Assistant Professor in Geo-Computation and Natural Hazards (1.0 FTE)
Job description
The Land Degradation and Geo-Computation Group within the Department of Physical Geography aims at understanding terrestrial ecosystem functioning with an emphasis on natural hazards, land degradation and hydrological processes. Advanced and innovative earth observation techniques and field-/laboratory experiments are combined with spatio-temporal modelling techniques to improve our knowledge of land surface processes, landscape composition and the relation between these processes, vegetation, soil and geology. We address the interaction between the natural environment and human activities, such as land management and nature restoration.
We seek a highly motivated individual to strengthen our research and teaching in earth observation, image interpretation and analysis, geoinformatics, modelling land-surface processes and fieldwork. As the new Assistant Professor you will develop a rigorous research program in the field of earth observation and land surface processes and significantly contribute to our (under)graduate teaching program in earth sciences, mainly in the field of remote sensing, natural hazards, hydrology and field work. You are expected to take full responsibility for some courses and to contribute to others. You will supervise bachelor and master thesis projects, as well as PhD students. The teaching load will be approximately 60%.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will strengthen research and teaching at the Department of Physical Geography, develop an internationally recognized research program in natural hazards and geo-computation and have a track record or high potential for generating research funds.
The candidate:
- holds a PhD degree in Physical Geography, Environmental Sciences, Ecology or another closely related research field;
- has profound knowledge of natural hazards and/or land degradation;
- has profound knowledge of and well-developed skills in earth observation, spatio-temporal numerical modelling and/or GIS;
- has experience with fieldwork and field experiments;
- is an inspiring lecturer to both BSc and MSc students;
- has, or is willing to obtain in the near future, a basic teaching qualification;
- has an outstanding record of academic research, reflected in high-quality publications and participation in international networks and research projects;
- is strongly motivated to actively obtain research grants;
- has strong communication, networking and organizational skills;
- is willing to perform administrative duties.
The candidate is expected to have an excellent level of English, both spoken and written. Candidates who do not speak or understand Dutch are expected to be able to communicate in Dutch within two years of the appointment.
Offer
The successful candidate will be offered a full-time position at the level of Assistant Professor for three years, which might lead to a permanent employment contract. Employment conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities. Based on the experience and qualifications of the candidate, the gross monthly salary is between € 3,324.00 and € 4,551.00 (salary scales 11) on a full-time basis. The salary is supplemented by a holiday allowance of 8% per year and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
We offer a pension scheme, collective insurance schemes and flexible employment conditions.
About the organisation
Utrecht University has great ambitions for its teaching quality and study success rates. This also applies to its clear research profiles which are centred around four themes: Sustainability, Life Sciences, Dynamics of Youth, and Institutions. Utrecht University plays a prominent role in our society and contributes to finding the answers to topical and societal issues.
The Faculty of Geosciences offers education and research concerning the geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and anthroposphere. With a population of 2,600 students (BSc and MSc) and 600 staff, the Faculty is a strong and stimulating organization. The Faculty is organized in four Departments: Innovation, Environmental and Energy Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physical Geography, and Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning.
The Department of Physical Geography conducts research and teaching and is partly responsible for the BSc and MSc programs Earth Sciences. Within the department of Physical Geography, the research group Landscape functioning, Geo-Computation and Hydrology (LGH) carries out top-quality fundamental research that focuses on natural hazards and hydrology and the interaction of these processes with climate, vegetation, soil and geomorphology.
Additional information
For more information please contact: Prof. dr. Steven M. de Jong, s.m.dejong@uu.nl or +31 (0) 30 2532749.
Apply
Go to the UU pages with vacancies:
http://www.uu.nl/en/organisation/working-at-utrecht-university/jobs
Select the position from the list and below the description is a button for on-line applications. Only online applications are considered.
Provide a 1-page motivation letter, your CV including a list of publications, a 1-page statement of research interests, and the names and contact details of three references with your application.
The application deadline is: 10/09/2015
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
Vacancies at the Global Land Tool Network
The Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) is an alliance of global regional and national partners contributing to poverty alleviation through land reform, improved land management and security of tenure particularly through the development and dissemination of pro-poor and gender-sensitive land tools.
GLTN currently has a number of consultancy vacancies, including:
Consultant Lead Evaluator and Consultant Land Expert – these two positions make up an independent team that will conduct a Mid-Term Review, a critical activity that will seek to establish the progress made in the implementation of the GLTN Phase 2 Programme (2012-2015). Deadline for applications: 31 August 2015.
