Research Staff - Predoctoral Research Position - Innovation, Knowledge, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability research group

Predoctoral research position (Formación de Personal Investigador, FPI) in the “Innovation, Knowledge, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability” research team (Deusto Business School, campus San Sebastián).

Purpose of the pre-doctoral research position:

We seek a doctorate candidate to research the economic performance of sustainable agricultural businesses. Researching the intersection of agricultural business and sustainability is critical in addressing global challenges such as food security, environmental degradation, and climate change. Accordingly, conducting research in various fields, such as adopting sustainable agricultural practices like organic farming and precision agriculture, is essential. An important area of our research focus is analyzing the economic viability and profitability of sustainable agricultural practices compared to conventional methods. This analysis should consider factors such as input costs, yields, market prices, and externalities. Moreover, it is advisable to explore market demand and consumer preferences for sustainably produced agricultural products, including organic, fair trade, and locally sourced foods, as well as the traceability and certification programs for these products. Achieving sustainable impact often requires pursuing innovative products, services, processes, and business models. For example, sustainable impact can be enhanced by using emerging technologies and creating closed-loop systems in agriculture, where waste products are recycled, reused, or repurposed to minimize resource depletion and environmental pollution. Additionally, research can be conducted by examining the social dimensions of sustainable agriculture, including labor conditions, rural development, gender equity, and community resilience. These research topics offer a broad range of opportunities to investigate and contribute to advancing our knowledge in sustainable agricultural business.

The appointed doctorate candidate will work under the guidance of Dr. Josune Sáenz Martínez in the research team "Innovation, Knowledge, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability" led by Dr. Iñaki Peña Legazkue. The Basque Government has acknowledged this research ream in category A. 

Objectives of the Pre-Doc position:

The candidate is expected to achieve the following objectives:

• Completion of a doctorate degree at the CETIS program in the University of Deusto.
• Publication of research articles in distinguished journals (FT, ABS and JCR journal lists).
• Collaboration in research projects.
• Participation in research conferences and workshops.
• International stay to enhance research skills.
• Preparation of funding applications.
• Limited teaching at the undergraduate level.
• Dissemination of research findings in the media.

Title of the project to be incorporated:

Economic performance and impact of sustainable agricultural businesses.

PI and/or project manager:

• Principal Investigator of Research Team: Iñaki Peña Legazkue, PhD
• Thesis supervisor: Josune Sáenz Martínez, PhD

Endowment of the contract:

Duration:

The contract granted under this call is for a full-time position starting on October 1st. The contract is subject to annual renewals for a maximum of four years, based on satisfactory goal achievement and availability of research funding.

Amount and terms of payment:

An economic endowment is established of 17,651.68 euros for the first and second contract year, distributed in 15 monthly installments. The next amounts will be 18,912.52€ for year 3 and 23,640.65 for year 4 if necessary.

Expected date of incorporation: 01/10/2024

Terms:

The contract binding the researcher with the University of Deusto will be in the category of "FPI" (Formación de Personal Investigador).

Funding Entity:

• Basque Government