The Asia Research Institute (ARI), National University of Singapore (NUS), invites applications for a Research Fellow to join an already established research team working on the Carbon Governance in Southeast Asia (CGSEA) project. The position is available on a full-time basis for one year in the first instance, with the possibility of extension dependent on performance and the availability of funding.

ABOUT THE RESEARCH PROJECT

Rapid decarbonization of economies worldwide is needed in order to avoid the potentially catastrophic consequences of climate change .This will require no further accumulations of carbon in the atmosphere (achieving “net zero” emissions) by 2050 and involve major structural and behavioural changes globally.  Forests capture carbon from the atmosphere, a proportion of which is stored (sequestrated) for as long as the trees remain. Increasing the size and permanence of the store, or sink, through afforestation or reforestation and/or improving the governance and management of forests potentially offers a means of withdrawing additional carbon from the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change mitigation and biodiversity preservation, while also strengthening adaptive capacity among vulnerable communities.  Many state and non-state actors have invested or are considering investing in forest carbon in Southeast Asia as part of achieving net zero. Despite this, relatively little attention has been directed towards understanding and addressing the risks in these investments (so-called transition risks). If left unaddressed, transition risks jeopardise the value of investments; ultimately they could undermine climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The Research Fellow appointed will focus on forest carbon investments in Southeast Asia, and associated transition risks. Potential guiding research questions are:

• What is the potential for physical and economic displacements, and what mitigating legal and governance reforms can be recommended?
• What innovative financing models can be developed and tested to support the equitable distribution of benefits while minimizing economic disruptions to traditional livelihoods?
• How can new digital technologies and AI be leveraged to enhance the transparency and traceability of forest carbon credits, mitigating the risk of fraud and ensuring a fair distribution of project revenues?

JOB REQUIREMENTS

The appointed Research Fellow will hold a PhD (or be waiting conferment) in an area of the social or natural sciences that is relevant to forest governance and/or the financing of forest carbon schemes. Ideally the person appointed will have experience of carrying out research in Asia, although this is not an essential requirement.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

1. Contract commencing on 1 November 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter for an initial period of 12 months, with the possibility of extension.
2. A competitive salary and excellent working environment.
3. All salary and benefits-in-kind are subject to taxation in accordance with Singaporean tax laws.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply for this position, please combine the following documents in 1 PDF:

• Letter of application
• Full Curriculum vitae, including the names of three referees who would be prepared to provide confidential references, one of whom should ideally be the PhD main or co-advisor.
• Academic certificates and transcripts.
• A write-up, of no more than 800 words, explaining the candidate’s past research experience and aptitude in relation to the research project.

Interested candidates, please submit your application by Friday, 13 September 2024 (please attach your single document application under the CV column). The process of evaluating complete applications will commence on Monday, 16 September 2024 and will continue until a suitable candidate has been found.

Please note that only complete applications will be considered.

For further enquiries about the positions, please contact Professor David Taylor (geodmt@nus.edu.sg).

Please submit your application via the following links:

External Candidates: https://careers.nus.edu.sg/job-invite/26059/  

Internal Candidates: https://hcm44.sapsf.com/sf/jobreq?jobId=26059&company=nationalunP2