Researcher in Economic Geography with Focus on Infrastructure Transition

Lunds Universitet · Vollzeit

Box 117, Lund, Schweden

Position Profile The position is located at the Department of Cultural Geography and Economic Geography (KEG) and affiliated with CIRCLE, Centre for Innovation Research (www.circle.lu.se). You will work in the research project DECENT (Socio-technical modularity and the decentralization of infrastructure), funded by the European Research Council through an ERC Starting Grant and running 2026–2031. DECENT investigates why and how critical infrastructure – energy, water and sanitation, mobility, food supply – becomes more decentralized, despite strong path dependencies favoring large-scale centralized systems. The project combines transition research, modularity theory, and economic geography and compares case studies in European and Indian cities. You will be part of a project team consisting of the project leader, two doctoral students, and yourself, with your workplace at Geocentrum I in Lund together with the department's approximately 60 staff members. At KEG and CIRCLE, you will encounter an international and interdisciplinary research environment in economic geography, innovation studies, and sustainability transitions, with an open and supportive work culture where junior and senior researchers collaborate closely. We Offer Lund University is a state agency, which means you receive special benefits, generous vacation, and a favorable occupational pension. We have flexible time agreements that provide good conditions for balance between work and leisure. You will have excellent conditions to conduct research in a well-funded international project, with funds for fieldwork and conferences, and scope to develop your own research profile. Read more on the university's website about working for us Jobba hos oss Duties and Areas of Responsibility As a researcher in DECENT, you work closely with the project leader and take independent responsibility for research within one or more of the project's case studies. Your main duties are to: contribute to the project's theory development on decentralization and modularity in socio-technical systems, particularly in the project's initial phase plan and conduct empirical work – document studies, interviews, and fieldwork – in one or more infrastructure sectors (e.g., energy, water and sanitation, mobility, or food) in European and Indian cities analyze the material using qualitative process methods (path tracing) and semi-quantitative network methods (socio-technical configuration analysis, STCA), and contribute to the project's methodological development compare cases across sectors and between high- and middle-income contexts and contribute to the project's synthesis and theory building publish in international peer-reviewed journals, independently and together with the project team, and present at international conferences contribute to the supervision of the project's doctoral students and to seminars, workshops, and dialogue with practitioners and decision-makers in the case study contexts Travel and fieldwork, particularly in Europe and India, are part of the position. Qualifications Requirements for the position are: You hold a doctoral degree in economic geography, cultural geography, innovation studies, transition research, or another relevant social science field, such as economics. You have documented research experience in sustainability transitions, innovation, or infrastructure (e.g., energy, water, mobility, or food), demonstrated through publications in international peer-reviewed journals. You have experience in qualitative research with own data collection, such as interview-based case studies. You have very good knowledge of English, spoken and written. Swedish is not required. You have strong ability to independently plan and conduct research tasks, and good collaborative skills. Merits for the position are: You have research experience and fieldwork in middle-income countries, particularly India or other parts of South Asia. You have good knowledge of socio-technical transition theories, institutional theory, and/or economic-geographic perspectives on transition and agency. You have research experience on businesses, entrepreneurship, or innovation ecosystems in infrastructure sectors. You have research experience on justice and distribution aspects of infrastructure and energy transitions. You have experience in interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with policy actors and practitioners. You have experience supervising early-career researchers or seeking and leading externally funded projects. You have language skills relevant to fieldwork in the project's case study contexts. In the selection process, greatest weight is placed on scientific excellence demonstrated through publications and conducted research, and on how well your research profile matches and complements the project's research questions. Other The position has a start date of January 1, 2027 or by agreement. Interviews will be held in Lund shortly after the application deadline. Contact Johan Miörner ([email protected]) for questions about the position. How to Apply The position is applied for through the university's recruitment system. Your application must be written in English and include: a cover letter (max 1 page) describing your research profile, how it relates to DECENT, and how you would like to contribute to the project CV with publication list The university applies individual salary setting. Please indicate your salary expectations in your application. The Department of Cultural Geography and Economic Geography at Lund University is a research-intensive academic unit within the Faculty of Social Sciences. It combines long academic traditions with modern and strongly internationalized research and education. The department offers a wide range of education at undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels, including internationally oriented programs such as the Master's program in Human Geography. The department has diverse staff of approximately 55–60 academic and administrative employees. We decline all contacts from advertising sales companies, recruitment and staffing agencies due to public procurement regulations.