Post-docs and PhD on land use impacts of solar and wind energy, with Prof. Eric Lambin

Post-docs and PhD on land use impacts of solar and wind energy with Prof. Eric Lambin at UCLouvain, Belgium

Prof. Eric Lambin seeks three post-doctoral researchers and a PhD student for his new ERC Advanced Grant on “Land use implications of the renewable energy transition”. The successful candidates will conduct innovative research on the geographic, economic, social and policy factors that constrain the spatial expansion of solar and wind energy in various geographic contexts in Europe. The research project aims to understand land use decisions by key stakeholders regarding the deployment of solar and wind energy production in rural and urban landscapes. The ultimate goal is to develop a realistic representation of feasible and sustainable pathways to accomplish a renewable energy transition, accounting for various trade-offs.

The research will include geospatial analyses, interviews of key stakeholders, and scenario analyses. One of the postdocs will develop a spatially-explicit multi-agent simulation model. This position requires excellent skills in system thinking and analysis of spatial and socio-economic data. It will include field interviews with local land managers in Belgium, Portugal and/or the Western Alps. For that reason, applicants must be fluent in either French, Dutch or Portuguese, in addition to English. Please do not apply if you do not meet this condition. Strong academic credentials are required.

Applicants should e-mail a PDF file that contains a letter summarizing relevant research experience and interest in the position, curriculum vitae, list of three references with contact information (email and phone), and a sample of published work to eric.lambin@uclouvain.be. Applications will be considered until all positions are filled. The start date will be between September 2024 and September 2025, and decided jointly.

You will be joining a dynamic and interdisciplinary research group specialized on human-environment interactions and land system science, with a strong international standing. UCLouvain is located just outside Brussels.