Two Fully Funded PhD Researcher Positions in Environmental Anthropology – ERC Synergy Project PLANETARY EEL, IASS ZRC SAZU Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Slovenia

The Institute of Anthropological and Spatial Studies (IASS) at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, announces two fully funded PhD researcher positions as part of the ERC Synergy project PLANETARY EEL. This innovative project, led by Assistant Professor Nataša Gregorič Bon, investigates human–eel interrelations to address the challenges of reproduction and life on a damaged and unequal planet. The research is conducted in partnership with the University of Bologna, CNRS, and the University of Melbourne, offering a unique international and interdisciplinary environment.

PLANETARY EEL explores the role of anguillid eels in food systems, economies, cultures, and traditions, focusing on their rapid decline due to overfishing, informal economies, infrastructural legacies, and ecosystem fragmentation. The project aims to design spaces of interspecies relatedness for sustainable coexistence and multispecies justice, using synergistic collaboration between anthropologists, designers, life scientists, and communities.

The two PhD projects will focus on human–eel relations in the Neretva delta (Croatia) and Vjosa delta (Albania) for the first position, and the Yarra delta (Australia) for the second. Research topics include environmental anthropology, anthropologies of water and rivers, multispecies anthropology, human–nonhuman relations, and design thinking. Both PhD researchers will be based at IASS ZRC SAZU and enrolled in the PhD programme at the Postgraduate School ZRC SAZU, Anthropology module. Responsibilities include designing and conducting original doctoral research, completing coursework, conducting 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork, analyzing collected materials, writing and defending a PhD dissertation, and participating in project meetings and international collaborations.

Applicants must have completed or nearly completed a Master’s degree in anthropology, ethnology, cultural studies, or a related discipline by August 2026. Candidates should demonstrate interest in environmental anthropology, aquatic environments, rivers, urban ecology, infrastructure, habitat restoration, multispecies relations, and related themes. Ability to conduct independent research and write academic texts in English is essential, as is willingness to conduct long-term fieldwork in Croatia and Albania or Australia. Familiarity with spatial, visual, or participatory methods is desirable but not mandatory. Basic knowledge of Croatian or Albanian language is desirable for the first position.

Benefits include four-year full-time employment at IASS ZRC SAZU, enrolment in the PhD programme, integration into the ERC Synergy project team, close mentoring and supervision, extended field research abroad, participation in international research networks, workshops, and co-authored publications, flexible working hours, and a focus on professional and personal development.

To apply, submit your application in English by email to [email protected]. Include a CV, motivation letter specifying which position you are applying for, statement of research interests and experience, degree certificates, a sample of research or professional writing (if available), and a letter of recommendation with referee contact details. The deadline for applications is 11 June 2026.

For further information, visit IASS ZRC SAZU or the position page.