Postdoctoral Fellow, Capital Markets and Sustainable Food Systems

Position Details Position Information

Position Title Postdoctoral Fellow, Capital Markets and Sustainable Food Systems

Posting Number PTAP
3513P

Department/Unit Resource & Environmental Studies

Location Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

The School for Resource and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship under the supervision of Dr. Phoebe Stephens. The Fellow will contribute to Capitalizing on Transformation: A Recipe for Sustainable Food Systems (Sus Food Mark ) , an international project funded through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s Open Research Area program.

Sus Food Mark  examines how capital markets help or hinder transitions toward sustainable food systems and how publicly listed food and agriculture companies can be encouraged to improve their social and environmental practices. The project brings together researchers at Dalhousie University, the University of York, ESSEC Business School, and the University of Münster, combining critical food studies, political economy, sustainability transitions, sustainable finance, and qualitative and quantitative methods.

The successful candidate will develop and lead an independent qualitative research project at the intersection of capital markets and sustainable food systems while contributing to the project’s publications, knowledge mobilization, and international coordination. The Fellow will also lead the development of at least one podcast episode in collaboration with TABLE , help organize an international conference panel, support follow-up activities arising from a CIFAR Discovery Workshop, and help keep the ORA project’s work packages and team activities on track.

• Design and conduct an independent qualitative research project within the broader Sus Food Mark  research agenda, using methods such as interviews, case studies, document or discourse analysis, and/or participant observation.
• Lead peer-reviewed publications and contribute to collaborative scholarly outputs with members of the international ORA research team.
• Develop public-facing articles and other accessible knowledge-mobilization outputs based on project findings.
• Develop the concept for at least one podcast episode and coordinate the episode with the podcast hosts at TABLE ; technical recording and editing will be outsourced.
• Help organize a panel bringing together experts on finance and food systems at an international academic conference.
• Support workshops and related follow-up activities arising from the CIFAR Discovery Workshop on capital markets and food systems.
• Coordinate larger ORA team meetings, communicate across the international partnership, monitor progress across work packages, and support timely delivery of project outputs.
• Mentor Master’s students and collaborate with other trainees and researchers involved in the project.
• Contribute to grant and fellowship applications and other project-development activities, as appropriate.

• PhD completed by the appointment start date in food studies, sustainability, political economy, or a closely related field.
• Substantive research background in food systems, including familiarity with critical debates concerning food-system sustainability, governance, power, or political economy.
• Demonstrated expertise in qualitative research design, data collection, and analysis.
• Strong record of scholarly writing and peer-reviewed publication, including the capacity to lead manuscripts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, organizational and project-management skills.
• Ability to develop an independent research agenda while contributing effectively to a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and international research team.
• Ability to coordinate multiple activities and deadlines across partners and work packages.
• Ability to reside in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the duration of the fellowship. Flexible or remote work arrangements within Halifax may be possible.

• Research expertise related to capital markets, sustainable finance, financialization,…