Postdoctoral Fellow in Coastal Tourism, Environmental Economics and Coastal Development (SECOS Institute)

Job title

Postdoctoral Fellow in Coastal Tourism, Environmental Economics and Coastal Development.

Company

Coastal Social-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS).

Description of the job

The Coastal Social-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS) is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Coastal Development social-ecological systems (SES) research group. The position focuses on economic and social-ecological analyses of coastal development, tourism, biodiversity, climate change impacts, and nature-based solutions, combining quantitative economic methods with fieldwork in coastal social-ecological systems.

SECOS Institute is formed by a multidisciplinary team of scientists from several Chilean universities, focused on coastal sustainability. The Institute's main objectives are to understand global, regional, and local drivers of change; the social-ecological conditions that hinder sustainability; and to test and implement actions that unravel such conditions. The Institute's work plan has been organized through the study of small- and medium-scale social-ecological experimental units, or 'learning platforms', which tackle key issues in artisanal fisheries, shellfish aquaculture, and coastal development as social-ecological systems.

This is a full-time position for 18 months, with possibilities for extension until 36 months through competitive Postdoc ANID grants. The successful applicant will be based in one of the SECOS associated institutions in Chile, preferably in the city of Concepción (Universidad de Concepción or Universidad del Desarrollo).

Some fieldwork will be required.

Preferred start date is mid-April 2026 or later.

Post-doctoral research could be directed towards one of the following areas:

• Natural capital and biodiversity assessment for coastal development, including valuation and mapping of biodiversity-related ecosystem services, nature-related risks and opportunities, and the analysis of firms' impacts and dependencies on nature to inform decision-making (e.g., conservation-investment trade-offs, coastal planning, and nature-based solutions).
• Economic trade-offs between coastal tourism development, conservation, and alternative coastal uses, analyzed within a social-ecological systems framework.
• Economic impacts of climate change on coastal tourism and cost-benefit evaluation of adaptation options, including nature-based solutions.
• Tourist preferences, behavior, and willingness to pay for coastal and marine conservation, using stated- and revealed preference approaches.

Methodological note: The Institute is currently working on choice modeling using Virtual Reality and eye-tracking technologies to analyze tourists' preferences and decision-making, and on the analysis of companies' impacts and dependencies on nature to support nature-related management and coastal development strategies.

Research is expected to combine quantitative economic methods (e.g. non-market valuation, applied econometrics, behavioral economics) with field-based work in small- and medium-scale coastal social-ecological systems. The postdoctoral researcher will work closely with an interdisciplinary team and engage with local coastal communities through intensive fieldwork.

Requirements

• PhD in Economics, Environmental Economics, Ecological Economics, or closely related disciplines.
• Training or experience in non-market valuation, applied microeconomics, socio-economic analysis of environmental issues, or policy evaluation.
• Experience with quantitative, experimental, or mixed methods applied to sustainability, tourism, or coastal systems will be positively valued.

Location

Concepción, Chile.

Salary

CLP $2,100,000 per month (approximately US$ 28,100 per year).

How to apply

Applicants should submit electronically or in hardcopy form the following documents: Curriculum Vitae in extenso, copies of degree certificates, cover letter, a statement of previous research achievements, copies of relevant articles (maximum 3), a research plan (maximum 3 pages), and a list of 2 referees with contact details. All documents should be named following the format: LAST NAME, name – [document type]. Applications should be sent to postulaciones@socioecologiacostera.cl with email subject: SECOS Postdoc CD Application – CANDIDATE LAST NAME.

Deadline

17/03/2026.

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