Postdoc position to examine challenges to a greener and more biodiverse Denmark using social sciences perspectives and the case of evolving human/mosquito relations Full-time

Postdoctoral Position in Social Sciences

Applications are invited for a 2-year postdoc position at the Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO), University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Preferably the starting date is 1 December 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Research area and project description: As part of a new interdisciplinary research project to investigate the relationship between on-going land use changes (as part of Denmark's Green tripartite) and mosquito populations in Denmark, we are seeking a highly motivated postdoc to work through social sciences methods to examine the nature of and changes to human / mosquito relations in Denmark – and the challenges and dilemmas that can occur when 'nature' becomes or is perceived as a nuisance.

Anthropogenic changes such as climate and land use change influence the emergence and risk of vector-borne diseases, which are transmitted to humans and animals via blood-feeding insects. As Denmark accelerates its green transition to address biodiversity loss and climate adaptation, they may also create favorable conditions for the disease‑transmitting organisms (vectors) such as mosquitoes – increasing vector‑borne disease risks. Wetland development is one obvious example.

Sometimes, efforts toward increasing biodiversity and 'nature' conservation/restoration can encounter local resident or user-group resistance as a result of so-called environmental dis services ('ecosystem-generated functions, processes, and attributes that result in perceived or actual negative impacts on human well-being'; Shackleton et al. 2016). When 'nature' becomes a nuisance – from wolves, to pollens, to mosquitoes – the unruliness of 'nature', or more accurately socio-natures (Leach et al. 2021), becomes both apparent and unavoidable for policymakers and implementers.

The postdoc will play a key role in establishing and examining one or more case study sites under green transition in Denmark. Here, the focus will be to explore how human experiences of mosquitoes evolve alongside ecological shifts, and with what implications for ongoing or proposed land-use change as well as biodiversity and health. Specifically, the postdoc will engage local stakeholders in identifying barriers/solutions in relation to efforts toward green land use transitions (broadly speaking), and establish approaches for co-created ways to meaningfully address mosquito nuisance. Outputs include evidence on mosquito and perception shifts driven by land-use change, and improved stakeholder understanding of mosquito-borne disease risks and modes of response. The postdoc could employ multispecies studies or new materialist perspectives, engage with the literature on environmental disservices, or ecological citizenship, or employ another related thematic or conceptual area of relevance to the data as findings emerge.

Concrete research activities will entail: helping identify one or more delimited case sites ('Living labs'), to be selected following an initial scoping study in Denmark of any existing mosquito-oriented debates emerging in relation to recent or planned green land use transitions, i.e. wetland restorations, development of modes of citizen engagement and subsequent data collection (interviews, observations); and, co-creation of potential modes of mitigating problems in the case area. Research activities could also entail a discourse analysis of local / national media coverage and/or social media groups (e.g. a community Facebook page), interviews with and/or a survey of knowledge and perceptions held by residents, and nature managers. There will also be opportunities for developing one's own research ideas related to human/mosquito relations and dynamics in collaboration with the group.

The position is for 2 years and will be one of two postdoc positions (the other postdoc will have a background in natural sciences with focus on environmental DNA mapping of mosquito diversity) in the newly started interdisciplinary project funded by the UCPH Convergence Grants. Project partners are the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. The two postdocs are expected to work together in the project.

The postdoc will join an innovative and interdisciplinary research project, where key responsibilities specifically will include:

• Co-select appropriate case site(s), e.g. areas with recent, current or near-future green transitions and emerging mosquito-related concerns
• Establish and maintain engagement with various stakeholder groups
• Lead in qualitative data collection and analysis
• Lead minimum one co-authored research publications and contribute to others
• Undertake interdisciplinary collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Denmark and Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences on stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications and competences: Applicants must have a PhD degree or equivalent or have submitted their PhD thesis for assessment before the application deadline. We seek a candidate from the social sciences with qualitative research experience and with an interest in participatory science methods, such as citizen science.

Required qualifications:

• PhD in a social science discipline such as, for instance, human geography, sociology, anthropology, bioethics, public health, and/or scholarly fields of political ecology, environmental humanities, multispecies studies, or related.
• Demonstrated experience with qualitative research methods. This will entail both desk-based, but especially face to face encounters with residents of research sites.
• Some flexibility to occasionally conduct fieldwork beyond the hours of a regular workday.
• Danish skills (written and spoken) and familiarity with Danish society.
• Aspire toward a highly collaborative interdisciplinary research environment.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with stakeholder engagement, citizen science, and/or public engagement.
• Knowledge of quantitative methods such as survey design (e.g. Survey Xact software) and quantitative data analysis could be an advantage.
• Familiarity with the Green Tripartite implementation in Denmark.
• Familiarity with vector ecology, mosquitoes or disease ecology.

A strong scientific track record with a productive publication list and positive reviews from previous supervisors, collaborators or mentors will also weigh strongly in the assessment.

Place of employment: The place of employment is at Section for Consumption, Bioethics and Governance, Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO), Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen (UCPH). IFRO offers creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

Physical presence at IFRO is considered as a natural part of being an employee to contribute to a welcoming, socially pleasant, and creative work environment. IFRO offers possibility for flexibility and working from home, but an employee is expected to regularly be present physically at IFRO.

Terms of employment:

• The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
• The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 2 years.
• The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.
• Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.
• Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.
• You can read more about salary levels in the state sector www.loenoverblik.dk (in Danish).

Application procedure: Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking 'Apply now' below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page).
2. CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
3. A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor will do.
4. List of publications.
5. List of up to 3 references and their contact information.

Deadline for applications: Friday 9 October 2026, 23.59 GMT+2. We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline and not to consider applications that do not meet the requirements.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 45.

Questions: For further information, please contact Assoc. Prof Rebecca Rutt ( rlr@ifro.ku.dk ). Further information on the section can be found here: https://www.ku.dk/ifro/en/research/section-for-consumption-bioethics-and-governance

The further process: After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed, each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

Please note that applicants must be prepared for further security screening related to international research