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Position: Postdoctoral Fellow – Quantitative Analyses and Spatial Statistics

Institution: Charles University Environment Centre

Project: SPValues – Spatially Explicit & Plural Valuation for Just Biodiversity Policy

Salary: CZK 38,000 – 44,000 (EUR 1,500  – 1,740) / 1,0 FTE month (brutto), potential bonus (based on performance)

FTE: flexible 0,5 – 1,0

Expected starting date: March – April 2025, with some flexibility.

Duration: The position is expected to last for a minimum of 2 years FTE, with the possibility of an extension.

Team Context

The SPValues project focuses on understanding public preferences for the implementation of biodiversity policy in a just way and developing new methodological approaches to achieve this. The project, led by Dr. Tomáš Baďura, is supported by a PRIMUS programme and represents the foundation of a new research team at the Charles University Environment Centre (see Annex for further details of the project below). This interdisciplinary team will focus on advancing methodologies and insights in biodiversity valuation, particularly spatial discrete choice experiments, and aims to combine qualitative and quantitative methods to inform biodiversity policies.

The SPValues team will be interdisciplinary, consisting of the PI (environmental economics, non-market valuation), the present applicant at the level of postdoctoral researcher (statistics), another postdoctoral researcher (social science, focus on non-monetary valuation and environmental justice), and a Ph.D. student (environmental economics, discrete choice experiments and plural valuation). It is expected that the team will grow through future projects to expand both topically and methodologically, offering opportunities for growth.

We are seeking a candidate with a Ph.D. in (spatial) statistics, mathematics, econometrics, or a related field, but candidates in the final stages of their Ph.D. are also eligible. We look for someone who is committed to joining the team for at least two years (part-time or full-time), ensuring continuity and deep engagement with the project’s goals, with the possibility for a long-term employment. The postdoctoral fellow will support the PI’s and team’s quantitative analyses, help other team members develop their quantitative skills, work independently on assigned tasks, develop a personal research agenda within the team’s research area, and publish methodological as well as policy-relevant research in leading journals. The fellow will be onboarded with support to familiarize them with project methodologies and provided access to tools, datasets, and relevant training to conduct excellent research in a collaborative and supportive environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and support the team’s quantitative analyses for the SPValues project, focusing primarily on spatially explicit valuation of biodiversity.
• Develop and apply discrete choice models and statistical methods, including spatial statistics.
• Manage and analyse large, diverse datasets to support project goals.
• Co-author and lead high-quality academic publications (see Annex for example publications) and contribute to policy-relevant outputs.
• Help other team members develop their quantitative skills, fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
• Work independently on tasks and contribute creative ideas to advance the research agenda.
• Develop a personal research agenda aligned with the team’s objectives.
• Collaborate with the Principal Investigator and team to draft grant proposals for future projects with the vision to extend the project and allow team members to thrive (e.g., GAČR SG, Junior Star, TAČR, Horizon Europe, ERC Starting Grant).
• Take responsibility for occasional administrative and team-related responsibilities.
• Actively engage in training, conferences, and international research stays.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in (spatial) statistics, mathematics, econometrics, or a related field. Candidates in the final stages of their Ph.D. are also eligible.
• Proficiency in R (required); experience with Python, GIS software, and other statistical software is advantageous.
• Strong foundation in statistical methods with flexibility to learn new approaches.
• Interest or experience in spatial statistics, discrete choice experiments, deep learning, or biodiversity valuation is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and adapt to new research methods and fields.
• Experience with open science approaches (e.g., Open Science Framework) is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; Czech language capabilities are a plus.
• Proficient use of ChatGPT or similar AI tools is an advantage, as well as knowledge of other AI-related tools and techniques.

While technical expertise is important, we value candidates who demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, independence in managing tasks, eagerness to learn from and help others learn, and a collaborative mindset, as these are crucial for our interdisciplinary work.

