Environmental​/Forest Governance focusing Innovation and Experiments; GovInEx

Environmental/Forest Governance focusing on Innovation and Experiments (Gov In Ex )

Full‑time. Research and instruction.

Final date to receive applications: 2 August 2026 |

Start date:

at the earliest possible date | .:

The Excellence Cluster Future Forests at the University of Freiburg is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to the adaptation and transformation of forests and their societal use in the face of global change. The Cluster conducts future‑oriented research on the complex interactions between forests and society with outstanding international visibility, supported by the German Research Foundation. It brings together more than 50 researchers from four faculties as well as non‑university partner institutions.

The Gov In Ex  project aims to identify, develop, and scale governance innovations that enable forests to adapt to global change beyond incremental changes. We will develop a conceptual framework for governance experiments based on existing literature, planning and conducting experiments focused on local cooperative governance and political decision making in Baden‑Württemberg and Germany. The successful candidate will also help consolidate interdisciplinary results from across the Cluster of Excellence’s research areas.

• Develop a research framework for governance innovations and collaborative governance in various forest and environmental arenas.
• Plan and conduct governance experiments for political decision making.
• Collaborate in interdisciplinary and international research.
• Supervise and support early‑career researchers.
• Participate in project coordination and organization.
• Develop proposals for third‑party funding.
• Publish scientific papers, both single‑authored and co‑authored.
• Present findings at national and international conferences.
• Write progress reports and support documentation.
• Actively contribute to cluster activities, workshops, and outreach events.

• PhD (or equivalent) in environmental governance, political science, human geography, economics, or related fields.
• Experience with social‑science experiments for decision making (choice experiments, game‑theoretic experiments, survey experiments, or similar).
• Knowledge and experience in governance‑innovation research and collaborative governance.
• Demonstrated experience in coordination and project management.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and with non‑academic stakeholders.
• Very good spoken German and very good spoken and written English skills.
• High‑quality publications in the field of governance research.

• Exciting interdisciplinary environment within a newly established Excellence Cluster.
• Structured support and supervision for scientific and career development.
• Diverse, collaborative, and inclusive research community, including onboarding support.
• Opportunities for further training, conference attendance, and professional networking.
• Flexible working hours and support for work‑life balance.
• Salary according to TV‑L 13.
• Individual financial budget for project‑specific expenses and career development activities.

The University of Freiburg is dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity and diversity and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social background, religion/belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

Please upload your application (cover letter, CV, relevant certificates/transcripts, and, if applicable, publication list) by 2 August 2026 to the University of Freiburg application portal.

For questions, contact Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit, Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, via email  or phone .

Position end date: 30 June 2029. Salary will be based on E13 TV‑L.