Closing Date: 21/03/2024

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a European Non-profit Science and Technology oriented Educational and Research Institution based in Cyprus and led by an acclaimed Board of Trustees. The research agenda of the CyI is pursued at its five Research Centers: the Energy Environment Water Research Centre (EEWRC), the Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center (CaSToRC), the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC), the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) and the Science and Technology Driven Policy and Innovation Research Center (STeDI-RC). Considerable cross-center interaction is a characteristic of the Institute’s culture.

The Cyprus Institute invites applications for a highly qualified and motivated individual to join the Institute as a Research Assistant in our interdisciplinary research team at the Science and Technology Driven Policy and Innovation Research Center (STeDI-RC). The successful candidate will primarily work in the EU-funded ONEPLANET project (https://oneplanetproject.eu/) and will assist in developing analysis, tools and practices for impactful system innovation in the context of the water, energy and food (WEF) Nexus in the African context and specifically in targeted water basins. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to a high-impact international project and work at the intersection of innovation management, sustainable development, and policy making.

The successful candidate will support the definition of systemic innovation pathways in the WEF Nexus in Africa, by the identification of appropriate, accessible and scalable niche innovations, assist the organization and management of participatory events, develop innovation platforms such as living labs for the long-term engagement of diverse stakeholders and the achievement of broader impacts in the targeted basin areas and beyond.

The candidate will also be engaged in the project TRANS-Lighthouses (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101084628) supported by the EU, which addresses the goal of creating social and ecologically just Nature Based Solutions. The candidate will be requested to contribute into the participatory processes and support the implementation of mapping and documentation tools, where the collective knowledge and insights could be captured.

The period of the appointment will be for a duration of two years with the possibility of renewal, depending on performance and availability of funds. An internationally competitive remuneration package will be offered, which is commensurate with the level of experience of the successful candidate.

Responsibilities/activities to be involved in:

1. Provide support in conducting literature collection and analysis related to the WEF Nexus in the African context as a socio-technical system.
2. Contribute to the identification and characterization of appropriate, accessible and scalable innovation assets that might contribute to the transition of the water-energy-food socio-technical systems in Africa.
3. Contribute in system mapping and transformative change methodologies for sustainable practices in the WEF Nexus.
4. Assist in stakeholder engagement, participating in meetings and workshops to help in collecting stakeholders’ knowledge and in the development of appropriate WEF strategies.
5. Assist in the development of innovation frameworks, such as living labs to connect stakeholders around a common strategy and action plan.
6. Support the implementation of community mapping and documentation.
7. Support the development of targeted policy briefs and recommendations, and organizing materials for policy forums.
8. Help in preparing project reports, contributing to scientific publications.
9. Actively participate in an interdisciplinary and international research team.

Required Qualifications

1. Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, Sustainability Sciences, Environmental Policy, Environmental Economics, or related fields
2. Experience with participatory mapping processes and tool
3. Good analytical and research skills
4. Relevant experience with stakeholder engagement in research and innovation processes
5. Excellent knowledge of the English language, both verbal and writing
6. Demonstrated development ability, outstanding organizational, analytical, problem solving and communication skills
7. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to adopt to a multicultural/multinational environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of system dynamics modeling and transformative change methodologies
• Understanding of Nature Based Solutions
• Experience in the African context
• Experience in one or more dimensions of the WEF Nexus

Application

For full consideration, interested applicants should process their application at The Cyprus Institute Exelsys Platform (https://bit.ly/3HDLRTw) based on the instructions given. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae including a short letter of interest, list of publications and a list of three (3) referees (including contact information) (all documentation should be in English and in PDF Format). For further information, please contact Fabio Maria Montagnino (f.montagnino@cyi.ac.cy). Please note that applications which do not fulfill the required qualifications and do not follow the announcement’s guidelines will not be considered.

Recruitment will continue until the position is filled.

The Cyprus Institute is an Equal Opportunities Employer certified from the Cypriot Ministry of Labor and also an HRS4R accredited Institution that adheres to the European Commission’s “Charter & Code” principles for recruitment and selection.

Contact person: Fabio Maria Montagnino

Reference number: STeDI_RA_24_05