Employment Opportunities

with the UVM Institute for Agroecology

The UVM Institute for Agroecology occasionally has opportunities for employment and/or funded Ph.D. positions. Please see below for current opportunities. 

Note: This is an updated version of an earlier posting. Any applications submitted to the earlier posting will still be considered.

Recruiting for Two Funded PhD Positions in Transformative Agroecology

APPLICATIONS DUE NOVEMBER 1, 2024

APPLY HERE

The UVM Institute for Agroecology (IfA) is recruiting two PhD students to enroll in a graduate program at UVM to undertake their doctoral research on the broad topic of transformative agroecology. One of these positions is a collaboration between the IfA and the Leadership for the Ecozoic (L4E) project and will become a part of the L4E community by participating in coursework, retreats, and lab meetings. The other position is a collaboration with the UVM Food Systems Graduate Program and will also become a part of the food systems graduate program community.

The student’s research will be carried out as a part of the existing programs of the UVM Institute for Agroecology and within the geographies that we currently work in (Vermont, North America, Latin America, West Africa, Europe, Southern and East Africa). The research project will be embedded within the ongoing work of the Institute in relationship with a supportive team of collaborators and a community of practice at the Institute for Agroecology. The student will be expected to, as a part of their required coursework, to take the Certificate of Graduate Study in Agroecology which provides foundational learning in Transformative Agroecology and Participatory-Transdisciplinary Research Methodology.

These positions are funded through the Leadership for the Ecozoic, the 11th Hour Project and the University of Vermont.

IfA Research Topics

We are seeking  highly committed and motivated graduate students  who are interested in working on one of the following themes under the broader topic of “Advancing Transformative Agroecology”:

Regional Agroecological Transitions: How might transformative agroecology be advanced and implemented at a regional or territorial level, specifically in northeastern North America? What elements and communities are already working across this region and how can they better organize and coordinate efforts? What social structures and knowledge-sharing practices are needed? What can be learned from temperate agroecological and agroforestry systems elsewhere that can guide this regional transformation?

Agroecology and the Co-production of Knowledge: How do initiatives such as Participatory Action Research projects, Farmer Research Networks, Agroecology Schools and Farmer Field Schools co-produce knowledge and how does this contribute to agroecological transformations?

Agroecology, Financialization of Food Systems and Transformation: Contributing to a line of work on financing agroecology. Looking more fundamentally at monetary and economic systems and linking agroecology to post-growth, de-growth and other radical political economic frameworks to reimagine the economy and the role and function of money to enable agroecological futures. 

Agroecology, Energy, and Technology: What is the role of technology in agroecological transformations? What systems of energy and technology are best suited to agroecological transformations? What do energy and technological sovereignty look like in agroecological transformations? 

Agroecology and Leadership: What does leadership look like in agroecology from a transdisciplinary and transformative perspective? What modes of individual and collective leadership as practice rather than position can contribute to transformation?

Entry points for Agroecology: What are the processes, methodologies and pedagogies that can help move from a narrow agroecology (in research, movement organizing and practice) to deep, holistic, transdisciplinary and transformative agroecology. 

Agroecology in Higher Education: How can higher education curricula, academic programs and research be shifted to support transdisciplinary and transformative agroecology?

Applicants should engage with and elaborate on one or more of the topics above in their cover letter indicating your interest and commenting on why the topic is important. Students seeking to orient their work and application in the direction of Transformative Agroecology can find publications on this topic on our website here. Several foundational publications from our work on Transformative Agroecology are listed below and should be considered:

Mentorship and Support

The PhD students will be co-advised by Colin Anderson, along with Matthew Burke, Josh Farley and/or Ernesto Méndez. The students will be based at the UVM Institute for Agroecology where they will be immersed in a supportive community made up of postdocs, graduate students, staff and faculty. They will be mentored in grant-writing, academic writing, participatory research, project management and cultivating their transdisciplinary research profile.

 

What is the IfA

The UVM Institute for Agroecology (IfA) aims to work towards more equitable and sustainable food systems through transformative agroecology. The Institute uses a systems approach that addresses the root causes of problems in the food system. We challenge the status quo by centering equity, participation and social transformation in our work. Through research, learning, action, and connecting across geographies, the IFA mobilizes knowledge to support agroecology research, practice and movements.

We have adopted three pillars that guide all our work and underpin our approach to Transformative Agroecology:

Transforming Food Systems for Just Sustainability: Many sustainability approaches emphasize ‘technical fixes’ that tweak the existing food system without fundamentally changing its structure. In contrast, we focus on processes of social transformation as the primary conduit through which ecologically sound and socially just food systems will finally emerge. This requires systems level analysis and action that integrates ecological, economic, social and political dimensions, and where we attend to leverage points for change.

Participatory, Transdisciplinary and Action Research: The Institute will prioritize Participatory Action Research (PAR) approaches, which place the needs and agency of civil society partners (e.g., communities, smallholder farmers, organizations) at the heart of the research process and recognizes the value of diverse forms and sources of knowledge. UVM has deep experience with PAR, which is internationally recognized as a leading approach to knowledge production for agroecology.

Centering Equity: Today’s food systems are fraught with inequity and reflect deeply exploitative land and labor relations, gender and racial inequality and an extractive relationship between the global north and south. We recognize that if we are not actively working to change who has power and how we work together in reciprocal relationships, we will be complicit in reinforcing these patterns of oppression.

