Qualitative comparative research on the public's perceptions of deep geothermal energy in the Upper Rhine cross-border region

Organisation/Company Université de Strasbourg Department Direction des ressources humaines Research Field Geography Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 16 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Part-time Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Position identification

Title of post :Qualitative comparative research on the public's perceptions of deep geothermal energy in the Upper Rhine cross-border region (France/Germany)

Type of contract :Post doctorat

Category (A,B or C) :

Contract/project period : 2 years Expected date of employment :January 1st, 2027

Proportion of work : 70%

Desired level of education : PhD (obtained less than 3 years ago)

Experience required :

Date of publication :September 18th, 2026

Closing date for the receipt of applications :October 16th, 2026

Research project or operation

Background:

Deep geothermal energy is a constantly evolving field: it has undergone successive reclassifications, moving from the utilization of heat, then to electricity generation, and finally to the extraction of geothermal lithium. The establishment of geothermal sites is governed by mining law in France: exploration permits are issued by the State, and the State alone has the authority to issue works permits, regardless of the scale of protests from local residents and/or local authorities. Finally, this sector is politically driven by the desire to implement energy transition.

The Interreg GeoTresOr project:

The Interreg GeoTresOr project ( https://www.interreg-rhin-sup.eu/projet/geotresor/ ) brings together academics (Unistra, CNRS, KIT, Hochschule Kehl), local government agencies (Verband Region Karlsruhe, Grand EST, CEA, etc.) and the association sector (Trion Climat, etc.), with the goal of better understanding deep geothermal energy and informing stakeholders (members of the public, elected representatives, decision-makers, industry representatives, researchers, etc.). The project aims to conduct quantitative and qualitative surveys of the public, create a shared geological database, develop bilingual information tools, and establish a digital platform accessible by all.

As part of the Interreg GeoTresOR project, the University of Strasbourg is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher for a 70% position, for a term of two years, beginning January 1, 2027. The postdoctoral researcher will help organize cross-border focus groups and analyze data. He or she will also contribute to media analysis and organize a workshop bringing together social scientists working on deep geothermal energy in the Upper Rhine region.

The person recruited will be involved inthe WP 5: ‘Quantitative and qualitative cross-border studies on public perceptions of deep geothermal energy’. They will join the Technology and Communication team at LISEC Unistra UR 2310 ( https://www.lisec-recherche.eu/ ) and the social science working group of the Interdisciplinary Thematic Institute Geosciences for the Energy Transition (ITI GéoT - https://geot.unistra.fr/ ). This group has been involved for ten years in studies on the public perception of geothermal projects, the analysis of scientific controversies, mediation schemes (surveys and public debates) and the potential for citizen participation.

The GeoTresOR project is structured around three pillars:

• Collection, sharing and transfer of knowledge and data relating to the exploitation of deep geothermal energy
• Analysis of the regulatory framework for exploration, drilling and exploitation
• Dissemination of the expertise gained

Activities

• Description of the research activities :
• Work closely with the German project partners, particularly those involved in WP 5, specifically the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT ITAS—Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, and KIT DFIU—Franco‑German Institute for Environmental Research). German language skills are desirable but not mandatory for this position; however, a good level of English is recommended.
• Contribute to the research activities of the “Technology and Communication” team at LISEC Unistra and of the socia