Senior Researcher Economics of Nature Valuation and Stewardship

Senior Researcher Economics of Nature Valuation and Stewardship (80-100%)

Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern

Type:
Senior researcher / group leader

Attendance:
Hybrid

Start date:

immediately or by agreement. Contract terms: 2-3 years, UNIBE contract, with possibility of extension.

Interviews will be scheduled for the week of August 31 (first round) and the week of September 7 (second round).

A core task of the position is to generate actionable evidence for the Wyss Academy’s Regional Stewardship Hubs on the design, assessment, and adaptation of systemic and context-sensitive approaches to recognizing and rewarding nature stewardship, including mechanisms that move beyond conventional Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and standard compensation models. The role also offers scope to pursue a broader research agenda in economics and related fields on the conditions under which economic systems, institutions, and incentive structures enable or constrain pathways of system transformation toward just and sustainable nature‑people relations.

The expected contribution is not only a critical diagnosis, but also the development and empirical assessment of approaches that can inform implementation and advance more just and sustainable human‑nature relations. The role requires close collaboration with colleagues in the Regional Stewardship Hubs to identify emerging research needs and knowledge gaps from implementation, and to ensure that evidence systematically informs project design, adaptation, and scaling.

• Develop and lead a research agenda on the economics of the nature‑people nexus aligned with the Wyss Academy’s vision, mission, and strategy.
• Generate actionable research supporting the Wyss Academy’s Regional Stewardship Hubs, including on:
  • valuation and valorization of nature;
  • innovative stewardship mechanisms beyond conventional PES;
  • the design and evaluation of instruments that support restoration, resilience, and nature‑people co‑benefits;
  • the economic dimensions of nature‑positive interventions in the Wyss Academy’s Solutions capes.
• Produce high‑quality academic outputs that contribute to broader debates in environmental and related economics on valuation, externalities, institutions, and system transformation.
• Pursue an independent research agenda on how economic systems, incentive structures, and institutional arrangements shape the prospects for durable nature‑people co‑benefits, including innovative approaches to stewardship, valuation, and sustainable development.
• Provide mentoring and supervision to junior researchers and project staff, and contribute to selected project and team management tasks.

The successful candidate combines analytical rigor with intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in advancing just and sustainable nature‑people relations. They enjoy working collaboratively across disciplines and cultures, translate complex ideas into formats accessible for diverse audiences, and bring strong interpersonal skills— including clear communication, constructive stakeholder engagement, and a collegial, solution‑oriented mindset—to implementation‑relevant research partnerships.

• PhD in environmental economics, ecological economics, development economics, political economy, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong research record on one or more of the following topics: valuation of nature; institutions and sustainability; common‑pool resources and collective action; local livelihoods and development in environmental contexts; nature‑people co‑benefits.
• Strong command of empirical methods in economics and adjacent social sciences (e.g., econometrics, causal inference, experimental or quasi‑experimental design), ideally complemented by familiarity with scenario modelling and ex ante analytical approaches for policy and institutional design.
• Demonstrated interest in linking implementation‑relevant work on stewardship and valorization with broader debates on sustainable development, institutional change, and innovative economic approaches to human‑nature relations.
• Proven ability to work in interdisciplinary, intercultural, and…