 

What is Leadership for the Ecozoic

Leadership for the Ecozoic (L4E) offers exceptional graduate students the opportunity to collaborate in enabling a socially just transition to a mutually enhancing human-Earth relationship. The UVM node of L4E focuses on Ecological Economics and related transdisciplinary fields. We particularly seek applicants to the UVM program in Sustainable Development Policy, Economics and Governance (SDPEG). UVM L4E students will receive broad, transdisciplinary education in the biophysical, institutional, behavioral, and ethical foundations of the human economy, and training in the policies, practices, and theories required to promote a socially just sustainability transition. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with L4E counterparts in McGill University’s Anthropology for the Ecozoic node.

 

Applicant Profile, Responsibilities and Skills

Applications are welcome from students in various fields such as development studies, agronomy, ecology, environmental studies, sociology, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, and nutrition. Applicants should demonstrate in their cover letter how their knowledge and skills apply to analyzing transformative food systems and discuss their research interests in relation to one or two of the research topics listed above.

 

Key responsibilities:

The selected candidate will be responsible for:

  • Research conceptualization, design, and delivery
  • Building relationships with communities
  • Data analysis and writing
  • Publication in peer-reviewed journals and other non-scientific outlets (e.g., blogs, newspaper articles)
  • Contributing to the community at IfA by participating in lab meetings, co-leading workshops, and participating in events across campus 

 

Required skills:

  • A master’s degree with a minimum average of 75% or equivalent (3.0/4.0 or B-) in a transdisciplinary program, environmental studies, geography, ecology, anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, or other relevant fields. 
  • English language proficiency 
  • Interest in community-engaged participatory research
  • Strong project management skills
  • Interest and experience in centering equity, social justice, and critical analysis in research and practice

 

Recommended skills and experience:

  • Lived experience in the geography and/or the topic of the research
  • Experience in interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary work
  • Experience in conducting field work (e.g., interviews) with farm and/or food system actors
  • Experience in collecting and analyzing social, economic, and/or environmental data
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Scientific writing and communication skills 
  • Interest in collaborating in a transdisciplinary research team 

 

Applying for the Position

The student will be offered 4 years of support, including tuition waiver and a competitive annual stipend, plus funding for research costs. The selected student will also be expected to apply for grants and scholarships to provide additional support for the student and for the PhD research. The successful applicant is expected to start Fall, 2025.

Note: The UVM Institute for Agroecology does not have its own PhD program. Rather, students who are a part of the Institute are enrolled in graduate studies in several different programs at UVM (listed below).

Students applying for these positions thus must go through a two-
stage process:

Step 1 – Apply to the Institute for Agroecology by November 1, 2024.

The successful students will then be recommended to the graduate program that the student chooses to apply for.

Required supporting documents:

  • Cover letter (up to 3 pages in length) which includes:
    • how your education, skills, experience, and interests match the call. 
    • your research interests, including which IfA research topic(s) (listed above, no more than two) are of most interest to you and why
    • which UVM PhD program you are interested in applying to (listed below) and why.
  • CV
  • Transcript(s) for undergraduate and graduate studies (may submit with unofficial, but official transcripts will be required if admitted
  • References: Please identify professional/academic references who can comment on your intellectual capacity, ability to do research in the intended field, and chances of success in a graduate environment. One of these should be the advisor for your Master's program. We encourage for one of the remaining references to be from a community partner who you have worked with, ideally in an academic capacity, who can comment on your work in relation to community engagement.
    • Provide one letter of reference from your Master’s advisor (ideally, or from a professional/academic reference and who can address the points above.)
    • List of 2 additional contacts whom we could contact.

All documents must be sent via this online form. Please submit these documents as a single (combined) PDF file using the file naming convention: Lastname_Firstname_PhD_application_2024 

Review of applications will begin in November and will continue until the position is filled. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The candidate selected for the position will be instructed to continue on to step 2, below. Candidates seeking funding through Leadership for the Ecozoic will additionally be advised to complete a short L4E application questionnaire.

APPLY HERE

For questions about the application process described in step one, please contact Emily Hoyler, IfA Operations Manager, at emily.hoyler@uvm.edu  

Step 2: Apply to UVM Graduate Program

The successful candidate will need to apply for and be accepted in the UVM Graduate Program that best suits their interests. Colin Anderson and the Institute for Agroecology will write a letter of commitment and support for the application. While it is not guaranteed that the applicant will be admitted into the program, it is highly likely.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law. The University encourages applications from all individuals who will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution.

 

The University

Established in 1791, the University of Vermont is considered a public-ivy and consistently ranked as one of the top public universities in the United States. Our academic programs combine faculty-student relationships most commonly found in a small liberal arts college with the resources of a land-grant research institution. UVM’s tradition of equity and social justice extends not only to faculty, staff, and students, but also is reflected in a commitment to environmentally sound and sustainable practices.

 

The Community

UVM is located in Burlington, Vermont, which is rated as one of the best small cities in the country. The greater Burlington area has an increasingly diverse population of about 125,000 and enjoys a panoramic setting on the shore of Lake Champlain, between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. The surrounding area provides an environment rich in cultural, civic and recreational activities. Vermont has a deep history of social activism and political participation. It offers many opportunities for collaborative partnerships in community and state-wide human service and social change organizations in multiple fields of practice, including state agencies.

Establishing a diverse and inclusive culture is a priority at the University of Vermont. In fact, UVM holds that diversity and academic excellence are inseparable. Read UVM’s  Why Diversity Statement  and  Our Common Ground values. 

Burlington, Vermont is located in the beautiful Lake Champlain region, surrounded by the Green and Adirondack Mountains. It is a great place for families, with excellent public schools and year-round recreational opportunities. It is home to the University of Vermont and three independent colleges that provide an academically stimulating and culturally rich environment. Montreal, Canada and Boston are within easy driving distances.