PhD student - Transformative governance for a sustainable food system

Department of People and Society
At the Department of People and Society, we conduct research in and teach environmental psychology, business management, and advisory services. Our goal is to create conditions for sustainable living and working environments in both rural and urban areas. We develop and communicate high-quality knowledge about people, the environment, and business. The Department is placed at the Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Science (LTV faculty) and mainly located in Alnarp, in the centre of Sweden’s most dynamic agricultural, horticultural and food producing region. The faculty also has part of its education and research in landscape architecture at SLU in Uppsala. There is a broad network of contacts thanks to extensive collaboration projects with industry, authorities and organisations.

About the faculty: https://www.slu.se/en/faculties/ltv/

About the department https://www.slu.se/institutioner/institutionen-for-manniska-och-samhalle

About our benefits working at SLU at https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/

Project - Transformative governance for a sustainable food system
Research subject: Agricultural Science
Description:
We are hiring a PhD student for the project ‘transformative governance for a sustainable food system’ at the LTV Faculty, SLU. 

Funding for this position is part of the faculty's investment in 10 PhD students in 2024, with additional co-funding from the Department of People and Society.

Food planning is an emerging area of interdisciplinary research that looks at new forms of governance that can facilitate the transition of the food system in response to challenges associated with food security and sustainability. This project looks at how local authorities through public sector innovation may affect the dynamics of local food systems and their long-term sustainability. Working closely with municipalities in Sweden (and abroad) the PhD project will investigate the dynamics between local governance contexts, urban food governance mechanisms, and local food systems.

The project is a collaboration between The Departments of People and Society as well as Landscape architecture, planning and management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Alnarp.

Work tasks:

The primary tasks of the PhD student are to write a doctoral thesis and develop independence as a researcher within the project’s thematic framework. In this role, the PhD student will conduct research for the project, including collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data with municipalities in Sweden and abroad (e.g. Denmark and the UK). The empirical data collection will be based on surveys and various direct interaction with representatives from multiple municipalities across various departments working with food system questions. The role as PhD student requires an ability to think and work both independently and in a team. The applicant should also have the ability to co-develop and organise workshops and other forms of activities for data collection and sharing together with municipalities and other food system actors. The PhD project entails to develop outputs in form of scientific articles in English, presenting ongoing research both within and outside of academia (in English and Swedish), as well as completing the PhD educational program. The PhD student will be part of the business management research group at the Department of People and Society.

Qualifications:
Requirements


• Master’s degree in a subject relevant to the project, such as environmental science, sustainable development, political science, horticulture, agroecology, landscape planning
• Master’s thesis of at least 15 credits, or equivalent
• Proficient in English and Swedish (spoken and written)
• Qualified motivation for wanting to be admitted (500-800 words) addressing (a) how you will approach the described work tasks and (b) how you will shape and contribute to the research and knowledge field

Merits


• Master’s thesis on a relevant topic for the project
• Academic publications
• Other publications relevant to the topic of the project

Experience of…


• Qualitative methods, particularly interviews, group interviews and workshops
• Sociological theories and/or knowledge pertaining to food systems science and governance theory.
• Working with municipalities and/or other public bodies in Sweden and abroad
• Organising events and workshops together with both academia and public sector
• Coordinating collaboration between academia and the public sector/societal actors
• Producing popular science and other forms of research communication (such as reports, articles and policy briefs)
• Interdisciplinary and/or transdisciplinary working environment

Place of work:      
Alnarp

Forms for funding or employment:
Employment (4 years)

Salary agreement: https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/salary-and-pension/doctoral-student-salary-agreement/

Starting date:
2024-09-01 or according to agreement. 

Application:
Click the “Apply” button to submit your application. The deadline is 2024-05-20.

Read about the PhD education at SLU at www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/

Academic union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/


The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden.

SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.