Post-doctoral position in Risk Management and Refugee Decision-making

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute is currently seeking candidates for the position of Post-doctoral researcher in Risk Management and Refugee Decision-making. The position is full-time, with start date as soon as possible. The initial contract will be signed for a period of two years. The position will be based in Lund, Sweden.
The research position is part of a larger project and a collaboration between the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and The Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Lund University (LU).
The researcher’s primary responsibility is to the principal investigators of the project, Prof. Mo Hamza (LU) and Prof. Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen (UCPH); the former will serve as main supervisor, the latter as co-supervisor. The researcher also coordinates with Dr. Matthew Scott, RWI’s Head of People on the Move thematic area.
Subject description and research project
Individual decisions of refugees regarding where to go, how to make a living, and how to secure a future for their children are the fundamental drivers of both the effectiveness of refugee protection and secondary refugee flows. The key objective of this research project is to gain a better understanding of refugee decision-making, in particular as regards refugees in so-called first countries of asylum, many of whom continue to face difficult choices whether to stay, move on or, in some cases, return. Theoretically, the project aims to combine insights from risk management theory and vulnerability studies in order to develop a model that allows for nuanced and quantifiable predictors of protection gaps, identification of vulnerable groups and predictors for secondary movement.
Main Tasks and Responsibilities
· Research within the subject area, including field work if travel conditions related to covid-19 allow
· Teaching in the second and third cycles of studies and training of professionals within RWI institutional strengthening programs, but up to no more than 20% of working hours
· Supervision of degree projects
· Active communication of research findings and activities through LTH and RWI outlets
· Actively seeking external research funding
· Contribution to RWI programs with a view to their development and implementation
· Collaboration with relevant actors and stakeholders in the wider society
· Administration related to the work duties listed above
The post-doctoral candidate will be part of a project team consisting of two senior researchers (based in Sweden and Denmark) and partners in two key countries of first asylum – Turkey and Lebanon. The post-doctoral candidate is expected to undertake research in line with the theoretical and methodogical framework set out by the overall project. The post-doctoral candidate will also be expected to conduct field work if travel restrictions allow, otherwise primary data gathering will be done remotely. The post-doctoral candidate is further expected to contribute to the overall coordination of the project.
Qualifications
A PhD in a discipline relevant to the subject of study, e.g. sociology, anthropology, economics, development studies, law, political science, risk management and systems theory.
Research experience and skills directly relevant to the project and the subject of study, namely refugee and migration studies, human rights, risk management, risk assessment and decision-making modelling.
Very good oral and written proficiency in English.


Appointment to a post-doctoral position requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the last date for applications. Under special circumstances, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier.
This is a career development position primarily focused on research. The position is intended as an initial step in a career, and the assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications and potential as researchers. Particular emphasis will be placed on research skills within the subject.
Merits
Profiency of Arabic, Turkish or other relevant languages for conducting relevant field work in first countries of asylum.
Professional experience in humanitarian operations, refugee resettlement, refugee/asylum case processing, etc.


Application procedure
Submit your curriculum vitae and cover letter by clicking on "Apply" and following the instructions under "opportunities" on www.rwi.lu.se. Please note that we only accept applications via the RWI website. The deadline for applications is 10.09.2021 and we continuously evaluate candidates, so please apply as soon as possible. RWI is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes all applicants regardless of sex/gender, disability, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or age.
For further information about the position, please contact Prof. Mo Hamza at mo.hamza@risk.lth.se or for the recruitment process, Nina Blidfors Frykman, RWI Head of Human Resources at nina.blidfors_frykman@rwi.lu.se .