Postdoctoral Project – Territorial Dynamics

INSA Rennes; France; Sur place; EUR 30 000 - 42 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading research institution in France is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to explore environmental injustices in energy transition projects in Brittany. The ideal candidate will hold a PhD in social sciences and possess strong fieldwork experience. Responsibilities include carrying out case studies, engaging stakeholders, and producing academic content. Proficiency in French and English is essential for this full-time role, starting on January 5, 2026.

Qualifications

• Demonstrate an interest in technical questions and engineering worlds.
• Ability to engage with theoretical frameworks in Science and Technology Studies.
• Proficiency in both French and English.

Responsabilités

• Conduct case studies on energy transition in Brittany.
• Contribute to literature review on environmental justice.
• Produce academic content based on research findings.

Connaissances

Fieldwork experience

Familiarity with participatory methods

Adaptability

Teamwork

Supervision skills

Formation

PhD in social sciences (sociology, STS, political science, philosophy, geography)

Description du poste

Organisation/Company INSA Rennes Department Bretagne Research Field Juridical sciences » Environmental law Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Country France Application Deadline 16 Dec 2025 - 23:23 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 5 Jan 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Context and Project The energy transition is unfolding in Brittany in an increasingly conflictual manner, with numerous controversies emerging around offshore and onshore wind power, methanation, and the possible (re)opening of rare and/or critical metal mines. While these tensions have often been approached from the perspective of “social acceptance”, the ERVAT e Breizh project (Study of Representations, Values and Attachments for a Just Transition in Brittany) aims to examine them through the lens of environmental injustices that energy transition policies can generate, as highlighted in the literature, particularly in the Global South (Blanc, 2020; Kumar et al., 2021). These policies risk excluding minoritized populations and negatively impacting the environment and biodiversity — concerns voiced even by actors otherwise supportive of the transition. At the same time, there is a growing demand from industry and public institutions for studies on the “acceptability” of energy transition projects, inviting the social sciences, and particularly Science and Technology Studies (STS), to examine how dynamics of environmental justice and injustice emerge within energy transition projects. The postdoctoral researcher will conduct a series of case studies in Brittany (understood as the region’s five departments), documenting the territorial dynamics at play with particular attention to issues of justice and injustice. This fieldwork will pursue a dual objective: theoretical development, in connection with other ERVAT exploration projects (such as “Rethinking Concrete in the Sustainable City” and “Justice and Injustice in the Reindustrialization of Port Areas”), and applied engagement with institutional and industrial stakeholders to propose new approaches to designing and democratizing transition infrastructures. This work also aims to sustain the approach through new project proposals, ideally in the form of action research and/or participatory research.

General Objectives

• Conduct two case studies on energy transition in Brittany: identify the most relevant cases and investigate territorial dynamics by linking them with technical and engineering choices.
• Contribute to critical reflection on how to implement a just transition from local contexts and how to communicate these approaches to involved actors.
• Experiment with innovative research methods that give significant space to concerned populations.
• Contribute to the submission of research projects at regional and/or national levels (ANR, ADEME, etc.) and participate in building partnerships to further the ERVAT exploration.

Detailed Tasks

3.1. Fieldwork and Ethnography on Justice and Injustice in the Breton Energy Transition: Identify two case studies of particular interest due to their success, representativeness, originality (e.g., citizen-led projects), or degree of conflict. Analyze the logics of environmental justice and injustice at play in these projects through the expressions of both opponents and proponents, and through innovative and prospective methodologies. Connect the dynamics of justice and injustice to engineering decisions, highlighting how materiality, socio-technical imaginaries, and technological constraints shape the infrastructures.

3.2. Participation in Research Coordination and Theoretical Development on “Just Transition” from the Territories: Contribute to the state of the art on “just transition” and deepen the literature review on environmental justice conducted at the lab. Participate in the coordination of the ERVAT exploration with the research lead. Share and discuss results with relevant stakeholders and affected communities. Supervise an internship focused on a case study.

3.3. Scientific Production and Dissemination: Produce academic contents based on postdoctoral research findings.

Hosting Conditions and Supervision

The postdoctoral researcher will be hosted at INSA Rennes (LFPC – Critical Thinking Factory Laboratory) and integrated into the ERVAT team. They will collaborate with public institutions and industrial partners within the framework of joint research projects or commissioned studies.

Candidates must hold a PhD in the social sciences (sociology, STS, political science, philosophy, geography, etc.) and demonstrate an interest in technical questions and engineering worlds. They must be able to engage with theoretical frameworks in Science and Technology Studies and work with technical engineering documentation. Fieldwork experience, familiarity with innovative or participatory methods, and an interest in engineering cultures are desirable. As part of a research team, adaptability, teamwork, and supervision skills (of interns or occasionally PhD students) are appreciated. Proficiency in Franch and English is essential.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Languages FRENCH Level Good

Additional Information

Selection process

File composition

Applications (cover letter, CV, diploma) will be reviewed on a rolling basis and must be submitted no later than December 16, 2025.

Additional information:

Start date: as soon as possible from January 5, 2026
Full-time

Our recruitment is based on skills, without distinction of origin, age, or gender, and all our positions are open to persons with disabilities.