The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest higher education and scientific research institution in Slovenia, founded in 1919. Today, it is attended by around 40,000 students and employs more than 6,000 teachers, researchers, assistants, and professional and administrative staff at 23 faculties and 3 art academies. While the newer university buildings are located on the outskirts of Ljubljana, the main building, the academies and many faculties are located in the city centre, giving the university and its students an old-world feel in the city.
LANDLABS operates across six landscape laboratories throughout Europe, exploring new perspectives on the interconnectedness between humans, animals, plants, water, air, soil, and technologies.
Through an innovative site-based, research-through-design approach, LANDLABS offers young researchers the opportunity to contribute to the critical and urgent issue of the green transition of cities in alignment with the European Green Deal and the United Nations Goals of Sustainability. As members of LANDLABS, the Doctoral Candidates will receive training in developing new modes of understanding urban landscapes in the Anthropocene and devising new methods to enhance their sustainability and beauty.
LANDLABS unites researchers from Leibniz University Hannover, Aarhus School of Architecture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, University of Ljubljana, University of Porto, TU Wien, and associated partners from municipal planning departments.
All six Doctoral Candidates affiliated with LANDLABS will engage deeply with a specific site in collaboration with the local municipal planning department. These sites are landscapes significantly impacted by human activities and will function as landscape laboratories for exploring new perspectives on interconnectedness and testing design strategies for sustainable and beautiful urban landscapes in the Anthropocene. The PhD fellows are expected to develop and implement design interventions in these landscape laboratories as part of their research. The doctoral training in LANDLABS is organized into two main phases. In the first two years, each Doctoral Candidate primarily focuses on their individual landscape laboratory site and related theory. For the candidate at University of Ljubljana, this entails an investigation of the saltfileds landscape of Fontanigge, a southern part of the Sečovlje Saltpans south of Piran, and an examination of social and ecological design processes in regard to cohabitation and cocreation of living and non-living factors. The saltfileds of Fotanigge – or what is left of it – is a complex system of intertwined cultural heritage, industrial exploitation, tourism and protection of habitats under the Ramsar convention and could therefore serve as a site for the examinaton of relational theories and biopolitics.
In the third year, the six Doctoral Candidates collaborate in a virtual PhD lab on joint tasks to develop transferable theory, evaluation criteria, and design strategies for sustainable and beautiful urban landscapes in the Anthropocene. The Doctoral Candidates are required to participate in all joint activities and contribute three papers as part of their dissertation: two individual and one joint.
Your responsibilities:
• Active participation in an innovative doctoral network dealing with the development of a site- based, research-through-design approach for a conversion area and transformative urban landscape in Vienna dealing with ecological and social dynamics and the interconnectedness between humans, animals, plants, water, air, soil, and technologies.
• Writing of a dissertation and enhancement of own scientific knowledge.
• Active publication work within the framework of the research project
• Participation in a secondment to a municipality
• Participation in teaching activities in connection with the research project
• Participation in scientific events (e.g. organization of workshops and conferences)
Your profile (Qualifications):
• The position requires a master‘s degree in landscape architecture or a related design discipline. Additionally, experience with projects dealing with landscapes significantly impacted by human activities will be advantageous.
• If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, you will not be eligible for this position.
• Applicants must demonstrate English language skills at the B2 level (CEFR). At least basic knowledge of one of the following: Slovenian, Croatian or Italian is beneficial.
• An application letter describing the applicant’s motivation for the specific project and the doctoral network, along with a portfolio documenting the applicant’s design competencies and a CV, is required as part of the application. Writing examples from thesis, seminar work or other publications could be included.
• In the assessment, emphasis will be placed on the applicant‘s potential to complete a research education based on the design-related work documented in the application. Additionally, other experiences significant to the completion of the doctoral program may be considered.
• We will also place importance on motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are seeking candidates who possess strong collaboration and communication skills and an interest in working in an international context.
• Applicants can be of any nationality and must comply with the following mobility rule: the applicant must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting university for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date. This rule is not debatable.
• In-depth knowledge in the field of landscape architecture as well as profound knowledge of scientific work
• Experience in collaborative, integrated, and exploratory design and planning methods and interest in developing related research questions
• Organizational talent and the ability to work independently, analytically and in a structured manner. Determination and excellent time management
• High degree of social competence (ability to work in a team, motivational skills, problem- solving ability as well as innovative skills and initiative, openness and flexibility)
Why join:
• Participation in an engaging research project/doctoral network
• Promising career opportunities
• Wide range of internal and external training opportunities and flexible working arrangements
• Working in a stimulating academic environment with dedicated colleagues
• Family-friendly working time arrangements
• An appreciative culture and pleasant working atmosphere
Your application should include:
• A letter of application explaining your motivation (maximum two pages).
• A portfolio documenting design competency (maximum five projects/twelve pages, including the master’s thesis).
• Writing samples (maximum five pages).
• A CV (max. two pages).
• Diplomas for bachelor‘s and master‘s degrees.
• Transcripts of grades/academic records for bachelor‘s and master‘s degrees.
• An explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available).
• Documentation of English language skills at the B2 level (CEFR).
• Documentation of proficiency in at least one of the following: Slovenian, Croatian or Italian, if applicable.
• Please indicate whether you have applied to other partners within the LANDLABS consortium and, if so, where you have applied.
• All documentation to be considered must be in English.
Additional information
For further information, please contact . Information about the institute can be found on the Internet.
At the University of Ljubljana (UL), the principle of equality and an inclusive academic environment are part of the core values, strategy and working practices. If you have any questions, please contact the .
Entry level salary is approx. EUR 3.400 /month gross for 40 hours/week.
We look forward to receiving your application by 30.11.2024.
Please send your application with the subject "LANDLABS Application" by email (e.g. via WeTransfer) to by 30.11.2024 (CET) at the latest.
For more information – also to related positions:
landlabs.eu
linkedin.com/in/landlabs-doctoral-network
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs
researchgate.net/job