RHN 123/2025 | Opportunity
Career position in compliance with § 99 (5) UG (tenure-track) in the field of Environmental History with a focus on longterm socio-ecological research at the Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology, BOKU University, Vienna
Deadline for applications: 6 January 2026
Working time: 40 hours per week
Term of the employment relationship: 1st of March 2026, limited to a period of 6 years
Workplace: Vienna
Allocation in compliance with the Collective Agreement for University Staff to job group: B1 lit. b
Gross monthly salary: (depending on previous eligible experience) at least: € 4.932,90 (14 × a year, in addition we also offer an attractive career development program and an extensive range of social benefits)
Target group
-
99 (5) positions offer academics with high potential and the relevant achievements the opportunity of an academic carrier ranging from a postdoc position to that of assistant professor and on to associated professor. The position of associated professor can be achieved at the latest six years after the appointment. §99 (5) positions are aimed at academics with a doctorate/PhD degree, with high potential, who are close to or have already successfully completed a habilitation. Experience at other universities or research institutes abroad is expressly welcome.
Tasks and focus areas
- Research in the field of Environmental history with a focus on long-term socioecological research
- Teaching and supervision or co-supervision of final papers within the scope of legal possibilities
- Transfer of knowledge and the promotion of junior researchers in line with the social responsibility of the University of BOKU University
- Assumption of administrative tasks within the framework of university selfadministration
- Acquisition and management of competitively funded national and international research projects
- Publication of research results in SSCI/SCI listed journals
- Collaborative and interdisciplinary advancement of the research area in exchange at BOKU University
- Contribution to and further development of courses taught at BOKU University in the scientific field
- Contribution to expanding the national and international academic network of the Institute of Social Ecology
Requirement profile
- Completed relevant doctorate in history (e.g. environmental history, economic-, social-, or technological history), social sciences (e.g. geography, political science), interdisciplinary sustainability sciences (e.g. social ecology, ecological economics) or a relevant field
- Sound professional experience in the scientific field as a postdoc
- Excellent publication achievements as well as international orientation and recognition
- Experience in acquiring competitive research projects
- Willingness and ability to lead your own research team incl. the necessary funding this requires (third-party funding)
- Enthusiasm for outstanding teaching
- Excellent written and spoken German and English or willingness to learn German in the first two years
- Experience in and proven ability to conduct independent research in environmental history and long-term socio-ecological research, focusing on the 19th and 20th centuries, with connections to interdisciplinary sustainability and transformation sciences and specifically to the biophysical approaches in social ecology (social metabolism, land use)
- Profound experience in diverse and interdisciplinary historical methods (e.g. integration of quantitative and qualitative methods, work with hand written and printed sources, historical GIS)
- Experience in collaborative work (e.g. co-authored scientific publications) and ability to work in interdisciplinary teams, such as research projects
- Communication skills
Other desired qualifications
- Experience abroad as well as in teaching and leadership at universities and research institutions
- Management and personnel management skills, including skills in the areas of gender and diversity management as well as inclusion and accessibility in communication
- Experience in acquiring and leading third party funded research projects
- Presentation of research output at international scientific conferences
- Experience in supervising students and junior researchers in an interdisciplinary context
- Willingness to advance the research focus in terms of content, methods and concepts within the Institute of Social Ecology
Publication date: 25th of November 2025
Closing date for applications: 6th of January 2026
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna seeks to increase the number of its female faculty and staff members. Therefore, qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply. In case of equal qualification, female candidates will be given preference unless reasons specific to an individual male candidate tilt the balance in his favour.
People with disabilities and appropriate qualifications are specifically encouraged to apply.
Please submit your application in English incl.
- Curriculum vitae with detailed presentation of professional, teaching and research activities incl. mandatory indication of the ORCID
- List of all publications (refereed & non-refereed), lectures and projects
- Electronic transmission of the PDF files of five own publications which you consider to be particularly important
- Rough concept for future plans in research and teaching including your contribution to the scientific profile of the Department
- Sketch of collaboration ideas in the Institute of Social Ecology and the thematic area Environmental history and long-term socio-ecological research, e.g. projects, publications, courses (max. 1 page)
- Teaching portfolio including evaluation results
- Brief explanation why you think you should be particularly suitable for this position (max. 1 page)
- Contact details of up to two scientific references (optional) 4 and indicating the reference code 248 to recruiting@boku.ac.at until 6th of January 2026.
If you are invited to a personal interview, travel expenses can be reimbursed on presentation of invoices and proof of payment (in Europe up to max. 300 euros, outside Europe up to max. 1200 euros).
Further information can be found here: www.boku.ac.at
Further information in German as PDF-download can be found here.