PhD-Researcher (m/f/d) for the research project 'Extreme Adaptation to Climate Change'

The Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) is one of the leading peace research institutes in Germany. An international team of researchers from various disciplines conducts research at the IFSH on the conditions for peace and security in Europe and beyond. A fundamental part of the institute's work is the exchange of knowledge with politics and society.  

IFSH is seeking a PhD-Researcher (m/f/d) for the research project 'Extreme Adaptation to Climate Change' in the framework of the Hamburg Cluster of Excellence ‘Climate, Climatic Change, and Society’ (CLICCS) at IFSH, starting on 1 February 2026 or as soon as possible after that date. The position is part-time (65%) and remunerated in accordance with EG 13 TV-AVH. The position is based in Hamburg. The term of office ends after 42 months.  

The Cluster of Excellence “Climate, Climate Change, and Society” (CLICCS) investigates climate dynamics and climate-related social dynamics, as well as the interactions between the two. To this end, we are looking for colleagues from a wide range of disciplines, including the natural sciences as well as the social sciences. Our partners, e.g. the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Helmholtz Centre Hereon or the German Climate Computing Centre are also hiring. More details on the project can be found here.

The advertised position is part of the research project A4 ‘Extreme Adaptation to Climate Change’ within the Hamburg Cluster of Excellence Climate, Climatic Change, and Society. This research project investigates how societies worldwide are responding to the challenges of severe climate change scenarios. Focused on ‘extreme’ adaptation strategies – planned, future-oriented, and drastic collective responses to the climate crisis – the research aims to deepen understanding of their social acceptance, conflicts, and impacts in a wider context of inequality and marginalization. The project offers interdisciplinary insights into how communities anticipate, negotiate and confront drastic climate-related transformations.

As part of the research project, the successful candidate will investigate how climate change gives rise to extreme forms of adaptation in the field of security and defence. Across many security and defence institutions, the anticipated disruptions of a warming planet are prompting increasingly far-reaching interventions. These range from the redesign or relocation of critical infrastructures to the creation of digital twins to model climate-exposed environments, and the exploration of autonomous systems or sensor networks to ensure continued functionality under severe ecological stress. Such examples signal the emergence of climate adaptation as a strategic domain in its own right – one in which extreme environmental conditions become entangled with digital transformation, algorithmic governance, and new ways of imagining risk and vulnerability. Drawing on interpretive and qualitative methods, the PhD project will critically examine how these adaptations reconfigure security imaginaries, redistribute vulnerabilities, and materialise new forms of anticipatory governance.

• You conduct independent field and desk research on emerging and extreme forms of climate adaptation in the field of security and defence policy, with a focus on their technological, infrastructural, and speculative dimensions.

• You work towards a PhD thesis on a topic related to the project.

• You present research findings at academic conferences and publish project results in internationally relevant journals.

• You participate in the planning and implementation of project activities, such as workshops, colloquia, and, where applicable, joint publications and public outreach formats.

• You hold a very good Master’s degree in political science, sociology, science and technology studies, human geography, peace and conflict studies, or a related discipline.

• You have a proficient knowledge of key debates in international relations, critical security studies, or adjacent fields concerned with technology, environment, and governance. Desirable would be familiarity with debates on climate adaptation, military and security technologies, or speculative approaches to security and futures research.

• You have strong analytical and writing skills, with an interest in connecting empirical research with conceptual and theoretical reflection.

• You are an excellent team player: Communication skills, team orientation and initiative are required.

• You have very good written and spoken English language skills.