Competencies

• Analytical Rigor: Excellent problem-solving and quantitative analysis skills.
• Adaptability: Willingness to learn new methods and approaches, including discrete choice experiments and spatial statistics. Demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to explore new tools and methodologies.
• Collaboration: Strong team player capable of working in interdisciplinary teams, international contexts, and across cultures and nationalities.
• Independence: Self-reliant in managing and completing tasks while aligning with team goals. Takes initiative in problem-solving, proactively seeks input when necessary, and contributes innovative ideas to advance the research.
• Ownership: Takes responsibility for tasks (e.g., analyses, publications) and drives them to completion.
• Organizational Skills: Ability to handle multiple projects and datasets and meet deadlines effectively.
• Communication: Clear and effective communication of complex research topics, both written and verbal.
• Mentorship: Ability to support team members in developing their quantitative skills and fostering a collaborative environment.

Offered Benefits

• Participation in a project with potential high policy relevance and societal impact.
• Opportunities for training, conferences, and impactful research.
• Mentorship and co-authorship opportunities with the Principal Investigator.
• Freedom to develop an individual research agenda within the project scope.
• Support in grant writing and research funding applications.
• Potential for international research stays and collaboration with leading experts.
• Flexible working hours and, over time, flexibility to work from home.
• Access to state-of-the-art datasets that can be readily analysed for publications.
• Focus on professional growth and research skill enhancement.
• Investment in your professional development through extensive training opportunities.
• Access to relevant tools and software, including ChatGPT, to support your research and analysis.
• Broader discounts and benefits offered to all employees of the Charles University.

 

Recruitment Process

Document Review: Applications will be screened based on the submitted CV and motivation letter, evaluating alignment with the role’s requirements and the project’s objectives.

Interviews (one or two rounds): Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview with the Principal Investigator and an external expert. Interviews can be conducted either in person or online, providing candidates the opportunity to discuss their competencies, research interests, and expectations.

 

Application Requirements

Curriculum Vitae (CV): Comprehensive and up-to-date.

Motivation Letter (1 page): Explicitly highlight research interests aligned with the SPValues project, your career aspirations, and why your values align with the team’s mission and/or ambitions.

Relevant Academic Publication: One English-written academic publication that you co-authored/led of significance to the project. Explain why it is relevant to the project in one or two paragraphs, and provide a link to the publication or attach the relevant file.

Optional (but influential): A recommendation letter from a senior manager or researcher who has worked with the applicant.

Application Deadline and Contact: Please submit your application by 18th February 2025 via the application form.

We look forward to receiving your applications and to welcoming a new colleague to our team!

 

Annex: Project Abstract and Publications of relevance to the project

SPValues – Spatially Explicit & Plural Valuation for Just Biodiversity Policy, Project description:

Understanding the spatial distribution of biodiversity values is crucial for sustainable development, actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and address the biodiversity crisis (IPBES 2022). However, measuring biodiversity values is notoriously difficult, as they are diverse, power-laden, and largely ignored in both public and private decision-making (ibid). Stated preference methods uniquely can capture both types of economic values—use (e.g. recreational visits) and non-use values (e.g. the existence of biodiversity)—but there is limited research on how these vary across space, especially the non-use values (Glenk et al. 2020). Focusing on monetary units, SP may overlook values better captured by alternative measures. Thus, both economic and non-economic (plural) valuations are vital for informed decision-making and sustainable transformation (Pascual et al. 2023). Yet, effectively integrating these methods into a unified framework remains elusive.

The SPValues project will develop a unique systematic examination of both economic and non-economic biodiversity values held by the public across space, contexts, and justice considerations in Czechia. The key research questions are (a) where biodiversity interventions can generate greatest and justly distributed societal benefits and (b) to identify spatial trade-offs between different values. These questions will be addressed through the following objectives: (i) developing a conceptual and epistemological framework for plural, spatially-explicit valuation of biodiversity; and its empirical test with (ii) a novel methodological approach for examining the spatial determinants of biodiversity’s economic values, building the previous project of the PI (link), (iii) expanding this methodology with alternative value indicators, and (iv) explicitly incorporating distributional (how outcomes of interventions are allocated) and procedural justice considerations (whose values are accounted for).

