Skogforsk Seeks an Analytical Social Scientist

Stift Skogsbrukets Forskningsinstitut, Skogforsk · Full-time

Dag Hammarskjölds väg 36 A, UPPSALA, Sweden

We are looking for you to apply your analytical and social science expertise to questions that are important in forestry. Forest transition and the forest-based bioeconomy raise complex questions about economics, policy, policy instruments, sustainability, and the behavior of people and organizations. We are therefore seeking a social scientist with strong methodological competence, curiosity about complex societal issues, and the ability to quickly transform large amounts of information into useful knowledge. At Skogforsk, you will work interdisciplinarily at the intersection of research, practice, and social development. Your work will span questions about how different forest values can be developed and combined – for example, biodiversity, carbon storage, recreation, and other social values. It may involve understanding stakeholders' perspectives and drivers, analyzing trade-offs and synergies, or investigating conditions for new value chains and business models. You will apply your social science expertise to questions that are central to the future of forests, in close collaboration with researchers, forestry companies, government agencies, and other actors. You will become a key person in work involving: Investigating how policy, policy instruments, economics, and other social factors affect stakeholders' behavior and the conditions for various ecosystem services. Analyzing different actors' perspectives, drivers, and needs, and identifying trade-offs, obstacles, and opportunities. Formulating research questions and analytical approaches, and developing analytical frameworks, categories, and indicators. Planning and conducting stakeholder dialogues, workshops, and other forms of qualitative data collection. Structuring and synthesizing large and heterogeneous information sets. The focus is on making knowledge usable – from research questions and data collection to analysis and synthesis. You need to quickly grasp new issues, identify what is essential, and drive work and analysis to results. We are looking for someone with: higher education in social science, for example in political science, economics, or equivalent experience in investigations, research, or qualified analytical work experience with qualitative methods, such as interviews, thematic coding, and systematic analysis knowledge of policy, policy instruments, and/or social economics excellent ability to express yourself in speech and writing in Swedish and English. Experience in research, evaluation, or analysis in forestry, environment, climate, bioeconomy, or social transformation is meriting. You are curious, analytical, and structured, with the ability to quickly see what is essential in complex issues. You see patterns and connections, critically evaluate information, and transform complex material into clear and usable results. To succeed in this role, we see that you: Are analytical, structured, and methodologically sound have the ability to work systematically and critically with different types of information and data have good judgment and can evaluate sources' quality, relevance, and significance are solution-oriented and pragmatic – you find the way forward even when the issue is complex have the ability to communicate and be educational when meeting and working with other competencies to reach a common goal can be equally comfortable working independently on tasks as collaborating in a team. Would you like to be part of developing the knowledge that drives forest transition? Welcome to a job where your analytical ability, methodological competence, curiosity, and drive become an important part of transforming complex issues and large amounts of information into new knowledge, insights, and concrete benefit for the forestry industry and society. About the Position & Application The position is permanent with a start date by agreement. We are convinced that diversity in the workplace is important for both well-being and efficiency. We process applications on a rolling basis, but we need your application by October 9. Email your application to [email protected]. Mark your application with "Analytical Social Scientist" in the subject line. Do you have questions or want to know more about the position? Please contact Mia Iwarsson Wide (Program Manager, Value-Creating Ecosystem Services), 070-518 85 99 or Madeleine Silverbratt, 072-578 88 04. SACO's union representative is Lars Eliasson, 070-281 33 32. About Skogforsk Skogforsk is the Swedish forestry industry's research institute. Our vision is "World-class forestry for sustainable development". Skogforsk develops and communicates knowledge, services, and products that contribute to sustainable development in forestry for the benefit of society. We are located in three places: Uppsala, Sävar in Västerbotten, and Ekebo in Skåne. In total, we have about 150 employees, of whom 80 are researchers.