Special Scientist for Research

8 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

University of Cyprus

Department

Architecture

Research Field

Other
Geography » Social geography
Architecture » Other
Sociology » Urban sociology

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

Cyprus

Application Deadline

28 Feb 2024 - 23:59 (Africa/Cairo)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

37.5

Offer Starting Date

8 May 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

HE

Reference Number

101078890

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The Special Scientist will work as part of a team comprising the Project Coordinator, a Senior Researcher, a Researcher, project management and administrative staff, and will interact with team members from the partner organisations on a regular basis, both via email and in face-to-face meetings. The role of the Special Scientist is to develop and integrate existing spatial models, KPIs and tools focusing on the social-economic impacts of urban interventions. The models will use important indicators for social and economic performance such as centrality, accessibility and density. Furthermore, the Special Scientist will compare cities using these models and investigate the use of and challenges with evidence-based urban design and planning (EBDP) in the different planning contexts.

The project addresses the issue of implementation of EBDP in practice, aiming to respond to the research question: what is the applicability of different EBDP methods in different selected planning contexts? By investigating how different projects (case studies)in the UK, Sweden, Italy and Cyprus have implemented EBDP, to what extent, through which tools and with what level of success, the project will reveal the challenges and barriers of EBDP, understanding how different methods best fit different types and scales of projects as well as different planning contexts. The results of the project will include: a comparative analysis of cities and EBDP case studies, including aspects such as data availability and quality, as well as institutional capacity.

Additionally, the Special Scientist will contribute to research work relating to other components of the project, including reviewing the state-of-the-art of EBDP, developing a conceptual model mapping available tools and methodologies, and where these are commonly applied, and elaborating on the most significant contributions of the wider scientific community to EBDP, especially in relation to their impact towards achieving the SDGs.

The role includes participating in the project’s working group studios on research capability, research excellence and research impact, as well as in training activities aimed at UCY staff. This will require a certain amount of travel (1-3 times per year).

Responsibilities:

• Attendance at working groups and trainings
• Contributing to defining the research methodology
• Contributing to the project’s evaluation activities
• Managing their work in collaboration with other senior team members
• Desk-based research (data collection and analysis)
• Mapping and spatial analysis (GIS-based, space syntax methodology)
• Qualitative research (interviews and questionnaires)
• Fieldwork research (site visits, observations, post-occupancy evaluations)
• Production of visualisations of research results
• Writing of reports, scientific papers and non-scientific articles

Requirements

Research Field

Other

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required:

• PhD in Architecture, Urban Design, Urban Planning or related fields (urban studies, data analytics, geography, built environment disciplines). Candidates who have submitted their thesis and have their viva before 30th of April 2024 can apply.
• Experience and deep interest in evidence-based design and planning
• Excellent English-language skills (both verbal and written); in particular academic writing
• Excellent communication skills in multi-cultural environments
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Excellent skills in QGIS, spatial analysis, space syntax, quantitative data analysis
• Some experience of conducting qualitative research • Experience of working in collaborative research projects
• Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to travel abroad for required activities

Desirable:

• Experience working in a related professional environment
• Experience of research management and administration
• Interest in planning systems and frameworks
• Design software skills (InDesign, Illustrator, AutoCAD or other)
• Knowledge of another European language of the partners’ countries (Greek, Italian or Swedish)

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Research Field

Other

Years of Research Experience

1 - 4

Additional Information
Benefits

Employment Terms: The duration of employment will be twenty (20) months, full-time (140 hours per month) starting from 08/05/2024. The monthly gross earnings will be €2,254.13. From this amount, employee contributions to the various Government Funds will be deducted. There is no provision for 13th Salary.

Eligibility criteria

PhD-holder or having viva before 30th April 2024.

Selection process

Interested candidates should submit the following information through an email to the Project Coordinator Dr. Nadia Charalambous ([email protected] ), by the 28th of February 2024 and include:

• personal data (name, address, nationality, countries of residence, academic degrees)
• letter of motivation (maximum 2 pages) • CV in EUROPASS format
• certificate of english proficiency
• transcripts of your academic degrees (translated into english, by a sworn translator; including ranking of degree classification)
• two referees’ letters

Selection process: There will be a two-step selection process:

After reviewing the applications received, the TWIN2EXPAND recruitment committee will make a short list of candidates. Applicants will be selected on their potential for meeting the project and role requirements, academic excellence, organisational skills, their adaptability to work in a multicultural environment and their capacity to conduct research. The same procedure will be followed in all cases to ensure comparable selection.

Interviews will be conducted by project team members (3 members - committee). The interviewers will include the Project Coordinator and the Senior Researcher from UCY and the research work package leader from Chalmers. Recruitment will be a transparent, open and equal process following the guidelines of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

University of Cyprus

Country

Cyprus

City

Nicosia

Postal Code

1678

Street

Kallipoleos 75

Where to apply

E-mail

[email protected]

Contact

City

Nicosia

Website

http://ucy.ac.cy

Street

Kallipoleos 75

Postal Code

1678

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED