Locations: Zambia & Cambodia
Application deadline: 20 April 2025

Are you an experienced researcher, postdoc, or practitioner looking to lead a high-impact project that links applied research with real-world change?

The Centre for Rural Development (SLE) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is seeking two Team Leaders for its 2025 Joint International Research Projects (JIRPs). These projects bring together interdisciplinary, international teams of young professionals to conduct co-created, transdisciplinary research in close collaboration with local stakeholders and development organisations.

We welcome applications from professionals based in Zambia, Cambodia, and the Global South, as well as from candidates with strong regional experience and leadership skills.

About the projects

• Zambia: Identifying opportunity crops for resilient and diversified food systems
• Cambodia: Exploring climate-resilient practices in the cashew and pepper value chains

Both projects are implemented with development partners and will contribute to evidence-based policy and programme design.

Your role as team leader

• Lead and mentor an international team of young professionals from the SLE postgraduate programme
• Co-develop and manage an applied, participatory research process with partner organisations
• Oversee data collection and analysis during a field phase in Zambia or Cambodia
• Guide the preparation of policy-relevant outputs (reports, briefs, presentations)
• Ensure collaboration across sectors, institutions, and disciplines

Project timeline

• June 2025 to March 2026
  (Core implementation phase from June to December; finalisation of products by March)
• On-site presence required in Berlin (June–August and October–December) and in Zambia or Cambodia (August–October)

What we offer

• Consultancy contract with a fixed fee of 40,000 euros
• Reimbursement of travel and subsistence
• Institutional support from the SLE team in Berlin
• Visibility through publication and public events
• An opportunity to shape future professionals in international cooperation

Download the full Call for Applications below.
Submit your application (as one PDF) by 20 April 2025 to: margitta.minah@agrar.hu-berlin.de and in cc to sle@agrar.hu-berlin.de.

This position is contingent upon final funding approval.

Picture: PRA-Workshop on Agricultural Cooperative impacts in Kratie, Cambodia (JIRP 2020)