The Systemic Risk and Resilience (SYRR) research group of the Advancing Systems Analysis program is seeking a motivated and intellectually curious Postdoctoral Research Scholar. The SYRR group investigates  systemic anthropogenic and environmental risks, combining advanced quantitative modeling, qualitative research, empirical assessment, and soft systems analysis to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. The selected researcher will play a key role in developing a novel conceptual framework on habitability  under climate change, as a part of the ERC-funded project ALTHAEA.

Read the full details and apply on the IIASA website >

Background

ALTHAEA investigates how climate change affects the habitability of places and how societies respond when conditions become  untenable and who gets to define what "habitable" means, how these decisions are made, and how habitability loss is governed. At its core, the project introduces the idea of “lived habitability,” bridging environmental realities with social, and political factors, and explores it through four richly grounded case studies on planned relocation in flood-prone regions across southern Europe: Italy, France, Greece, and Spain.

Main tasks and responsibilities

• Lead field research across  2 of the 4 case study sites.  Activities include desk research on relevant policy and legislative documents for each case study and carrying out semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion.

• Assess how habitability is framed and negotiated across governance scales, focusing on the role of (im)mobility decisions and contested stakeholder perspectives.

• Drive the conceptual development of “lived habitability”, by identifying and mapping its psychological, emotional, social, institutional and political dimensions, and the dynamic relationships between them.

• Produce high-quality scientific publications in peer reviewed journals and contribute to project deliverables, translating field insights into rigorous, impactful research outputs.

• Present methods and results to both technical and non-technical audiences. Initiate and organize conference sessions and workshops.

Application deadline: 14 June 2026