Consultant Land and Conflict – the incumbent for this position will support the implementation of a new Swiss-funded sub-pgoramme ‘Conflict Sensitive Land Governance Initiative within the Urban-Rural Nexus Context’ that will address conflict sensitive land governance issues in the urban-rural nexus context. Deadline for applications: 31 August 2015.
More information and other consultancies:
http://gltn.net/index.php/vacancies
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
International land coalition seeks two long-term consultants
Country: Italy
The International Land Coalition is a coalition of 207 organisations from 64 countries. ILC’s function as a network brings together diverse but complementary efforts, particularly between intergovernmental and civil society organisations. ILC supports its members through its three strategic Objectives: connecting members with each other and with change-makers beyond the Coalition; mobilising members by reinforcing and equipping their efforts with the necessary knowledge, capacity, and opportunities; and influencing governments, their partners, and corporate actors
Members of the International Land Coalition (ILC) in Africa, Latin America and Asia are organized into regional platforms. Each regional platform meets once a year to approve ILC’s priority actions for the region, which are subsequently integrated in ILC’s global work plan. For each regional platform, a light regional coordination unit hosted by a member and headed by a Regional Coordinator supports the implementation of the regional component of the ILC work plan, under the oversight of a regional Steering Committee.
Moreover in 2012, ILC launched a new approach to country-level work (“National Engagement Strategies” – usually referred to as NES) to better serve one of ILC’s main objectives of influencing land-related policies’ formulation and implementation at national level to realize people centered land governance.
Regional and national platforms are becoming more prominent in ILC. In support of the effective functioning and strengthening of the regional and national platforms, a regional contact point is established within the Global ILC Secretariat for each regional platform.
ILC Secretariat is Looking for:
The ILC Secretariat is now seeking two qualified professionals as full time consultant positions for the regional and national engagement support for Africa and Asia within ILC Secretariat.
The consultants will be hired for a eleven month period to:
(a) act as support to the regional coordination;
(b) support regional grant performance and impact assessment;
(c) support cross-regional and inter-members fertilization; and
(d) act as a support to the national engagement strategies implemented in the region of reference
More information and details for application:
ILC Vacancies
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
New internship opportunity (deadline 3 August): Indigenous and community land rights at Oxfam Novib
Oxfam Novib
Internship on Indigenous and community land rights
The Oxfam Novib Academy is looking for a student with a relevant background in the area of land rights about for the duration of 3-6 months and at least 3 days a week. (Internship)
Start Date: 31st of August (Apply before 3 August!)
Oxfam Novib is a worldwide development organisation. We are a proud member of Oxfam, a global confederation that has a shared commitment towards reducing poverty and striving for a just world. We are looking for students who get excited about obtaining experience on how international development cooperation works, the challenges we face and the inspirational results we see every day.
Oxfam is involved in the Global Call to Action on Indigenous and Community Land Rights and is in the process of developing the global campaign on indigenous and community land rights, which shall be launched by the end of 2015 and which will run up to 2020. The main aim of the campaign is to bring about the necessary changes that enable and support the recognition of indigenous and community land rights at the national scale, where such rights and tenure governance institutions are determined, ‘to double the area of land recognized as owned or controlled by indigenous peoples and local communities by 2020.’
As Oxfam Novib, we are looking for students who can bring in new, state-of-the-art knowledge and fresh perspectives on social change to help up strengthen the cutting-edge nature of our programmes and credibility of our campaigns. We expect you to assist us in systematic documentation and analysis of our own data and external research. We expect that you will translate your insights into propositions that will strengthen our programmes and/or campaigns. You can also be asked to take up logistical, communication and administration tasks in support of the day-to-day work of your new colleagues.
We offer a dynamic working environment in which your research will feed into programming and policy work. You will have access to information and a worldwide network of actors in international development. And just as important, you will share your experience with a select group of other students who are just like you eager to learn more about what it means to work for an organisation as Oxfam Novib and wish to discover how they can contribute to reducing a just world without poverty.
In the context of our work on indigenous and community land rights, the Oxfam Novib Academy 2015 has identified the need for research in this area as we are preparing a campaign report on this topic. In particular, work in this area should focus on supporting the development of our campaign strategy, our lobby and particularly how we can better support the work of our partners in this area.
More information about key deliverables, tasks and requirements for this position, as well as information on how to apply:
One World – Internship Oxfam Novib
Posted: 20th July 2015 by Gemma
LANDac 2015 Conference – outcomes and documents
On 8, 9 and 10 July 2015, over 250 experts from academia, civil society organizations, governments, farmers organizations, financial institutions and private sector gathered in Utrecht for the LANDac International Conference on Land Governance for Equitable and Sustainable Development. Participants traveled from more than 35 different countries worldwide, to share experiences and research, learn from each other, and the define new research frontiers and discuss policy agenda’s; all focused around the central theme of ‘Joining forces’. On the conference page on this website, you can find the detailed programme and list of presentations. In the coming weeks, we will be uploading the Powerpoint presentations of authors, as well as the key note contributions. For those of you present: thank you so much for attending and for making this a great and successful event! And for everyone interested in these topics: stay put, we will be announcing future LANDac activities soon!
