2 postdoc positions in community-led conservation
Rebecca Gruby
Dear Colleagues,
We are recruiting two post-docs to join an international research team working on community-led conservation in Mexico and Indonesia, with a focus on the role of philanthropic foundations and grant-making practices. The postdocs will be based at the University of Miami and Stanford University.
Please share with your networks and excuse cross-postings! See full details below.
Thank you!
Rebecca Gruby, Xavier Basurto, Michele Betsill
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Links to apply:
University of Miami position (research focus in Indonesia): Apply here
Stanford University position (research focus in Mexico): Apply here
Two Postdoc positions in Community-led Conservation and Governance
The University of Miami and Stanford University are inviting applications for two outstanding Postdoctoral Research Associates – one based at each university - with deep expertise in conservation governance, community-led conservation, and participatory and qualitative research methods. Disciplinary background is open within environmental governance, including but not limited to: political science, political ecology, sustainability science, human geography, cultural anthropology or a related field. Applicants with an interdisciplinary degree are welcome.
The Postdoctoral Research Associates will join an international research team that will identify pathways to successful community-led conservation, with a particular focus on the role of philanthropic foundations and grant-making practices. Using a knowledge co-production approach, the project will develop actionable results to inform grant-making, policy, and practice in community-led conservation globally. The position will involve extensive fieldwork and deep collaboration with local communities, conservation practitioners, and philanthropic foundations.
The research team will be led by Dr. Rebecca Gruby (University of Miami), Dr. Xavier Basurto (Stanford University), and Dr. Michele Betsill (University of Copenhagen).
Please note that we are recruiting for two separate positions within a multi-institutional project. We encourage candidates to apply for the position they are best suited for given their backgrounds. No need to apply to both positions - we will be reviewing applications together.
- The post-doc at the University of Miami will be housed in the Robert K. Johnson Center for Marine Conservation within the Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric and Earth Science and will lead in-depth case studies in Indonesia.
- The post-doc at Stanford University will be housed in the Environmental Social Sciences department within the Doerr School of Sustainability and will lead in-depth case studies in Mexico.
These are full-time positions available with an initial appointment of one-year, renewable for an additional 1.5 years based on satisfactory performance and availability of funding.
Key responsibilities
- Lead a synthetic review of relevant literature on community-led conservation, polycentric governance, and environmental philanthropy
- Lead in-depth case studies of community-led conservation in Indonesia, including data collection and analysis as well as extensive fieldwork
- Coordinate and contribute to data analysis across case studies in multiple geographies
- Lead knowledge co-production process, including workshops and communication with communities, conservation practitioners, academics, and funder
- Mentor graduate students involved in the project
- Co-author high-impact peer-reviewed publications
- Develop creative non-academic outputs to ensure findings are accessible and actionable for diverse communities
Qualifications:
- Ph.D. (in hand by the starting date) in environmental governance, with expertise in Indigenous-led conservation or community-led conservation
- Disciplinary background is open, including but not limited to political science, political ecology, sustainability science, human geography, cultural anthropology or related field with a strong qualitative focus. Applicants with an interdisciplinary degree are welcome
- Demonstrated proficiency with participatory and qualitative methods, including mixed methods as well as complementary quantitative approaches
- Demonstrated experience with knowledge co-production and community-engaged fieldwork
- Ability to collaborate with scholars who work with large and complex datasets
- A strong publication record of empirical research commensurate with career stage
- Outstanding communication skills and a proven ability to collaborate effectively with researchers, communities, and practitioners across diverse disciplines and backgrounds
- Fluency in English and Bahasa Indonesia, both written and verbal (For UM position)
- Fluency in English and Spanish, both written and verbal (For Stanford position)
Application Instructions
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. The positions are available to begin immediately, with a preferred start date before April 1, 2026.
To apply, interested candidates must submit a CV, cover letter, and a recent publication or dissertation chapter.
- University of Miami position (research focus in Indonesia): Apply here
- Stanford University position (research focus in Mexico): Apply here