearly indicate how it contributes to the consolidation to the research agenda of IFRIS which are presented on IFRIS website (see selection criteria below).
  • A short cover letter written by the candidate that may indicate a possible wish to be hosted in a specific IFRIS research unit.
  • A reference letter directly sent by their doctoral supervisor to IFRIS before June 18th (and for French candidates, their viva report)

Selection criteria

  • Quality of the research project
  • Relevance in relation to the IFRIS research strategic orientations (http://ifris.org/presentation)
  • Potential of the topic of the to favour the integration of the candidate to the hosting research group
  • Quality of the candidate’s academic and research trajectory

The application will be sent in one single file, pdf format, and should be saved under the following name:
Name_appelpostdoc_IFRIS.pdf (where “name” is the last name of the candidate)

Applications (step one) should be sent before March 31, 2015 to: Julie Rust, IFRIS

Useful dates

Deadline: March 31, 2015 (step one) and April 13, 2015 (step two)

–          February 23: Launch of the call

–          March 31: Reception of proposals (step one)

–          April 13: Dead-line for the reception of complete applications (step two)

–          June 18: Deadline for the reception of the doctoral supervisor’s reference later

–          Second week of July: Acceptance decision sent to the candidates

 

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