Researcher in small-scale fisheries in East Africa, 20% Part-time

Researcher in Small-Scale Fisheries in East Africa, 20%

Are you interested in working with urban fisheries and other types of small-scale fisheries in East Africa, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a research position in small-scale fisheries in East Africa at Uppsala University.

The Department of Earth Sciences is Sweden's most comprehensive academic environment for research and education in geoscience. It offers a broad range of expertise that can contribute to solving important societal issues.

Earth is a dynamic and constantly changing planet. To understand how this planet works, our researchers seek answers in the field, through laboratory experiments and advanced models. Our research and education cover a wide range of disciplines, including rocks and minerals, weather and climate, the evolution of life, natural disasters, wind power and energy, environmental and water engineering, and sustainable development.

Our research combines natural sciences and technology with social sciences and is often interdisciplinary. More than 300 people from over 30 countries work at the department, both in Uppsala and at Campus Gotland.

Our six research divisions:

• Geophysics
• Air, Water and Landscape Science
• Mineralogy, Petrology and Tectonics
• Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
• Palaeobiology
• Wind Energy

The researcher position is at Campus Gotland in Visby within the research program Natural Resources and Sustainable Development NRHU. Campus Gotland is an international campus in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Visby on the island of Gotland in the middle of the Baltic Sea.

The research position is part of the UrbanFishEries project (2024-2027). The project aims to assess the social-ecological challenges and opportunities for sustaining coastal small-scale fisheries (SSF), food security, and food safety along urbanizing coasts in East Africa under climate change. There is a striking paucity of knowledge on the interplay between urbanization, SSF and climate change, particularly from the Global South. The project focuses on case studies in Zanzibar Town (Tanzania) and Mombasa (Kenya), comparing urban and rural contexts to analyse climatic and social drivers of SSF livelihoods, aquatic food availability and safety, and the future of these fisheries in an urbanizing and climate-impacted world. The project is in close collaboration with Kenyan and Tanzanian colleagues. The position is financially supported by project funds from funder Swedish Research Council until 2027-12-31. Your duties can include applying for future research funding.

Duties: The researcher will design, plan, and conduct data collection, including participatory research, interviews, and surveys. The researcher will analyze data, including environmental and economic modelling, and produce high-quality scientific articles suitable for publication in journals, for presentation at scientific conferences and other relevant events. The work should be planned to contribute to the broader goals of the UrbanFishEries project and provide insights for policymakers and fisheries managers. The researcher is expected to be in Visby.

Requirements: PhD degree in environmental science, environmental economics, fisheries economics, aquatic environments, natural resource management, fisheries, or social-ecological systems, or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD degree described above. Very good communication skills in English, both spoken and written, are required. The ability to travel to Kenya and Tanzania and work in the field with local partners is required.

Additional qualifications: Knowledge of or experience with issues related to fisheries, blue foods, urbanisation, climate change, fisheries economics, aquatic environments, environmental monitoring, and coastal zone management is meritorious. Extensive knowledge of environmental and economic modelling will be particularly meritorious. Experience in working with interdisciplinary approaches and the use of conceptual and analytical frameworks is also beneficial. Knowledge in statistics and analytical skills, as well as proven creativity and the ability to collaborate both within and outside academia, are meritorious. Familiarity with working in East Africa is advantageous.

About the employment: The employment is a permanent position. Scope of employment 20%. Starting date 1 September 2026 or as agreed. Placement: Visby.

For further information about the position, please contact: Dr. Lina Mtwana Nordlund, lina.mtwana.nordlund@geo.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 29 June 2026, UFV-PA 2026/2079.

Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international position. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all of our 7,600 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of Sweden's most exciting workplaces.

The position may be subject to security vetting. If security vetting is conducted, the applicant must pass the vetting process to be eligible for employment.

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Submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system.