Postdoctoral Position in Ethnographic and Qualitative Visual Research: Climate Change in the Himalayas
Position Title: Postdoctoral Position in Ethnographic and Qualitative Visual Research: Climate Change in the Himalayas
Department: Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Description of the Area/Topic of Research:
This 4-year Research Associate position sits within the European Research Council-funded project ‘AdaptAIR: Climate Adaptation through Artificial Ice Reservoirs in the Himalayas’. This project explores the social, cultural and environmental context of the deployment of Artificial Ice Reservoirs (AIRS) as water management tools in the Himalayan cold desert regions, in the context of rapidly retreating glaciers. Working with private sector partners Acres of Ice (acresofice.com), the project combines high-resolution climate, glacier and hydrological modelling with approaches from anthropology, history and critical agrarian studies to understand water use and agrarian change in the region, and how AIRs affect this. The project works across case studies in Ladakh, Spiti, and possibly Nepal.
General Outline of Duties:
This role will mobilise ethnographic and qualitative visual research methods to explore the social, cultural and economic dimensions of climate change and rural life in Himalayan mountain regions. The research for this role focuses on understanding the experience of climate change, changing agrarian practices, and linked shifts in social, economic and cultural life. Research methods may include: photovoice, photo elicitation, visual ethnography and participatory mapping. Secondary methods may include oral life history interviews, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. You will also work alongside a post doc focused on agrarian change and ensure methods are complementary. You will prioritise research is community-engaged at all stages of the project, including liaising with community organisations. You will be sensitive to conducting research in Himalayan socio-cultural contexts. You will also be comfortable working in remote, cold and rural Himalayan regions with limited connectivity and facilities. You will conduct research in rugged, outdoor environments which may involve hill walking on difficult terrain.
You will direct visual outputs which may include digital storytelling, photo exhibitions, film media and climate memory archives, as well as contributing to project reports and academic publications. Your work will contribute to discussions about the contribution of multimodal anthropology to climate change studies. You will also work in an interdisciplinary team including post docs, PhD students, partners and the four PIs to contribute to interdisciplinary outputs exploring how climate adaptation in mountain regions can be improved.
You will be supervised by, and work closely with, PI Karine Gagné (background in anthropology) at the University of Guelph, Canada. The project will also entail working closely with colleagues in King’s College London and scientists and social scientists in the UK and India. The role will be based in Guelph, but will require fieldwork in Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and potentially Nepal. Your work will contribute directly to the aims of AdaptAIR, and you will be encouraged to develop your own research agenda.
The successful candidate will undertake the following tasks as may be required:
- Undertake extensive field research in India, including interviews and desk-based documentary analysis
- Engage with relevant local organizations in Ladakh, Spiti, and potentially Nepal
- Lead the collection, curation, and analysis of visual and narrative materials and contribute to methodological innovation in multimodal climate change research
- Develop research topics with the University of Guelph Principal Investigator, and work on these topics in a timely and detailed manner, delivering the required outputs
- Prepare visual and written research outputs for dissemination to academic, policy, and community audiences, including peer-reviewed journal articles and project reports
- Deliver findings on time and to agreed specifications, relevant to the overarching project(s) to which the work contributes
- Travel to project meetings in the UK and India
- Build a personal research agenda and profile that both contributes to, and builds on, the broader aims of the AdaptAIR project
- Present research findings and papers at national and international academic seminars and conferences and to contribute to the internal and external visibility of the University of Guelph
- Contribute to research group discussions within the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences at the University of Guelph
The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Student/Employee Supervision: Not applicable
Teaching Requirement: Not applicable
Required Qualifications:
Essential criteria:
- PhD qualified in anthropology, geography, international development, or a related area, or PhD near completion
- Knowledge of qualitative research methods and their application in field research-based context
- Fluency in English and Hindi
- Experience of research in Himalayan communities
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write for publication, present research findings at conferences, and represents the research team at meetings
- Willingness to spend extended periods conducting fieldwork in remote environments across Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and potentially Nepal
- Ability to take responsibility for personal time management and work proactively and independently to ensure that relevant objectives and milestones are met
- Ability to work as part of an international, interdisciplinary team
Desirable criteria:
- Ability to work across different disciplinary traditions
- Knowledge of visual and multimodal anthropology scholarship
- Enthusiasm for rural, outdoor research in remote regions
- Knowledge of at least one regional language (for example Ladakhi, or the regional languages of the Spiti Valley in India)
Start Date & Duration of Appointment: 4-year contract from start date. Start date is flexible.
Anticipated Hours/Days of Work (at time of posting): Full time - 35 hours per week
Salary Range (Minimum): $70,000
Application Requirements:
Documents:
- Cover Letter
- CV
Special Instructions: Please submit a cover letter that outlines how you meet each of the essential criteria. Please state your nationality, current address and if you will require visa sponsorship to work in Canada.
Supervisor: Karine Gagné
Contact Info
Dr Karine Gagné
Title: Associate Professor
Email: gagnek@uoguelph.ca
Posting Date: Tue, 07/21/2026
Closing Date: Fri, 09/04/2026