Postdoctoral Researcher (Full Time Contracted Employee), A World Ecology of Disasters in Development in East Asia (WEDiDEA) （Application Deadline: 10:00 a.m. on November 9th, 2026, JST)
Postdoctoral Research Opportunity in Kyoto
Postdoctoral Researcher (Full Time Contracted Employee), A World Ecology of Disasters in Development in East Asia (WEDiDEA), Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN)
One position for Postdoctoral Researcher in Ecological science, to be located at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto, Japan
Project description
In a rapidly changing and interlinked world, achieving sustainable development has been increasingly understood as an outcome not only of economic and social policies but also of the ability to manage disaster-related risks. Economic connectivity has made increasingly clear ecological connectivities between distant places and transformed multi-sited local nature-society relations. We seek to understand how thickening economic and ecological connectivities through global commodity chains have led to growing risks and vulnerabilities of disasters, and integrative policy responses. Conceptually, our project draws on World Ecology, Social Production of Disasters, and Diverse Values of Nature to rethink development that would integrate multiple values into policies and governance of economy, environment, and disasters through shifting knowledge systems, worldviews and values on humanity-in-nature relations. By integrating these themes, the postdoctoral researcher engages in collaborative research that enhances the impacts of the WEDiDEA. For more information about the project, please visit the project website.
Research interests: political ecology of disasters, social-ecological relations, diverse values of nature, policies and governance, and Post-2030 global agenda
Job description
The candidate will carry out research activities of the WEDiDEA project, in close collaboration with the team and under the guidance of the PI and case study leads. Specifically, the selected candidates will carry out the following research tasks:
1) Analyses of environmental changes associated with disasters and development in East Asia. Drawing on open data from different sources, literatures, government statistics, and data collected by project members, the candidate will carry out qualitative and quantitative analyses on changes in social-ecological relations and values in the study areas and support a comparative analysis across the study sites.
2) Field-based research to evaluate diverse values of nature in changing social-ecological relations. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the team. The data will be collected using a mixed methods approach and analyzed in combination with social data.
Qualifications
1) PhD in relevant fields at the time of appointment
2) Ability to conduct original research in collaboration with other project members.
3) A proven record of fieldwork experience is required. Experience with working in the case study countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand) is an advantage.
4) Familiarity with transdisciplinary approaches is an advantage. Experience with working in interdisciplinary research teams is an advantage.
5) Ability to write academic papers and professionally present materials in English
Terms of employment: Initial appointment starts from April 1, 2027 and ends on March 31st, 2028. Based on a successful review, the appointment can be renewed for another year ending March 31st, 2029.
Start Date: April 1, 2027
Working Hours：Based on the general working hours of Mon.–Fri. 8:30-17:00 (excluding the 12:15-13:00 lunch break), with discretionary employment system of professional work. Holidays: Japanese national holidays and 29 December–3 January.
Salary and insurance: Daily wage 19,800 JPY (researcher position) , plus commuting and housing allowances. No other allowances, bonuses, or retirement benefits will be provided. Successful candidates will be enrolled in the Health Insurance and the Employees' Pension Insurance, and the Employment Insurance in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Only the travel costs (flight, per diem and accommodation) will be provided for the relocation of researchers to Kyoto.
To apply, please submit the following documents in English:
1) Curriculum vitae (with photograph), using the National Institutes for the Humanities format. If you have not yet been awarded a PhD, be sure to state the expected conferral date.
2) Cover letter
3) Statement of Research – Applicants should provide specific information about research plans and how their research will contribute to the project (around 2,000 words)
4) List of research outputs (doctoral thesis, peer-reviewed articles, books/monographs, awards). If your researchmap page already contains these four categories, you may provide the URL in lieu of a separate list.
5) Recent Publications – please include at least one publication (up to three)
6) Three references and their contact information. We will only request letters of recommendation for shortlisted candidates.
The submitted documents will be used only for the purpose of employment screening. The submitted documents will not be disclosed, transferred, or loaned to any third party without good reason. In principle, application documents will not be returned.
*Residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) are required to submit the "Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR" with your signature.
PDF
Application Deadline
Deadline: 9 November, 2026 by 10:00 am, JST
Selection Process
A short list will be made by a selection committee on the basis of application materials. Candidates on the short list will be asked for an online interview in mid- and late November 2026.
E-mail your Application Materials to:
Prof. Makoto Taniguchi, Program Director, makoto[a]chikyu.ac.jp
Prof. Takeshi Ito, project leader, WEDiDEA [Email：takeshi.ito[a]sophia.ac.jp
Prof. Carl Middleton, project subleader, WEDiDEA [Email: Carl.M[a]chula.ac.th
([a] should be substituted by @ when in use)
If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt within three business days, please contact the above email address again.
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The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature is committed to promoting diversity with regard to gender, race, and creed, and encourages applications from women.