For now, please find the key note contribution by Robin Palmer at our conference online on the Mokoro website: How best to respond to contempt by Africas ruling elites
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
Two internship opportunities at the International Land Coalition!
Are you a university student or recent grad? Are you interested in women’s land rights issues and/or the governance of a global, multi-stakeholder network? If so, ILC has just opened up two opportunities in its internship programme and we are looking for motivated candidates ready to join the ILC family!
ILC’s internship programme is geared to orient recent university graduates or students to the real work environment and equip them with better knowledge of the United Nations, IFAD and land issues, as a focus of the ILC.
For more information on the available positions and how to apply, see:
Internship opportunity #1 Administration and governance
Internship opportunity #2 Women’s Land Rights Initiative
Last Updated: 28th June 2019 by Gemma
New vacancy Utrecht University: Assistant Professor in Geo-Computation and Natural Hazards (1.0 FTE)
Assistant Professor in Geo-Computation and Natural Hazards (1.0 FTE)
Job description
The Land Degradation and Geo-Computation Group within the Department of Physical Geography aims at understanding terrestrial ecosystem functioning with an emphasis on natural hazards, land degradation and hydrological processes. Advanced and innovative earth observation techniques and field-/laboratory experiments are combined with spatio-temporal modelling techniques to improve our knowledge of land surface processes, landscape composition and the relation between these processes, vegetation, soil and geology. We address the interaction between the natural environment and human activities, such as land management and nature restoration.
We seek a highly motivated individual to strengthen our research and teaching in earth observation, image interpretation and analysis, geoinformatics, modelling land-surface processes and fieldwork. As the new Assistant Professor you will develop a rigorous research program in the field of earth observation and land surface processes and significantly contribute to our (under)graduate teaching program in earth sciences, mainly in the field of remote sensing, natural hazards, hydrology and field work. You are expected to take full responsibility for some courses and to contribute to others. You will supervise bachelor and master thesis projects, as well as PhD students. The teaching load will be approximately 60%.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will strengthen research and teaching at the Department of Physical Geography, develop an internationally recognized research program in natural hazards and geo-computation and have a track record or high potential for generating research funds.
The candidate:
The candidate is expected to have an excellent level of English, both spoken and written. Candidates who do not speak or understand Dutch are expected to be able to communicate in Dutch within two years of the appointment.
Offer
The successful candidate will be offered a full-time position at the level of Assistant Professor for three years, which might lead to a permanent employment contract. Employment conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities. Based on the experience and qualifications of the candidate, the gross monthly salary is between € 3,324.00 and € 4,551.00 (salary scales 11) on a full-time basis. The salary is supplemented by a holiday allowance of 8% per year and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
We offer a pension scheme, collective insurance schemes and flexible employment conditions.
About the organisation
Utrecht University has great ambitions for its teaching quality and study success rates. This also applies to its clear research profiles which are centred around four themes: Sustainability, Life Sciences, Dynamics of Youth, and Institutions. Utrecht University plays a prominent role in our society and contributes to finding the answers to topical and societal issues.
The Faculty of Geosciences offers education and research concerning the geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and anthroposphere. With a population of 2,600 students (BSc and MSc) and 600 staff, the Faculty is a strong and stimulating organization. The Faculty is organized in four Departments: Innovation, Environmental and Energy Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physical Geography, and Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning.
The Department of Physical Geography conducts research and teaching and is partly responsible for the BSc and MSc programs Earth Sciences. Within the department of Physical Geography, the research group Landscape functioning, Geo-Computation and Hydrology (LGH) carries out top-quality fundamental research that focuses on natural hazards and hydrology and the interaction of these processes with climate, vegetation, soil and geomorphology.
Additional information
For more information please contact: Prof. dr. Steven M. de Jong, s.m.dejong@uu.nl or +31 (0) 30 2532749.
Apply
Go to the UU pages with vacancies:
http://www.uu.nl/en/organisation/working-at-utrecht-university/jobs
Select the position from the list and below the description is a button for on-line applications. Only online applications are considered.
Provide a 1-page motivation letter, your CV including a list of publications, a 1-page statement of research interests, and the names and contact details of three references with your application.