The project will conduct a series of interlinked valuation studies focused on the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (and associated EU/CZ commitments) that will result in a unique national database of biodiversity-related values. These studies will aim to test, e.g., spatial determinants of values in different contexts, trade-offs and complementarities across different value types, and uncover new empirical insights, especially on non-use values, while also creating evidence that can inform the implementation of biodiversity policy. Together, this will start to build a thorough and linked understanding of biodiversity values of (inter)national relevance.

The project will generate results that will be globally relevant through new methodological developments and empirical results. It will innovate plural valuation of biodiversity and generate evidence that can impact national policy and provide insights about biodiversity values beyond the country of application. Further impact is sought after through applying for further funding to expand this research and team.

Key publications of Direct Relevance to the Project:
Badura T, Ferrini S, Burton M, Binner A, Bateman I (2020) Using Individualised Choice Maps to Capture the Spatial Dimensions of Value Within Choice Experiments. Environmental and Resource Economics, in: Special issue “Spatial Dimensions of Stated Preferences”

Publications of Broader Relevance to the Project:
Glenk, K., Johnston, R. J., Meyerhoff, J. & Sagebiel, J. (2020). Spatial Dimensions of Stated Preference Valuation in Environmental and Resource Economics: Methods, Trends and Challenges. Environmental and Resource Economics, 75(2), 215–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-018-00311-w

IPBES (2022). Methodological Assessment Report on the Diverse Values and Valuation of Nature of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Balvanera P., Pascual U., Christie M., Baptiste B., González-Jiménez D.(eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6522522

Johnston, R. J., Boyle, K. J., Adamowicz, W. (Vic), Bennett, J., Brouwer, R., Cameron, T. A., Hanemann, W. M., Hanley, N., Ryan, M., Scarpa, R., Tourangeau, R. & Vossler, C. A. (2017). Contemporary Guidance for Stated Preference Studies. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 4, 319–405. https://doi.org/10.1086/691697

Mariel, P., Hoyos, D., Meyerhoff, J., Czajkowski, M., Dekker, T., Glenk, K., Jacobsen, J. B., Liebe, U., Olsen, S. B., Sagebiel, J. & Thiene, M. (2021). Environmental Valuation with Discrete Choice Experiments, Guidance on Design, Implementation and Data Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62669-3

Pascual, U., Balvanera, P., Anderson, C. B., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Christie, M., González-Jiménez, D., Martin, A., Raymond, C. M., Termansen, M., Vatn, A., Athayde, S., Baptiste, B., Barton, D. N., Jacobs, S., Kelemen, E., Kumar, R., Lazos, E., Mwampamba, T. H., Nakangu, B., … Zent, E. (2023). Diverse values of nature for sustainability. Nature, 620(7975), 813–823. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06406-9

Example Publications Expected from the Fellow:

The following publications provide some examples of the type and quality of research outputs the fellow will be expected to produce lead or co-lead with the PI during the fellowship.

Budziński, W., Campbell, D., Czajkowski, M., Demšar, U., Hanley, N., 2018. Using Geographically Weighted Choice Models to Account for the Spatial Heterogeneity of Preferences. Journal of Agricultural Economics 69, 606–626. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12260

Czajkowski, M., Budziński, W., Campbell, D., Giergiczny, M., Hanley, N., 2016. Spatial Heterogeneity of Willingness to Pay for Forest Management. Environmental and Resource Economics 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-016-0044-0

Schaafsma, M., Brouwer, R., Gilbert, A., Bergh, J. van den, Wagtendonk, A., 2013. Estimation of Distance-Decay Functions to Account for Substitution and Spatial Heterogeneity in Stated Preference Research. Land Economics 89, 514–537. https://doi.org/10.3368/le.89.3.514

Badura T, Lorencova E, Vackarova D, Ferrini S (2021) Public support for urban climate adaptation policy through nature-based solutions in Prague Landscape and Urban Planning