Call for applications -Postdoctoral opportunity at Public Space and Right to the City  (LabCidade)

Topic: International experiences of rental housing public policies

Main Project Title: Housing as a service: inputs for formulation, management, and implementation of a rental housing policy in São Paulo

Funding: FAPESP Technological Innovation Programs / RPPP – Research in Public Policies Program / PPPP (2023)

About the Opportunity:

The Public Space and Right to the City Laboratory at the School of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design of the University of São Paulo (LabCidade FAU USP) has an open position for postdoctoral research. The main project, “Housing as a service: inputs for the formulation, management, and implementation of a social rental housing policy in São Paulo”, is coordinated by Professor Paula Freire Santoro and funded by the FAPESP Public Policy Research Programme 2023/10276-5. The main project is being developed by the School of Architecture and Urbanism of USP in cooperation with the Housing Secretariat of the City Hall of São Paulo. The postdoctoral fellow will develop the project “International experiences of rental policies for social housing.”

#1 About the Project:

The project aims to understand whether and how international social rental housing policies have addressed the challenge of the increasing commodification of housing and its role as a financial asset. It will provide an overview of rental housing policies in Latin America to support the development of a policy for São Paulo.

#1.1 General Objectives:

  1. To understand whether and how international social rental housing policies have proposed to address the challenge of the increasing commodification of housing and its role as a financial asset;
  2. To build an overview of social rental housing policies in Latin America to support the development of a policy for São Paulo.

# 1.2 Specific Objectives:

  1. To support the organization of a Latin American Conference on rental housing;
  2. To develop a historical and theoretical review of rental housing and housing policies;
  3. To construct an overview of rental housing policies in Latin America;
  4. To organize inputs from the experiences presented at the Conference to support the formulation of the rental housing policy design in São Paulo, considering the four research axes of the main project.

#2 Profile and Application Requirements:

Brazilian and foreign applicants may apply. LabCidade encourages applications from women, Black, Brown and Indigenous individuals, those from peripheral areas, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Applicants should have expertise in one or more of the following areas: urban and regional planning, housing public policies, rental housing policies, public land management, urban and housing regulation.

#2.1 Candidate Requirements:

  1. Candidates must meet the criteria of the FAPESP Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, including:
  • Having completed their PhD or equivalent less than 7 years ago;
  • Having an excellent academic record in graduate studies*
  • Full-time dedication to research. The candidate cannot receive remuneration from another entity, except under the conditions established in FAPESP Resolution No. 13/2009.
  1. Meeting the requirements of the University of São Paulo Postdoctoral Program;
  2. Availability for in-person work at LabCidade (located at FAU USP, Butantã Campus) and activities with the São Paulo Municipal Housing Secretariat (located at Edifício Martinelli, Rua São Bento, 405, Centro de São Paulo);
  3. Foreign candidates must demonstrate full proficiency in Portuguese in the cover letter and interview;
  4. Advanced level of Spanish or English is an advantage.

(*) Final evaluation and granting of the fellowship to the selected candidate will be determined by FAPESP. May be considered by FAPESP: experience with internships or research abroad and publications in peer-reviewed journals in the last 5 years, among other information to be included in the candidate’s CV (see “#3 Application”).

#3 Application:

By May 25th, 2024, candidates must send an email to labcidade@usp.br with the subject “POSTDOCTORAL APPLICATION FOR RENTAL HOUSING PUBLIC POLICIES” including the following documents:

  1. Curricular Summary following the FAPESP Instructions and template;
  2. Graduate school transcript (master’s and doctoral);
  3. Cover letter of up to 1500 words containing reasons for interest in the project and relevant skills.

Interviews will be scheduled and conducted in the following weeks, from May 27th to June, 7th, 2024.

The documentation of the selected individual will be submitted to FAPESP, which may approve or deny the scholarship.