Duty Station: Malmö, Sweden
Duration of contract: Two-year appointment
1. Organizational setting
The World Maritime University (WMU) is established by the International Maritime Organization. WMU’s mission is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and ocean education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. With the University’s new strategic directions, specifically the expansion of its mandate to include ocean-related matters, and strengthening ocean research, WMU is well-positioned for this collaborative partnership with the Nippon Foundation.
The WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (GOI) has been established within the framework of the WMU. It is to be a world-leading center of excellence for ocean research, dialogue, capacity building and policy support in meeting ocean obligations, addressing existing and emerging challenges, and seizing the opportunities inherent in contemporary ocean governance and the 2015 sustainable development commitments.
2. Main purpose
The Postdoctoral Fellow will work with, and undertake research assigned by, the Director and Programme Principle Investigators to support the Future Ocean Programme: Combatting the Triple Planetary Crisis in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. This programme is sponsored by the Nippon Foundation and hosted at the World Maritime University—Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute in Malmö, Sweden. Read more about the programme here: https://futureocean.wmu.se/.
The Triple Planetary Crisis is damaging marine ecosystems, affecting marine living resources, and compromising the ability of the ocean to provide the food, livelihoods, and safe coastal habitation on which billions of people depend for their health, well-being, and future prosperity. Our current business-as-usual model for ocean activities, structured around knowledge artificially divided by sectors and disciplines, will not adequately address our future needs, especially as we seek peaceful and sustainable development for the sake of our human community and future generations.
Recognising the need to renew humanity’s relationship with the ocean and supported by The Nippon Foundation, this Programme outlines an agenda of research, engagement and actions to better use and make coherent the ocean laws and policies we already have, in connection with methodological innovation based on new ideas about how law can be connected to policymaking in a future-oriented manner with the aim of solving real-life problems concerning the Triple Planetary Crisis.
3. Duties, responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate capacity for high-impact research, primarily in international law but with attention to other disciplines, including new research in political economy. The candidate must have a strong research profile, as evidenced by publications in prominent journals in the field, presentations at significant conferences on research findings, and strong endorsements by referees.
At WMU-GOI, the candidate should expect to:
- Undertake and contribute to research into the financial architecture established by the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, and where relevant by related international environmental law instruments, from the perspective of international law, political economy, distributive justice, and/or other relevant fields.
- Produce high-level academic research that is also policy-relevant and capable of being in dialogue with activities of intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies;
- Publish high-impact, peer-reviewed scholarly articles;
- Assist in the development of the Institute’s research agenda;
- Contribute to and support the programme team in the preparation, production of material and execution of of international events;
- Perform any other tasks relating to research, education or capacity building as may be required;
- Undertake special projects and other duties as may be assigned.
Education
Essential
- The successful candidate will have a doctoral degree in a relevant legal field, in international law, or in another relevant discipline.
- The successful candidate will have legal training or experience of working with law at theoretical or practice levels, and the ability to critically examine the concrete distributive consequences of legal instruments, where relevant by drawing on disciplines adjacent to law such as political economy, political theory, sociology, or anthropology.
Experience
Essential
- Key working experience in higher education or related sectors;
- A strong record of internationally recognised research and publication in relevant fields of scholarship;
- Familiarity with the BBNJ Agreement and with the law of the sea framework concerned with ocean governance, as well as climate change and marine resource management;
- Knowledge or experience of UN institutions and other international organisations, their aims, objectives and activities.
- Candidates with academic and/or professional experience of the international principles applicable to global commons would be an advantage.
Languages
- Language proficiency in English is essential.
- Knowledge of another UN language would be an added advantage.
Desirable Qualifications, Competencies and Professional Experience
- An understanding of WMU, its mission, and its strong commitment to the delivery of the highest practicable standards in pursuing its mandate;
- Excellent communication skills in an international and diverse academic community;
- Ability to work independently as well as collegially in an academic, international and professional team;
- Ability to effectively organize time and prioritize responsibilities and associated duties;
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
- Good computer literacy.
This notice is open to all eligible candidates. Please see https://www.wmu.se/about/careers for WMU’s recruitment diversity statement.
Application
The position offers a stipend of SEK 40,000 per month free of income tax in Sweden and medical and life insurance coverage by Cigna International.
Applicants must apply by sending their complete application including all documentation to the Human Resource Unit, Ms. Malin Lindau [email protected].
Following documentation shall be submitted via email with the subject line Postdoctoral Fellowship Application: NF-WMU Future Ocean Programme 2024
- Current CV and UN Personal History form P11
- A brief Motivational Letter (one-page)
- Certified copies of degree certificates and transcripts
- Two Academic/Professional Letters of Reference
Deadline for Applications: 30 May 2025.
