We encourage applicants of all genders, backgrounds, and identities!
About the Project
As part of the international research project RESHAPE ("Reshaping food systems: value chain transformation through reconnection"), we investigate how the transformation of food value chains can restore the connection between society and nature. The project utilizes five European Living Labs, ranging from berries in Spain and Gouda in the Netherlands to artisanal fisheries in Turkey, as real-world laboratories for sustainable change.
Your Responsibilities
As a core member of our team in Work Package 3, you will be responsible for the environmental quantification of these value chains. Your focus will be on:
- LCA Modelling: Conducting Life Cycle Assessments (ISO 14040/44) for five distinct food products. You will coordinate data collection with international partners and model complex scenarios (e.g., regenerative vs. conventional agriculture, industrial vs. small-scale fisheries).
- MRIO Modelling: Working at the interface of LCA and environmentally extended multi-regional input-output (EE-MRIO) analysis. You will support the adaptation of the physical MRIO model FABIO (Food and Agriculture Biomass Input-Output) to establish national benchmarks and visualize global supply chain effects (upstream/downstream).
- Integrated Synthesis: Collaborating closely with ethnographers to link quantitative environmental factors with qualitative "Travel Stories" of the products to identify leverage points for food system transformation in a holistic manner.
- Dissemination of Results: Preparing data for scientific publications as well as innovative communication formats, such as infographics and video animations.
Your Profile
- Education: Master’s degree in Environmental Science or a related field.
- LCA Expertise: Sound knowledge of LCA and proficiency in software like openLCA, SimaPro, or GaBi.
- Technical Skills: Strong programming skills (R or Python) are a plus.
- Communication: Fluency in English (project language). Skills in Spanish, Dutch, Danish, or Turkish are a bonus.
- Mindset: An organizational talent who thrives in interdisciplinary, international consortia.
What We Offer
- An exciting position at the intersection of science and food producers in a highly relevant research field.
- The opportunity to work with and develop innovative methodological tools, integrating LCA, MRIO, and ethnography.
- An international network involving leading institutions in sustainability research.
- Flexible working hours (30h/week), salary according to the Collective Agreement of Austrian Universities.
- The position is limited to a term of approx. 24 months.
Please note: This position is for a Research Associate (staff) rather than a PhD candidate. We welcome applications from candidates who wish to pursue a PhD externally and are happy to discuss how this position can support such goals (e.g., through data access, collaborations within our network, and flexible arrangements), but we cannot formally offer a PhD degree in Food LCA at WU.
How to Apply
Please send your application (CV and cover letter) to martin.bruckner@wu.ac.at and olivia.hinz@wu.ac.at. The call is open until the position is filled.