Research Fellow in Governing Energy-Mobility Transitions

Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need).

Contract: Fixed term until November 30, 2025 

Applications must be received by midnight of the closing date.

Expected Interview date: To be confirmed

Expected start date: July 1 2024

The Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), within the University of Sussex Business School, is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow to work with Professor Karoline Rogge on the European Research Council project ‘Governing sustainable energy-mobility transitions: multi-level policy mixes, transformative capacities and low-carbon innovations’ (EMPOCI). EMPOCI investigates how low-carbon transitions can be accelerated in the increasingly interconnected energy and mobility systems. We are looking for a candidate with an innovation and policy studies background, strong quantitative and qualitative skills, and knowledge of energy-mobility transitions and policies, particularly in China.

Within the project, the Research Fellow will collaborate with Prof Rogge and another Research Fellow to jointly refine an interdisciplinary analytical framework bridging innovation studies and policy studies to investigate interconnected and contested multi-sectoral transition processes in the energy-mobility-system. The Research Fellow will be responsible for the qualitative and quantitative empirical research in China (Guangdong), with a focus on survey analysis across multiple actor groups.

The Research Fellow will contribute to the multi-actor survey analysis across four countries, the analysis of global dynamics of sustainable energy-mobility transitions, the mapping of relevant actors and multi-level policy mixes, and the integration of findings (across actors, countries and methods). The Research Fellow will also contribute to dissemination and stakeholder engagement activities (e.g. co-designing transformative policy mixes in foresight workshops).

Applications at Research Fellow I level are welcome, as are those from candidates nearing their PhD submission, and having their PhD viva within the next few months.

Essential criteria for the post are:

• PhD in Innovation, Transitions and/or Policy Studies or similar, preferably with a focus on accelerating sustainability transitions.
• Experience in conducting systematic and interdisciplinary literature reviews and syntheses (particularly in the fields of innovation and policy studies).
• Excellent knowledge of innovation and/or transition studies (e.g. multiple innovation types), theories of the policy process (e.g. policy feedback theory), policy mix and/or multi-level governance literature, and capacity concepts (e.g. state, policy and/ or transformative capacity).
• Excellent knowledge of quantitative research methods – both traditional (e.g. regression analysis with innovation survey data) and novel data science techniques (e.g. machine learning, text mining or network analysis of policy data).
• Excellent knowledge of qualitative research methods (e.g. expert interviews, MaxQDA supported analysis, co-design workshops, foresight or roadmapping processes).
• Sectoral knowledge of the interconnecting electricity-mobility-ICT systems (e.g. electric vehicles, batteries, charging).
• Policy knowledge of energy-mobility transition policies, policy processes and/or institutional arrangements (in particular regarding climate, innovation and industrial policy) in at least one of the following countries: China, Germany, US and/or UK.
• Experience in researching and engaging with multiple actors from business, policy, academia and/or society.
• Expertise in research ethics, data management, and/or stakeholder engagement.

Please contact Prof Karoline Rogge at k.rogge@sussex.ac.uk for informal enquiries.

Full details and how to applyplease click the 'Apply' button, above.

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