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Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Global Alliance for Laudato si'
University of Notre Dame: Office of the Provost: Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative
Location
Notre Dame, IN
Open Date
Aug 11, 2026
Deadline
Sep 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Description
The University of Notre Dame invites applications for Postdoctoral Research Fellows to advance the research agenda of the Global Alliance for Laudato si'. The fellows will pursue an independent line of scholarship in integral ecology while supporting the collaborative research of the Alliance's five thematic working groups.
The Global Alliance for Laudato si' is an international network of Catholic and mission-aligned researchers, educators, and practitioners, launched in March 2026 through a partnership between Notre Dame's Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative and the Laudato Si' Center for Higher Education. Its inaugural convening at the Borgo Laudato Si' drew roughly 100 participants from five continents. Laudato si'-inspired scholarship has grown substantially over the past decade but remains fragmented, under-resourced, and disconnected across regions and disciplines. The Alliance exists to build the relational, intellectual, and digital infrastructure that allows this work to cohere.
Five working groups formed at the inaugural convening and now carry the Alliance's research program:
- Place-Based Collective Action for Integral Ecology
- Translating Knowledge to Action at the Food-Water-Energy Nexus
- Transforming Economic Systems Towards Sustainability and Justice
- Reimagining Education for Integral Ecology
- Theological Roots of Integral Ecology
The fellows will distribute work across the five working groups according to background and expertise, helping members move from shared interest to publishable, actionable scholarship. Because the working groups span environmental science, political science, theology, economics, and education, this position suits interdisciplinary scholars who are able to collaborate across fields and geographies.
The Postdoctoral Fellow Will Assume The Following Key Responsibilities
- Design and carry out an independent research project in integral ecology that contributes to the agenda of one of the Alliance's working groups.
- Support the working groups in sharpening research questions, identifying collaborators, and developing shared outputs, in coordination with the Alliance's Program Manager.
- Synthesize scholarship across the five groups and identify where their questions intersect, so that the Alliance's research agenda develops as a whole rather than as five separate tracks.
- Co-author and support interdisciplinary publications with Alliance members, including scholars for whom English is a second or language.
- Contribute to the Alliance's knowledge infrastructure, including the searchable member database and shared research resources.
- Support convenings at the Borgo Laudato Si' and elsewhere, including preparation of background materials and follow-up documentation.
- Engage in collaborative grant writing and proposal development to sustain and expand the Alliance's work.
The fellows will join a cohort of postdoctoral scholars supported by the Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative, Notre Dame's University-wide effort to build a sustainable future where people and nature flourish together. The cohort works on sustainability research that engages ecological, social, economic, and ethical dimensions together rather than in isolation.
This is a full-time, in-person position with an initial appointment of one year, renewable for an additional year on the basis of satisfactory performance and availability of funding.
Qualifications
Required Qualifcations:
- Ph.D. (in hand by the starting date) in a field relevant to integral ecology, such as environmental science, political science, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, economics, education, and public health. Applicants with interdisciplinary degrees are welcome.
- Demonstrated research expertise in at least one of the five working group areas, and a clear account of how that expertise would contribute to the others.
- A publication record appropriate to career stage in a field directly relevant to the Alliance's work.
- Experience collaborating across disciplinary and institutional boundaries, and with researchers and practitioners outside North America and Europe.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write for academic and practitioner audiences.
- Willingness to travel internationally, including to Rome.
Application Instructions
Applications will close on September 18, 2026. Review of applications and interviews will take place on a rolling basis.
To apply, interested candidates must submit a CV, cover letter, and a recent publication or dissertation chapter. Candidates should be prepared to share references upon request.
Application Process
This institution is using Interfolio's Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.
Apply Now
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.
Dual Career Assistance
To support relocating families, Notre Dame’s Dual Career Assistance Program helps spouses and partners pursue local career opportunities.
Background Check
This appointment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Applicants will be asked to identify all felony convictions and/or pending felony charges. Felony convictions do not automatically bar an individual from employment. Each case will be examined separately to determine the appropriateness of employment in the particular position. Failure to be forthcoming or dishonesty with respect to felony disclosures can result in the disqualification of a candidate. The full procedure can be viewed at https://facultyhandbook.nd.edu/?id=link-73597.
© 2026 Elsevier Inc. or its licensors and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
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