The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) is looking for an enthusiastic early career post-doc researcher in the anthropology of marine nature conservation in Indonesia.

Your workplace

The postdoc will apply ethnographic methods to study the governance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Eastern Indonesia, with a specific focus on the impact of tourism. 

This project approaches MPAs as complex social-ecological institutions, in which ecological health, local livelihoods, governance, economic activities, and place-specific contestations of power, authority, and world views intersect. MPA governance involves a multitude of local, national and international actors and stakeholders, who have different views about the relationship between people and their marine environments. Tourism, in this context, is a double-edged sword. It may bring local groups in, allowing for alternative sources of MPA funding and livelihood strategies within a broader paradigm of sustainability and local agency, or it may drive stakeholders apart when the development of MPAs leads to exclusion of certain groups when economic opportunities are monopolized or appropriated, or fail to materialize. 

The aim is to develop distinct local cases to analyse various understandings of the role of MPAs and the ways in which different forms of environmental knowledge clash or synergize in the context of marine conservation. Actively involving local academic and non-academic partners, the postdoc will study the nature of these tensions and interactions and how they might be overcome to produce more effective, just, and inclusive forms of MPA governance.

This position is part of a research project titled “TIDE-MPAs: Tourism Impact Dashboard for Social-Ecological-System Resilience in Marine Protected Areas.” This project is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and led by Dr. Lisa Becking (Naturalis Biodiversity Center) and Beginer Subhan (IPB University). As a transdisciplinary and co-creative project, TIDE-MPAs seeks to synergize between marine science, social science, and practical work in marine conservation in Indonesia and the Caribbean. The postdoc will be the main researcher in a Work Package on local knowledge and authority in MPAs coordinated by Dr. David Kloos and Dr. Sikko Visscher (KITLV). They are also expected to work closely with the postdoc researcher/project coordinator at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and to synergize with project staff in Indonesia and collaborating NGOs.

What you will be doing

Your key responsibilities will include:

•    Carrying out autonomous ethnographic field research in one or more locations in Eastern Indonesia (specifically Maluku and/or West Papua). 
•    Leading at least two publications on the subject of local knowledge and governance in Marine Protected Areas. 
•    Supporting collaboration with key stakeholders in the broader project, including academic stakeholders, NGOs, and local partners. 
•    Contribute to an MPA tourism impact dashboard and tailored policy guidelines together with MPA managers, conservation professionals, and community leaders.
•    Helping to organize and support joint fieldwork, workshops, consortium meetings and project events, together with the PIs and the coordinating Postdoc at Naturalis.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a talented, enthusiastic and committed cultural or social anthropologist, or a social scientist with proven experience with ethnographic methods. You are grounded in, or have affinity with, the field(s) of environmental anthropology, political ecology, and/or Science & Technology Studies.  You are able to work autonomously and independently, but you also know when to seek help when necessary. You enjoy collaborating with colleagues, coordinators, and external partners and are active in maintaining your network. You have an open mind toward other scientific disciplines and non-academic perspectives and concerns.

What you will be contributing

•    A PhD-degree in anthropology, political ecology, or a related discipline;
•    Experience with carrying out fieldwork in Indonesia;
•    Fluency or proficiency in Indonesian language skills;
•    Excellent English speaking and writing skills;
•    A track record of scholarly publications;
•    The ability to take initiatives and solve problems;
•    Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with an open mind for different approaches and perspectives;
•    A willingness to travel overseas for extended periods. 

A demonstrated experience with the practical field of marine nature conservation and relevant networks in that field are considered advantages. If you do not meet all of the above requirements, but think that you are equipped for this task and a good prospective member of our team, then convince us in your application. We are open to different perspectives. 

How to apply

Applications should be in English. Please send your application by clicking on the “apply now” button. Your application should include:

• A motivation letter (max. 800 words), including a link to a (max.) 2-minute video (preferably landscape mode) in which you tell about your past work and ideas for the current project;
• A CV, including a highlighting of 3-5 (academic or non-academic) outputs and their impact/relevance (max. three pages), including contact details for two academic referees.

The deadline for this application is 30 October 2026. The position may remain open beyond that date until filled.

Enquiries

Further information: Dr. D. Kloos (kloos[at]kitlv.nl).