The application deadline is: 10/09/2015
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
19/02/2015 Land governance and food security – new knowledge agenda launched
The Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) and the Netherlands Academy on Land Governance (LANDac) have developed a knowledge agenda on land governance and food security. Two activities have been taken up: a scoping study on the linkages between land governance and food security, and the development of a capacity building trajectory on the same issues.
Scoping study
LANDac has conducted a scoping study to gain insight into the complex linkages between land governance and food security. By focusing on the Dutch floriculture sector in four East African countries, the study provides insights into land governance – policies and regulations governing the access to and use of land – and how this relates to food security, both directly and indirectly. While research has been carried out to evaluate the socio-economic and environmental impacts of these investments, there is a significant knowledge gap in the land governance arrangements around the investments and how the investments impact local food security. The assignment has been executed by Evans Kirigia (an external regional consultant) and LANDac researchers. Results are expected this summer and interested actors are invited to work on the follow-up of these results.
Capacity building trajectory
LANDac has started the development of a capacity building trajectory on land governance and food security. The main component of this activity is the curriculum development of three country-specific trajectories for policy makers, development practitioners and private sector stakeholders in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda. The aim of these four-day capacity building trajectories is to provide participants and their organizations with the knowledge to deal with issues of land governance and food security in their countries. Four issues central to this objective include an increased understanding of the complex linkages between land governance and food security; offering practical tools for improvement; linking up experts in countries; and scaling up of individual capacities to organizational and societal level. A related output of the capacity building trajectory is the updating and expansion of the existing LANDac country factsheets on land governance and food security (2012). Actors active in this field in the four countries are welcome to contact LANDac about this trajectory.
Follow-up
Various activities of the Knowledge Agenda will be linked. Findings and outcomes of the scoping study will feed into the capacity building trajectory. The study and the trajectory will also be linked to ongoing LANDac activities, including the annual two-week summer course Land Governance for Development, knowledge dissemination activities and the upcoming LANDac International Conference in July 2015.
If you are interested in receiving more information about the scoping study or the capacity building trajectory, please contact the F&BKP Office: vanessa.nigten@knowledge4food.net or the LANDac coordinator: g.betsema@uu.nl.
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
New article: Impacts of large-scale farming on local communities’ food security and income levels – Empirical evidence from Oromia Region, Ethiopia
LANDac PhD researcher Maru Shete has published in co-authorship with Dr. Marcel Rutten of the African Studies Centre a new article based on his PhD research in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The new publication in Land Use Policy looks at the impacts of large-scale farming on local communities’ food security and income levels.
Abstract
This article investigates the impact of large-scale agricultural investment on household incomes and food security in Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. It considers an agricultural investment project that has leased an area of about 12,000 ha for 45 years and was operational from 2008 to 2012. Primary data were collected from 300 households selected using systematic random sampling techniques from communities that had lost access to the de facto customarily owned grazing and farmland as a result of the project and a control sample that was not affected by the investment. Data were analyzed using the propensity scores matching technique. Our results in Bako show that in situations of long-standing competing claims to land resources and relatively high population densities, putting land into large-scale farming reduces local communities’ food-security status and results in a loss of income among local people. Before leasing out farmlands for large-scale farming, local people’s previous livelihood patterns and their de facto customary property rights should be taken into consideration.
URL: article
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
Report VGGT Masterclass
On 15 April, partners organized a Masterclass on the ‘Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security’ (VGGT). The Masterclass was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chaired by LANDac.
A report of this event is available here.
Last Updated: 26th July 2019 by Gemma
New article: Natural resource privatisation in Sub-Saharan Africa and the challenges for inclusive green growth
LANDac PhD alumnus George Schoneveld and LANDac Chair Annelies Zoomers have published an article entitled ‘Natural resource privatisation in Sub-Saharan Africa and the challenges for inclusive green growth’ in the International Development Planning Review (IDPR).
Abstract
In response to recent accumulation crises, the development community has begun to call for greater focus on ‘inclusive green growth’ (IGG). African governments have accordingly been encouraged to develop mechanisms to leverage private sector investments that are both inclusive of the poor and that contribute to the development of the green economy. Since natural resource endowment has long been the primary source of comparative advantage for most African economies, natural resource-based industries are typically prioritised for IGG. This article examines the structural institutional challenges of aligning existing natural resource management regimes with emergent IGG objectives. By showing how and why governments struggle to leverage the potential of investments in extractive industries and agriculture to contribute to IGG, this paper highlights that realising meaningful IGG in Africa requires strong developmental states willing to deviate from existing development trajectories. It is currently under-acknowledged by international development actors that this necessitates disruptive and transformative legal, institutional and economic reform.
The full article can be accessed here:
IDPR – Natural resource privatisation in Sub-Saharan Africa