Professor

The Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern (www.wyssacademy.unibe.ch) is dedicated to shaping sustainable futures for nature and people by strengthening and harmonizing nature conservation, human well-being, and natural resource use in different landscapes around the world. Focusing on interactions between people, land, biodiversity, and climate change, the Wyss Academy is producing path-breaking knowledge for transformation and actively building partnerships between science, policy, civil society, and the private sector to generate concrete solutions from local to global levels. The Wyss Academy for Nature invites applications for an

Open-rank Professorship in Integrative Biodiversity Conservation Science

Pressures on biodiversity, natural habitats and protected areas are increasing, despite various conservation policies and measures, and they are compromising human wellbeing. This professorship will focus on the generation of conservation-relevant biodiversity knowledge and the deployment of innovative approaches that reconcile the needs to halt biodiversity losses with the promotion of local socio-economic development in the Wyss Academy’s Regional Stewardship Hubs. The research will use empirical methods, such as survey, comparative, or modeling approaches, accounting for climate change and land-use scenarios. It will take a multifunctional and multi-stakeholder perspective toward promoting co-benefits for nature and people and providing actionable pathways for the inclusive stewardship of biodiversity, land, and climate.

Candidates have their roots in Conservation Science, a strong background in biodiversity research and applied conservation issues, and they possess a growing, innovative and interdisciplinary research portfolio. They strive to develop scientific excellence at the interface between biodiversity conservation, sustainable land use, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Embracing solution-driven approaches, especially for vulnerable regions, is an important asset and so is the commitment to collaborate with the five other new professorships at the Wyss Academy for Nature.

The position is a full time employment (80-100%) at the Wyss Academy for Nature located in Bern, Switzerland and will collaborate closely with the four Regional Stewardship Hubs. It will be affiliated to the Institute of Plant Sciences and the Institute of Ecology and Evolution at the Faculty of Science and is expected to collaborate with further research groups and centers at the University of Bern. Research leaders at the Wyss Academy for Nature are expected to compete for additional third-party funding enlarging their group activity. The start of work is 1 January 2021 or as agreed.

Applications should be submitted until September 14, 2020 via an online questionnaire. Furthermore, a single pdf file will need to be uploaded including a letter of motivation, a CV, a publication list, a teaching statement, a funding history, and a description of relevant contributions to policy and outreach. Moreover, the candidates should submit a 2-page research statement on how they would design their research team to contribute to the Wyss Academy’s project plan and how they would collaborate with the other professorships at the Wyss Academy and research groups at the University of Bern. Further inquiries can be addressed to info.wyssacademy(at)unibe.ch. The Wyss Academy is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness in Science and we seek to hire faculty with a diversity of backgrounds. Applications by women are strongly encouraged. The University of Bern is an equal opportunity and family-friendly employer and supports flexible hiring solutions, including job-sharing.