Doctoral researcher: Socio-Legal Incentives for a Digital Marketplace for Agrobiodiversity and Traditional Agricultural Knowledge

Doctoral researcher: Socio-Legal Incentives for a Digital Marketplace for Agrobiodiversity and Traditional Agricultural Knowledge. Location: Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki Start Date: September/October 2025 Duration: 3 years (with a possibility of extension to 4 years based on performance) Application Deadline: 31 August 2025 Hanken School of Economics is one of the leading business schools in the Nordic countries. It is located in Finland, with campuses in Helsinki and Vaasa. Hanken offers a range of B.Sc., M.Sc., EMBA, PhD, and Executive Development programmes taught mainly in English and Swedish. Hanken has 2 725 Bachelor and Masters students, and 118 Doctoral students. The School has close ties to the business community and an active alumni network with over 13 800 alumni working in more than 70 countries. The School is accredited by AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. The mission of Hanken is to create new knowledge and educate responsible professionals for the global economy and changing society. The Masters programme was ranked 57 in the Masters in Management by Financial Times in 2024. Hanken is also recognized for its research quality, its international orientation, and its focus on sustainability. Hanken School of Economics invites applications for a full-time doctoral researcher (PhD) position within the European Research Council (ERC) funded project Blockchain for Biodiversity. The selected candidate will join an interdisciplinary team exploring how digital technologies can support sustainable agriculture, agrobiodiversity conservation, and equitable benefit-sharing. The position is part of Work Package 1 of the project, which focuses on identifying socio-legal and economic incentives for the development of a digital, blockchain-based marketplace that recognizes and rewards the custodianship and knowledge of small-scale farmers engaged in in situ conservation of agrobiodiversity in India. Key Responsibilities - Conduct empirical qualitative and quantitative research with smallholder farmers engaged in traditional and ecological farming systems (e.g. agroecology, natural farming) to assess relevant incentives, data collection and governance models, and participation frameworks. - Design and implement interdisciplinary research methodologies tailored to socio-legal fieldwork and participatory innovation. - Carry out comparative legal and policy analysis at national and international levels, with a focus on intellectual property, biodiversity, data governance, and farmers' rights. - Collaborate with researchers from other work packages (including technical, legal and ethics domains) to co-develop legal-technical interfaces and equitable governance structures for the proposed digital platform. - Disseminate findings through high-quality academic publications and presentations at international conferences. Essential Qualifications - A Master's degree in Law, Socio-Legal Studies, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, or a related field. - Ability and willingness to spend extended periods conducting fieldwork in India. - Demonstrated experience or strong interest in empirical research methods (qualitative and/or quantitative), preferably in rural or Global South contexts. - Interest or background in technology regulation, contracts, digital commons, or sustainable agriculture. - Excellent academic writing and communication skills in English. In order to be accepted as a Doctoral Researcher at Hanken, you must fulfill the [admission requirements for PhD students](https://www.hanken.fi/en/apply/application/phd-programme/attachments). Please make sure to submit all required attachments, as they are essential to the academic evaluation of your application. Desirable Qualifications - Familiarity with International/Indian legal frameworks on biodiversity, farmers rights, or data governance. - Experience in interdisciplinary and/or participatory research. - Knowledge of Indian languages is a plus but is not mandatory - Familiarity with blockchain, smart contracts, or decentralized applications (dApps). Knowledge of the following programming languages may be relevant: Solidity (smart contracts), Java[Script] (front-ends, mobile apps), Python (backends). We Offer - An opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge, impact-driven research at the intersection of law, technology, and sustainability. - A vibrant research environment at Hanken School of Economics with access to international networks and collaboration. - Funding for research-related travel, fieldwork, and conference participation. For further information, please contact Mrinalini Kochupillai on mrinalini.kochupillai@hanken.fi . Please submit all application materials in English. The application deadline is 31.8.2025. General instructions for applicants are provided [here](https://www.hanken.fi/en/faculty-staff/job-opportunities/job-opportunities/academic-careers/hankens-tenure-track-system-2). Also, read more about Hanken as an employer [here](https://www.hanken.fi/en/node/2413861). Doktorand: Socio-rättsliga incitament för en digital marknadsplats för agrobiodiversitet och traditionell jordbrukskunskap. Plats: Hanken Svenska handelshögskolan, Helsingfors Startdatum: September/Oktober 2025 Varaktighet: 3 år (med möjlighet till förlängning till 4 år baserat på prestation) Sista ansökningsdag: 31 augusti 2025 Svenska handelshögskolan, Hanken, är en av de ledande handelshögskolorna i Norden. Hanken är verksam i Finland med campus i Helsingfors och Vasa. Hanken erbjuder program på kandidat-, magister- och doktorandnivå på svenska och engelska. Hanken har 2 725 kandidat- och magisterstuderande samt 118 doktorander. Universitetet har nära kontakt med näringslivet och ett aktivt alumnnätverk med över 13 800 alumner i mer än 70 länder. Hanken är ackrediterad av AACSB, AMBA och EQUIS. Hankens mission är att skapa ny kunskap och fostra ansvarsfulla ekonomer för den globala ekonomin och ett föränderligt samhälle. Hanken finns rankad i Financial Times Masters in Management på plats 57 (2024). Hanken är även känt för sin högkvalitativa forskning, internationella inriktning och fokus på hållbarhet. Svenska handelshögskolan inbjuder till ansökningar för en heltidsdoktorandtjänst inom det Europeiska forskningsrådets (ERC) finansierade projekt Blockchain for Biodiversity.