Postdoc in Climate & Conflict Studies – CLIMCON

The Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning at Utrecht University is looking for a two-year postdoctoral researcher for the NWO-funded project 'Centring Armed Organizations in the Climate-Conflict Nexus' (CLIMCON).

Your job

The CLIMCON project aims to generate new insights into the multidirectional links between climate change and armed conflict. Comparing two areas of protracted armed conflict in the borderlands between DRC, Burundi and Uganda, CLIMCON will examine how the emerging effects of climate change shape processes of armed mobilisation and how armed conflict in turn shapes vulnerability to climate change. To capture these interacting processes, it will focus on armed organisations and their supporters, including elites.

You will be part of a research team consisting of two PhD candidates and the Principal Investigator Judith Verweijen. Your main role will be to develop and conduct research exploring local perceptions and experiences of climate change, armed conflict and their interactions, including through participatory mapping. You will also contribute to developing and executing research on the effects of climate change on armed organisations and their supporters.

This includes:

• developing and refining, together with the PI, the research instruments;
• conducting and overseeing fieldwork in eastern DRC, Burundi and Uganda;
• (co-)authoring publications based on the field research.

Your qualities

• You have a PhD in Conflict Studies, Political Science, Human Geography, Anthropology, or a related discipline.
• You have good understanding of the field of climate security and experience working on armed and resource conflict in Africa’s Great Lakes region, as reflected in your publications, and you have experience collaborating with researchers from the region.
• You have experience conducting fieldwork in eastern DRC, Uganda or Burundi (at least two of the three countries) and with working with researchers from the region.
• You have a track record in developing and implementing innovative qualitative research methods and adequate research instruments.
• You have experience with conducting research on combatants and armed groups.
• You are fluent in French and English (excellent oral and written communication skills).
• You can work both independently and in collaboration with colleagues.
• You have considerable experience with academic publishing as reflected in your publications record.
• Command of Swahili and Kirundi is considered a plus.

Our offer

• A position for two years, starting ideally on 1 August 2025;
• a working week of 32 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,378 and €5,331 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.