Junior Researcher in the field of Agroeconomy

Eurac Research; Bolzano; In loco; EUR 30.000 - 40.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

A research institute in Bolzano is seeking a Junior Researcher to join a multidisciplinary team within the European DairyPathS project. The role involves engaging with stakeholders, analyzing data related to sustainable dairy farming, and contributing to sustainability assessments. Candidates should hold a Master's degree in relevant fields and possess strong communication skills in English, Italian, and German. This fixed-term, full-time position offers an opportunity to work in an innovative research environment.

Servizi

Dynamic interdisciplinary team

Fixed-term contract

Competenze

• Master’s degree in agronomy, agricultural economics, or a related field.
• High level of English, Italian, and German.
• Experience with participatory research or stakeholder engagement.

Mansioni

• Engage in co-design processes with stakeholders.
• Collect and analyze data on dairy farming systems.
• Support modelling activities related to agroecological practices.

Conoscenze

Strong interest in agroecology

Excellent communication skills

Teamwork skills

Data management and statistical analysis

Experience with quantitative research methods

Familiarity with sustainability assessment frameworks

Formazione

Master’s degree in related fields

Strumenti

R

Python

SPSS

NVivo

MAXQDA

Descrizione del lavoro

Institute for Regional Development

Short description of the position/project:

The Junior Researcher will join an experienced, multidisciplinary team working on application-oriented, transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary scientific aspects regarding the European DairyPathS project, which aims to support sustainable, resilient, and diversified dairy farming through participatory research, living labs, stakeholder engagement and advanced sustainability assessment. The researcher will contribute to topics such as stakeholder collaboration, agroecological scenario development, the integration of environmental, economic and social dimensions in agricultural systems.

Tasks:

• Engage in the preparation and execution of co-design processes together with Living Lab stakeholders (farmers, advisors, policy makers, researchers) to assess agroecological scenarios for sustainable dairy farming systems.
• Collect, manage, and analyze data on environmental, economic, and social aspects of dairy farming systems.
• Contribute to the development and application of multicriteria sustainability assessment tools (e.g., DEXI-Dairy).
• Support modelling activities (farm-, landscape-, and agent-based models) to evaluate the impacts of agroecological practices in dairy farming on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and on climate change adaptation.
• Assist the DairPathS Living Lab in organizing and facilitating workshops, stakeholder meetings, and participatory activities.
• Prepare reports, scientific publications, and dissemination materials for diverse audiences.
• Collaborate with an international, interdisciplinary consortium and participate in project meetings and training events.

Requirements:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in agronomy, agricultural economics, agricultural geography, agroecology, animal science, bio & resource management, environmental science, or a related field.
• High level of English, Italian and German.
• Strong interest in agroecology, sustainable agriculture, and small holder dairy farming.
• Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative research methods (e.g., data analysis, modelling, multivariate statistics, operations research, stakeholder interviews).
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills; ability to work in a multicultural, interdisciplinary environment.
• Willingness to travel for fieldwork, meetings, and training across partner regions.
• Familiarity with sustainability assessment frameworks, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), or multicriteria decision analysis.
• Experience with participatory research, stakeholder engagement, or Living Lab methodologies.
• Knowledge of dairy production systems, agroforestry, or landscape ecology.
• Data management and statistical analysis skills, including competence in the use of relevant software and coding languages. (R, Python, SPSS, NVivo, MAXQDA or similar).

We offer:

A fixed-term contract (1 year) for a full-time position in a young, dynamic and interdisciplinary team.

How to apply:

Interested candidates should submit their application (CV, cover letter and further relevant documents) by 30.01.26.